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Selected:Stock and Flow DiagramSystem Dynamics SimulationARID (Active Reviews for Intermediate Designs)Causal Loop Diagram
| Criterion | ![]() Systems Thinking Stock and Flow Diagram | ![]() Systems Thinking System Dynamics Simulation | ![]() Architecture ARID (Active Reviews for Intermediate Designs) | ![]() Systems Thinking Causal Loop Diagram |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | A Stock and Flow Diagram shows how stocks, inflows, and outflows shape a system over time. It is especially suited when growth, delays, or capacity limits determine the dynamics. | System Dynamics Simulation makes assumptions about time, delay, and feedback testable through experiments. It draws relationships, patterns, and feedback loops. The result is captured as a simulation model and scenario reports. | ARID examines how well developers can work with a technical design. It focuses on a part of the system that can still be revised, between the architecture overview and the detailed specification. | A Causal Loop Diagram makes feedback, reinforcement, and balance in a system legible. It uncovers side effects and self-reinforcement that stay hidden in linear explanations. |
Complexitydifferent | High | High | Medium | Medium |
Timedifferent | 2-6 h | Mehrere Tage bis Wochen | 2–4 h review as a planning range; preparation and evaluation additional | 1-3 h |
Participantsdifferent | 1-6 | 1-5 Modellierende, Stakeholder asynchron | Designers, developers as users, and facilitation | 2-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Async | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Stock and Flow Model, Dynamics Notes, Simulation Hypotheses | Simulation Model, Scenario Reports | Prioritized development tasks, Jointly produced code or pseudocode, Observed difficulties and open design questions, Proposed design revisions | Causal Loop Diagram, Feedback Notes, Leverage Points |
Tagsno overlap | DynamicsSimulationFeedbackSystems thinking | Systems thinkingDynamicsSimulationAnalysis | ArchitectureEngineeringFeedbackValidationTasks | FeedbackSystems thinkingCausalityDynamics |



