View methods side by side.
Choose up to four methods. Add them using the search and share the comparison by copying its link.
| Criterion | ![]() Systems Thinking Soft Systems Methodology | ![]() Innovation Starbursting | ![]() Decision Making Cynefin Workshop | ![]() Innovation Lotus Blossom |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | Helps clarify ideas, open questions, and testable next steps in concrete terms. It opens the thinking space, collects ideas, and leads to testable options. The result is captured as a star-shaped question map, question list, and assumption list. | 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. | When a central question feels too large, the method breaks it into neighboring topic fields with their own depth of ideation. It holds structure and openness at the same time, so adjacent perspectives don't get lost. This grows an idea space out of a core problem. |
Complexitydifferent | High | Low | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 0.5-3 Tage | 30-60 min | 60-180 min | 45-90 min |
Participantsdifferent | 5-15 | 3-10 | 4-20 | 3-10 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Rich Picture, Root Definitions, Conceptual Models, Change Agenda | Star-Shaped Question Map, Question List, Assumption List | Cynefin Map, Domain-specific Actions, Sensemaking Notes | Lotus Diagram, Idea Themes, Shortlist |
Tagsno overlap | Soft systemsComplexitySensemakingSystems thinking | BrainstormingIdeationWorkshopDiscovery | ComplexitySensemakingDecision | BrainstormingIdeationCreativityDivergenceWorkshop |



