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Criterion
Paper illustration of a Polarity Map with two poles and four quadrants
Systems Thinking
Polarity Mapping
Paper illustration of many question cards around one challenge
Facilitation
Question Burst
Paper illustration for CATWOE Analysis.
Systems Thinking
CATWOE Analysis
How Might We
Innovation
How Might We
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.When a problem gets covered up too quickly with answers, Question Burst puts the better question at the center. The format opens the thinking space before the group commits to an interpretation.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.With a stuck problem carrying many implicit assumptions, the method translates observations into open, workable questions. It sharpens the problem frame without pre-thinking the solution, turning frustration or fuzziness into a search space with clear direction.
Complexitydifferent
MediumLowMediumLow
Timedifferent
1-2 h15-30 min45-90 min30–45 min
Participantsdifferent
3-122-83-81-10
Formatdifferent
WorkshopWorkshopWorkshop + asyncWorkshop + async
Outputdifferent
Polarity Map, Warning Signs, Balance ActionsQuestion List, Reframed Challenge, Learning PromptsCATWOE Canvas, Root Definition, Stakeholder Perspectives, ConstraintsHMW Questions, Challenge Framing, Idea Prompts
Tagsno overlap
Systems thinkingTradeoffsLeadership
QuestionsReframingFacilitationSensemaking
Systems thinkingFramingStakeholders
FramingOpportunityIdeationQuestions
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