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| Criterion |  Product Discovery Working Backwards |  Systems Thinking Current Reality Tree |  Operations 5 Whys |  Operations Causal Factor Analysis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | When the target state and benefit need to be clear first, it thinks backward from the desired outcome into the product logic. It sharpens vision, objections, and value proposition before elaboration. | 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. | For a single, hard-to-explain deviation, the method exposes the causal chain behind the visible symptom. It keeps the cause open until a controllable condition emerges instead of a mere description. | 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 | High | Low | High |
Timedifferent | 4-8 h, mehrere Iterationen | 2-6 h | 15-30 min | 2-6 h |
Participantsdifferent | 2-6 | 3-8 | 2-6 | 3-10 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Future Press Release, FAQ, Vision Statement | Current Reality Tree, Core Problems, Intervention Ideas | Root cause notes, Countermeasures | Event Timeline, Causal Factor Chart, Cause List, Corrective Actions |
Tagsno overlap | VisionNarrativeAlignment | Systems thinkingRoot causeConstraintsCausality | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving | CausalityIncidentRoot causeTimeline |