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| Criterion |  Systems Thinking Rich Picture |  Operations Causal Factor Analysis |  Systems Thinking CATWOE Analysis |  Systems Thinking Causal Loop Diagram |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | For an event with a complicated course, the method breaks down the contributing factors along the timeline. It shows how conditions, decisions, and reactions together produce a course of events. | 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. | A Causal Loop Diagram makes feedback, reinforcement, and balance in a system legible. It uncovers side effects and self-reinforcement that stay hidden in linear explanations. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | High | Medium | Medium |
Timedifferent | 30-90 min | 2-6 h | 45-90 min | 1-3 h |
Participantsdifferent | 2-10 | 3-10 | 3-8 | 2-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Rich Picture, Problem Framing Notes | Event Timeline, Causal Factor Chart, Cause List, Corrective Actions | CATWOE Canvas, Root Definition, Stakeholder Perspectives, Constraints | Causal Loop Diagram, Feedback Notes, Leverage Points |
Tagsno overlap | Systems thinkingSoft systemsFramingVisualization | CausalityIncidentRoot causeTimeline | Systems thinkingFramingStakeholders | FeedbackSystems thinkingCausalityDynamics |