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| Criterion | ![]() Operations Process Mapping | ![]() Systems Thinking Current Reality Tree | ![]() Operations Family Tree Analysis | ![]() Systems Thinking Iceberg Model |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | With a confusing workflow that has many handoffs, the method makes the actual process visible. It shows where work is passed on, delayed, or duplicated, so improvement targets the right spots. | A Current Reality Tree condenses many symptoms into a few causal chains. The method makes visible which core problems drive several negative effects at once. | For a series of incidents with a similar pattern, the method arranges individual events as branches of a common origin. It makes visible which conditions keep recurring. | The Iceberg Model separates visible events from patterns, structures, and mental models. This turns a single observation into a deeper understanding of why a problem keeps recurring. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | High | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-3 h | 2-6 h | 2-4 h | 30-60 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-10 | 3-8 | 2-6 | 2-10 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Process Map, Handoff List, Improvement Backlog | Current Reality Tree, Core Problems, Intervention Ideas | Family Tree Diagram, Pattern Notes, Systemic Measures | Iceberg Worksheet, Pattern Notes, Intervention Ideas |
Tagsno overlap | ProcessOperationsImprovement | Systems thinkingRoot causeConstraintsCausality | Root causePatternsIncidentSystemic | Systems thinkingRoot causePatterns |



