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| Criterion |  Systems Thinking Soft Systems Methodology |  Systems Thinking Polarity Mapping |  Product Discovery Experiment Canvas |  Product Discovery Test Card |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | 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. | When experiments become unreadable after the fact, it arranges hypothesis, signal, and learning goal on a single canvas. It separates problem, assumption, solution, and evidence. The result is captured as a Completed Experiment Canvas and a Success Metric. | The Test Card turns a critical assumption into a testable claim and specifies in advance which result counts as success. |
Complexitydifferent | High | Medium | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 0.5-3 Tage | 1-2 h | 30-60 min | 20-35 min |
Participantsdifferent | 5-15 | 3-12 | 1-5 | 1-5 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Rich Picture, Root Definitions, Conceptual Models, Change Agenda | Polarity Map, Warning Signs, Balance Actions | Completed Experiment Canvas, Success Metric | Test Card with a pre-set threshold |
Tagsno overlap | Soft systemsComplexitySensemakingSystems thinking | Systems thinkingTradeoffsLeadership | ExperimentsValidationDiscoveryHypothesis | ExperimentsValidationDiscoveryHypothesis |