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| Criterion |  Systems Thinking Systems Mapping |  Decision Making Constraint Analysis |  Operations Causal Factor Analysis |
|---|---|---|---|
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 an initiative stalls, the limit often lies not in the idea but in hard or soft boundary conditions. Constraint Analysis separates these limits and shows which of them can actually be shaped. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Low | High |
Timedifferent | 1-3 h | 30-90 min | 2-6 h |
Participantsdifferent | 3-12 | 2-8 | 3-10 |
Formatsame | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | System Map, Dependencies, Leverage Points | Constraint List, Hard/Soft Classification, Option Impact Notes, Decision Boundaries | Event Timeline, Causal Factor Chart, Cause List, Corrective Actions |
Tagsno overlap | Systems thinkingMappingBoundariesChange | ConstraintsDecisionPlanningOptions | CausalityIncidentRoot causeTimeline |
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