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| Criterion |  Systems Thinking Polarity Mapping |  Systems Thinking Futures Wheel |  Operations Fishbone Diagram |
|---|---|---|---|
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. | The Futures Wheel helps explore the consequences of a decision, a trend, or a strategic move in a structured way. It makes visible which first, second, and third-order effects could arise from an event. | When a problem has several possible contributing factors, the method sorts causes by cause areas. It prevents an initial hunch from blocking the view of other plausible drivers. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-2 h | 60-120 min | 30-60 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-12 | 3-10 | 2-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Polarity Map, Warning Signs, Balance Actions | Futures Wheel, Consequence Chains, Strategic Signals | Fishbone Diagram, Cause Categories, Investigation Backlog |
Tagsno overlap | Systems thinkingTradeoffsLeadership | ForesightSystems thinkingSignals | Root causeQualityOperations |
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