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| Criterion | ![]() Systems Thinking Soft Systems Methodology | ![]() Product Discovery Pretotyping | ![]() Product Strategy Lean Canvas | ![]() Innovation Lean Startup |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | Pretotyping clarifies whether a customer problem and solution idea create enough real demand. It separates problem, assumption, solution, and evidence, and captures the result as a pretotyping sketch, test setup, and conversion data. | When an early product bet still has too many open points, it brings target group, problem, and assumptions into a single view. It condenses the idea so core risks become nameable. | For uncertain business assumptions, the method forces the idea into contact with real market reactions early. It separates wishful picture, assumption, and observable behavior, so that learning becomes faster than planning. This translates uncertainty into measurable insight. |
Complexitydifferent | High | Low | Medium | Medium |
Timedifferent | 0.5-3 Tage | Stunden bis wenige Tage | 45-90 min | Wochen bis Monate je Lernzyklus |
Participantsdifferent | 5-15 | 1-4 | 1-6 | 2-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Rich Picture, Root Definitions, Conceptual Models, Change Agenda | Pretotyping sketch, Test setup, Conversion data, Go or no-go decision | Lean Canvas, Core Assumptions, Experiment Backlog | Hypothesis list, MVPs, Learning reports, Pivot or persevere decision |
Tagsno overlap | Soft systemsComplexitySensemakingSystems thinking | ValidationDemandMVP | StartupLeanAssumptionsBusiness model | LeanStartupValidationMVP |



