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| Criterion |  Systems Thinking Soft Systems Methodology |  Decision Making Pre-Mortem |  Decision Making Assumption Surfacing |  Decision Making Cynefin Workshop |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | In early initiatives with many uncertainties, planning quickly turns too optimistic. A pre-mortem makes the expected failure visible in advance and sharpens the view of causes, gaps, and countermeasures. | 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. | When problems are unclear, chaotic, or only seemingly familiar, standard recipes fall short. A Cynefin Workshop sorts situations by the nature of their problem and connects them with matching action logic. |
Complexitydifferent | High | Low | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | 0.5-3 Tage | 20–45 min | 45-90 min | 60-180 min |
Participantsdifferent | 5-15 | Small cross-functional group | 2-8 | 4-20 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Rich Picture, Root Definitions, Conceptual Models, Change Agenda | Risk list, Mitigation plan, Assumption log | Assumption List, Critical Assumptions, Learning Plan | Cynefin Map, Domain-specific Actions, Sensemaking Notes |
Tagsno overlap | Soft systemsComplexitySensemakingSystems thinking | RiskDecisionFailurePlanning | AssumptionsRiskDecisionDiscovery | ComplexitySensemakingDecision |