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| Criterion |  Systems Thinking Polarity Mapping |  Facilitation Stakeholder Mapping |  Decision Making Decision Matrix |  Facilitation Alignment Mapping |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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 an initiative depends on many people, interests, and power dynamics, Stakeholder Mapping systematically orders the environment. It shows who influences, who is affected, and where relationship management or safeguarding matters first. | When several options collide with several criteria, comparison quickly becomes subjective. A Decision Matrix makes the trade-off visible and brings weighting, criteria, and options into a shared logic. | When several people work toward one goal but hold different mental maps, Alignment Mapping makes the discrepancies visible. It arranges goals, assumptions, and priorities so shared direction becomes verifiable. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Low | Medium | Medium |
Timedifferent | 1-2 h | 60–90 min | 45-90 min | 1-2 h |
Participantsdifferent | 3-12 | 2-8 | 2-8 | 4-12 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Polarity Map, Warning Signs, Balance Actions | Stakeholder Map, Engagement Plan, Risk Notes | Decision Matrix, Scoring Rationale, Selected Option | Alignment Map, Open Issues, Decision Questions |
Tagsno overlap | Systems thinkingTradeoffsLeadership | StakeholdersAlignmentFacilitationChange | DecisionCriteriaScoringTradeoffs | AlignmentStakeholdersStrategyFacilitation |