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| Criterion | ![]() Facilitation Mind Mapping | ![]() Systems Thinking Current Reality Tree | ![]() Operations Causal Factor Analysis | ![]() Innovation Brainwriting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | When a topic is still unclear and too many thoughts surface at once, Mind Mapping creates an open surface for ordering them. It makes connections, subtopics, and starting points visible without fixing them too early. | A Current Reality Tree condenses many symptoms into a few causal chains. The method makes visible which core problems drive several negative effects at once. | For an event with a complicated course, the method breaks down the contributing factors along the timeline. It shows how conditions, decisions, and reactions together produce a course of events. | When loud voices or hierarchy distort the idea search, the method creates a quiet entry into joint development. It gives everyone thinking space and gathers contributions without social brakes, making diversity more visible and easier to build on. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | High | High | Low |
Timedifferent | 15-45 min | 2-6 h | 2-6 h | 15-30 min |
Participantsdifferent | 1-10 | 3-8 | 3-10 | 3-12 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Mind Map, Topic Clusters, Open Questions | Current Reality Tree, Core Problems, Intervention Ideas | Event Timeline, Causal Factor Chart, Cause List, Corrective Actions | Idea sheets, Expanded concepts, Prioritized list |
Tagsno overlap | BrainstormingIdeasMappingStructureFacilitation | Systems thinkingRoot causeConstraintsCausality | CausalityIncidentRoot causeTimeline | BrainstormingCollaborationInclusionIdeas |



