View methods side by side.
Choose up to four methods. Add them using the search and share the comparison by copying its link.
| Criterion |  Systems Thinking Rich Picture |  Operations After-Action Review |  Systems Thinking CATWOE Analysis |  Operations Process Mapping |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | A Rich Picture brings an unclear situation onto a shared drawing. It captures actors, tensions, information flows, and blind spots before the team jumps to solutions too early. | After missions or project phases with unclear outcomes, the method makes visible what actually happened and what can be learned from it. It separates course, effect, and causes so experience turns into solid improvement. | 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 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Low | Medium | Medium |
Timedifferent | 30-90 min | 20-45 min | 45-90 min | 1-3 h |
Participantsdifferent | 2-10 | 3-12 | 3-8 | 3-10 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Rich Picture, Problem Framing Notes | Lessons learned, Action items, Event summary | CATWOE Canvas, Root Definition, Stakeholder Perspectives, Constraints | Process Map, Handoff List, Improvement Backlog |
Tagsno overlap | Systems thinkingSoft systemsFramingVisualization | LearningOperationsImprovement | Systems thinkingFramingStakeholders | ProcessOperationsImprovement |