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| Criterion |  Agile 4Ls Retrospective |  Architecture Architecture Decision Record |  Agile Sprint Retrospective |  Agile Mad Sad Glad |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | When a sprint should not only be assessed but also learned from, it captures experience in clear learning categories. It records what worked, what's missing, and what should run differently next time. | An ADR permanently records an architecture decision with context, trade-offs, and consequence. It creates continuity for later changes because the decision path stays traceable. | When a sprint is over and friction shouldn't simply be carried forward, it opens the view onto collaboration and patterns. It creates space to see causes and changes together. | When a team's or workshop's mood needs to become readable, it structures emotional signals with little setup. It makes strain, relief, and sources of energy tangible. |
Complexitysame | Low | Low | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 45–75 min | 15-45 min | Up to 3 hours for a one-month Sprint; shorter Sprints are usually shorter | 30-60 min |
Participantsdifferent | Team members involved | 1-3 | Scrum Team | 3-10 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Async | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | 4Ls Board, Learning Themes, Improvement Actions | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale | Improvement actions, Team agreements | Emotion Board, Themes, Action Items |
Tagsno overlap | RetrospectiveLearningReflectionTeam | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance | RetrospectiveImprovementLearning | RetrospectiveTeamReflection |