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| Criterion |  Systems Thinking Soft Systems Methodology |  Agile Specification by Example |  Systems Thinking CATWOE Analysis |  Product Discovery Context Canvas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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 business rules need to become precise, it ties language, example, and test together. It sorts work by value, risk, and delivery ability. The result is captured as an Example Table and Acceptance Tests. | 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. | When an environment of users, systems, and constraints is hard to grasp, it puts the context compactly on the table. It creates a clear reading of influence, boundary, and dependency. |
Complexitydifferent | High | Medium | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 0.5-3 Tage | 60-90 min pro Feature | 45-90 min | 45-90 min |
Participantsdifferent | 5-15 | 3-6 | 3-8 | 3-10 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Rich Picture, Root Definitions, Conceptual Models, Change Agenda | Example Table, Acceptance Tests | CATWOE Canvas, Root Definition, Stakeholder Perspectives, Constraints | Context canvas, Open questions, Shared context notes |
Tagsno overlap | Soft systemsComplexitySensemakingSystems thinking | AgileRequirementsExamplesBehavior-Driven Development | Systems thinkingFramingStakeholders | ContextFramingRequirementsCanvas |