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| Criterion | ![]() Systems Thinking Polarity Mapping | ![]() Systems Thinking CATWOE Analysis | ![]() Agile Starfish Retrospective | ![]() Agile Start Stop Continue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | Polarity Mapping makes tensions between two opposing poles tangible, such as standardization and adaptation or control and autonomy. The method guards against making apparent either-or decisions prematurely. | CATWOE structures a problem from six viewpoints and prevents too narrow a view of the situation. Different experiences of the system become comparably discussable this way. | When improvement options need to be sorted more finely than just start and stop, it brings observations into clear kinds of action. This makes visible what should be done more, less, newly, or continued. | When a team wants to deliberately adjust its working behavior, it makes habits visible and assessable. It focuses on concrete changes instead of diffuse mood. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Medium | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-2 h | 45-90 min | 45-90 min | 30-60 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-12 | 3-8 | 4-12 | 3-12 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Polarity Map, Warning Signs, Balance Actions | CATWOE Canvas, Root Definition, Stakeholder Perspectives, Constraints | Starfish Board, Practice Changes, Experiments | Start Stop Continue Board, Improvement Actions |
Tagsno overlap | Systems thinkingTradeoffsLeadership | Systems thinkingFramingStakeholders | RetrospectiveImprovementExperimentsTeam | RetrospectiveImprovementTeamReflection |



