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Criterion
Paper illustration for Soft Systems Methodology.
Systems Thinking
Soft Systems Methodology
Paper illustration of many question cards around one challenge
Facilitation
Question Burst
Rich Picture workspace showing the question, observations, and next decision.
Systems Thinking
Rich Picture
Paper illustration for CATWOE Analysis.
Systems Thinking
CATWOE Analysis
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 a problem gets covered up too quickly with answers, Question Burst puts the better question at the center. The format opens the thinking space before the group commits to an interpretation.A Rich Picture brings an unclear situation onto a shared drawing. It captures actors, tensions, information flows, and blind spots before the team jumps to solutions too early.CATWOE structures a problem from six viewpoints and prevents too narrow a view of the situation. Different experiences of the system become comparably discussable this way.
Complexitydifferent
HighLowLowMedium
Timedifferent
0.5-3 Tage15-30 min30-90 min45-90 min
Participantsdifferent
5-152-82-103-8
Formatdifferent
WorkshopWorkshopWorkshopWorkshop + async
Outputdifferent
Rich Picture, Root Definitions, Conceptual Models, Change AgendaQuestion List, Reframed Challenge, Learning PromptsRich Picture, Problem Framing NotesCATWOE Canvas, Root Definition, Stakeholder Perspectives, Constraints
Tagsno overlap
Soft systemsComplexitySensemakingSystems thinking
QuestionsReframingFacilitationSensemaking
Systems thinkingSoft systemsFramingVisualization
Systems thinkingFramingStakeholders
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