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Criterion
Paper illustration for Soft Systems Methodology.
Systems Thinking
Soft Systems Methodology
Anonymous individual judgments pass through feedback loops to form a distribution.
Decision Making
Delphi Method
Red Teaming method illustration showing its working structure
Decision Making
Red Teaming
Paper illustration of an assumption matrix with prioritized test cards
Decision Making
Assumption Surfacing
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 knowledge is distributed and direct dominance should be avoided, groups quickly fall under the sway of their opinion leaders. The Delphi Method gathers assessments iteratively and gradually brings expert judgments closer together.For strategic decisions with high reach, agreement and gut feeling are often not enough. Red teaming brings deliberate opposition into the situation and tests where a plan breaks under real counterarguments.Plans often contain assumptions that were never openly stated and remain dangerous precisely because of that. Assumption Surfacing makes these silent premises visible and prioritizes which of them carry the initiative or could sink it.
Complexitydifferent
HighHighHighLow
Timedifferent
0.5-3 Tage1-4 Wochen1-4 h45-90 min
Participantsdifferent
5-156-30 Experten3-82-8
Formatdifferent
WorkshopAsyncWorkshopWorkshop + async
Outputdifferent
Rich Picture, Root Definitions, Conceptual Models, Change AgendaExpert Forecast, Consensus Range, Assumption NotesChallenge Findings, Risk Register, Mitigation PlanAssumption List, Critical Assumptions, Learning Plan
Tagsno overlap
Soft systemsComplexitySensemakingSystems thinking
ForecastingExpertsDecisionStrategy
RiskDecisionSensemaking
AssumptionsRiskDecisionDiscovery
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