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| Criterion | ![]() Systems Thinking Systems Mapping | ![]() Operations Causal Factor Analysis | ![]() Operations 8D Problem Solving | ![]() 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. | For an event with a complicated course, the method breaks down the contributing factors along the timeline. It shows how conditions, decisions, and reactions together produce a course of events. | For an acute quality or delivery problem, the method structures immediate protection and root cause work together. It keeps the situation stable while the actual cause is investigated cleanly. | 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 | High | High | High |
Timedifferent | 1-3 h | 2-6 h | 1-6 Wochen | 2-6 h |
Participantsdifferent | 3-12 | 3-10 | 4-10 | 3-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | System Map, Dependencies, Leverage Points | Event Timeline, Causal Factor Chart, Cause List, Corrective Actions | 8D Report, Containment Plan, Root Cause Evidence, Corrective Action Plan | Current Reality Tree, Core Problems, Intervention Ideas |
Tagsno overlap | Systems thinkingMappingBoundariesChange | CausalityIncidentRoot causeTimeline | QualityProblem solvingRoot cause | Systems thinkingRoot causeConstraintsCausality |



