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| Criterion |  Systems Thinking Systems Mapping |  Facilitation Mind Mapping |  Innovation Crazy 8s |  Systems Thinking Future 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 a topic is still unclear and too many thoughts surface at once, Mind Mapping creates an open surface for ordering them. It makes connections, subtopics, and starting points visible without fixing them too early. | With only a few minutes available and a still-fuzzy solution search, the method forces a wide range of variants. It produces fast sketches before the first idea can settle in, making different directions directly comparable and open to further development. | A Future Reality Tree shows how desired actions are meant to lead to a better system state. The method checks whether a path of change holds together logically before time flows into implementation. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Low | Low | High |
Timedifferent | 1-3 h | 15-45 min | 8-15 min | 2-4 h |
Participantsdifferent | 3-12 | 1-10 | 1-10 | 3-8 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | System Map, Dependencies, Leverage Points | Mind Map, Topic Clusters, Open Questions | Sketch Set, Idea Shortlist, Direction Options | Future Reality Tree, Negative Branches, Assumption List, Improved Injections |
Tagsno overlap | Systems thinkingMappingBoundariesChange | BrainstormingIdeasMappingStructureFacilitation | BrainstormingSketchingSpeedDivergenceDesign sprint | Theory of ConstraintsSystems thinkingChange |