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| Criterion |  Systems Thinking Soft Systems Methodology |  Systems Thinking Rich Picture |  Facilitation Expectation Mapping |  Facilitation Alignment Mapping |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | 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. | When roles, interfaces, or projects fail because of differing expectations, Expectation Mapping surfaces these differences. It shows what each side takes for granted and where the pictures diverge. | When several people work toward one goal but hold different mental maps, Alignment Mapping makes the discrepancies visible. It arranges goals, assumptions, and priorities so shared direction becomes verifiable. |
Complexitydifferent | High | Low | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | 0.5-3 Tage | 30-90 min | 45-90 min | 1-2 h |
Participantsdifferent | 5-15 | 2-10 | 3-12 | 4-12 |
Formatsame | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Rich Picture, Root Definitions, Conceptual Models, Change Agenda | Rich Picture, Problem Framing Notes | Expectation Map, Alignment Notes, Agreements | Alignment Map, Open Issues, Decision Questions |
Tagsno overlap | Soft systemsComplexitySensemakingSystems thinking | Systems thinkingSoft systemsFramingVisualization | AlignmentStakeholdersTeam | AlignmentStakeholdersStrategyFacilitation |