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| Criterion |  Systems Thinking Systems Mapping |  UX Research Affinity Diagramming |  Systems Thinking Current Reality Tree |
|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | Systems Mapping arranges elements, relationships, and boundaries so a complex field becomes legible at a glance. The overview stabilizes the overall picture before detail work or steering begins. | When research notes, feedback, or observations sit unconnected side by side, affinity diagramming sorts the raw material into solid themes. Many individual points turn into patterns that make decisions and opportunities clearer. | A Current Reality Tree condenses many symptoms into a few causal chains. The method makes visible which core problems drive several negative effects at once. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Low | High |
Timedifferent | 1-3 h | 45–90 min | 2-6 h |
Participantsdifferent | 3-12 | 3-10 | 3-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | System Map, Dependencies, Leverage Points | Theme clusters, Insight statements, Opportunity areas | Current Reality Tree, Core Problems, Intervention Ideas |
Tagsno overlap | Systems thinkingMappingBoundariesChange | SynthesisQualitativeRoot cause | Systems thinkingRoot causeConstraintsCausality |
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