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| Criterion | ![]() Facilitation Mind Mapping | ![]() Facilitation Lean Coffee | ![]() Knowledge Modeling Concept Mapping | ![]() 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. | When a group without a fixed agenda needs to get into useful conversations quickly, Lean Coffee structures the start around interests rather than a presentation. The group itself negotiates which topics get time first and which wait. | Concept Mapping arranges terms and relationships in a network that makes subject-matter connections tangible. It fits when a topic needs to be understood structurally rather than linearly. | 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 | Low | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 15-45 min | 30-90 min | 1-2 h | 15-30 min |
Participantsdifferent | 1-10 | 3-20 | 1-8 | 3-12 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Mind Map, Topic Clusters, Open Questions | Prioritized Topics, Discussion Notes, Action Items | Concept Map, Relationship Labels, Knowledge Gaps | Idea sheets, Expanded concepts, Prioritized list |
Tagsno overlap | BrainstormingIdeasMappingStructureFacilitation | FacilitationAutonomyDialogue | KnowledgeConceptsMappingSensemaking | BrainstormingCollaborationInclusionIdeas |



