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| Criterion | ![]() Systems Thinking Polarity Mapping | ![]() Systems Thinking CATWOE Analysis | ![]() Agile Start Stop Continue | ![]() Agile Starfish Retrospective |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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 a team wants to deliberately adjust its working behavior, it makes habits visible and assessable. It focuses on concrete changes instead of diffuse mood. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Medium | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-2 h | 45-90 min | 30-60 min | 45-90 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-12 | 3-8 | 3-12 | 4-12 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Polarity Map, Warning Signs, Balance Actions | CATWOE Canvas, Root Definition, Stakeholder Perspectives, Constraints | Start Stop Continue Board, Improvement Actions | Starfish Board, Practice Changes, Experiments |
Tagsno overlap | Systems thinkingTradeoffsLeadership | Systems thinkingFramingStakeholders | RetrospectiveImprovementTeamReflection | RetrospectiveImprovementExperimentsTeam |



