Clarifies connections, patterns, and leverage points by collecting undesirable effects, formulating causal links, and deriving interventions.
Core question: Which common causes can sufficiently explain the observed undesirable effects?
Mapping toolMethod form: Mapping tool. Describes how this method is used in practice.HighComplexity: high. Estimates preparation, facilitation effort, and method confidence needed.WorkshopFormat: workshop. Shows whether the method works in a workshop, asynchronously, or both.
2-6 h
3-8
Details
OperationsCategory: Operations. Describes the method's domain of use.
Finds a system's bottleneck, aligns work around it, and cyclically checks whether flow improves.
Core question: Which constraint currently limits the system goal, and how will we exploit, subordinate, and elevate it?
Operating practiceMethod form: Operating practice. Describes how this method is used in practice.HighComplexity: high. Estimates preparation, facilitation effort, and method confidence needed.Workshop + asyncFormat: workshop or async. Shows whether the method works in a workshop, asynchronously, or both.
2-4 h Analyse, laufend
3-12
Details
OperationsCategory: Operations. Describes the method's domain of use.
Measures flow, wait times, and WIP to find the bottleneck and derive relief options.
Core question: Which step currently limits total throughput, and what evidence distinguishes the constraint from a local delay?
Operating practiceMethod form: Operating practice. Describes how this method is used in practice.MediumComplexity: medium. Estimates preparation, facilitation effort, and method confidence needed.Workshop + asyncFormat: workshop or async. Shows whether the method works in a workshop, asynchronously, or both.
1-3 h
3-8
Details
Systems ThinkingCategory: Systems Thinking. Describes the method's domain of use.
Moves from current problems through core conflicts and future logic to a viable path through a bottleneck.
Core question: What to change, what to change to, and how to cause change when undesirable effects are causally connected?
Process modelMethod form: Process model. Describes how this method is used in practice.HighComplexity: high. Estimates preparation, facilitation effort, and method confidence needed.WorkshopFormat: workshop. Shows whether the method works in a workshop, asynchronously, or both.
0.5-3 Tage
4-10
Details
Decision MakingCategory: Decision Making. Describes the method's domain of use.
Makes hard and soft boundaries visible and turns them into decision rules and option impact notes.
Core question: Which limit currently binds the system goal, which apparent limits are rules or assumptions, and what does a controlled relief test show?
Decision methodMethod form: Decision method. Describes how this method is used in practice.LowComplexity: low. Estimates preparation, facilitation effort, and method confidence needed.Workshop + asyncFormat: workshop or async. Shows whether the method works in a workshop, asynchronously, or both.