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| Criterion |  Systems Thinking Systems Mapping |  Decision Making Decision Tree |  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. | For decisions with follow-on paths and dependencies, a linear comparison is often not enough. A Decision Tree shows how options branch under conditions and which consequences hang on each branch. | 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 | Medium | High |
Timedifferent | 1-3 h | 30-90 min | 2-6 h |
Participantsdifferent | 3-12 | 1-6 | 3-10 |
Formatsame | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | System Map, Dependencies, Leverage Points | Decision Tree, Option Map, Assumption List | Event Timeline, Causal Factor Chart, Cause List, Corrective Actions |
Tagsno overlap | Systems thinkingMappingBoundariesChange | DecisionTreeOptions | CausalityIncidentRoot causeTimeline |
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