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Criterion
Rich Picture workspace showing the question, observations, and next decision.
Systems Thinking
Rich Picture
How Might We
Innovation
How Might We
A paper-based illustration representing arc42 with its core stages and visible working result.
Architecture
arc42
Paper illustration for CATWOE Analysis.
Systems Thinking
CATWOE Analysis
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.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.arc42 structures architecture knowledge so teams can document system, decisions, and risks consistently. The template builds a living understanding of the architecture instead of scattered notes.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.
Complexitydifferent
LowLowLowMedium
Timedifferent
30-90 min30–45 min1-2 Tage45-90 min
Participantsdifferent
2-101-101-43-8
Formatdifferent
WorkshopWorkshop + asyncWorkshop + asyncWorkshop + async
Outputdifferent
Rich Picture, Problem Framing NotesHMW Questions, Challenge Framing, Idea PromptsArchitecture Document, Context View, Runtime View, Deployment ViewCATWOE Canvas, Root Definition, Stakeholder Perspectives, Constraints
Tagsno overlap
Systems thinkingSoft systemsFramingVisualization
FramingOpportunityIdeationQuestions
ArchitectureDocumentationCommunication
Systems thinkingFramingStakeholders
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