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Criterion
Rich Picture workspace showing the question, observations, and next decision.
Systems Thinking
Rich Picture
Paper illustration for Mad Sad Glad
Agile
Mad Sad Glad
Paper illustration of a Polarity Map with two poles and four quadrants
Systems Thinking
Polarity Mapping
Paper illustration for Accountability Ladder
Operations
Accountability Ladder
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.When a team's or workshop's mood needs to become readable, it structures emotional signals with little setup. It makes strain, relief, and sources of energy tangible.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.With defensive reactions to problems, the method shifts the view from justification to ownership. It makes visible which reaction stage a person or team is currently stuck on.
Complexitydifferent
LowLowMediumLow
Timedifferent
30-90 min30-60 min1-2 h20-45 min
Participantsdifferent
2-103-103-121-8
Formatdifferent
WorkshopWorkshopWorkshopWorkshop + async
Outputdifferent
Rich Picture, Problem Framing NotesEmotion Board, Themes, Action ItemsPolarity Map, Warning Signs, Balance ActionsOwnership Reflection, Action Commitment, Coaching Notes
Tagsno overlap
Systems thinkingSoft systemsFramingVisualization
RetrospectiveTeamReflection
Systems thinkingTradeoffsLeadership
ResponsibilityLeadershipTeam
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