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| Criterion |  Systems Thinking Soft Systems Methodology |  Growth A/B Testing |  Product Discovery Smoke Test |  Product Discovery Assumption Mapping |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | Soft Systems Methodology helps explore unclear or politically charged problems systematically. Instead of forcing a quick answer, the method builds a shared understanding of perspectives and room for action. | When two variants compete, discussions quickly decide by taste rather than effect. A/B Testing checks behavior under controlled conditions and separates real improvement from chance or expectation effects. | When demand only needs to be roughly verified, it tests interest with minimal effort. It measures whether people would take a next step at all. | When assumptions still sit unordered in the room, it weighs uncertainty against leverage. It makes visible which hypotheses should be checked first. |
Complexitydifferent | High | High | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | 0.5-3 Tage | 1-4 Wochen | 1-5 Tage | 45-60 min |
Participantsdifferent | 5-15 | 1-6 | Nutzertraffic | 2-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Async | Async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Rich Picture, Root Definitions, Conceptual Models, Change Agenda | Experiment results, Decision log, Learning summary | Interest Metrics, Conversion Signal, Learning Note | Assumption map, Test backlog, Risk ranking |
Tagsno overlap | Soft systemsComplexitySensemakingSystems thinking | ExperimentsGrowthAnalyticsValidation | ValidationExperimentsDemandGrowth | AssumptionsRiskExperimentsValidation |