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Criterion
A structured reflection surfaces what was liked, learned, lacked, and longed for. It is a conversation format and does not validate actions automatically.
Agile
4Ls Retrospective
Paper illustration for Alignment Mapping.
Facilitation
Alignment Mapping
Paper illustration: scenarios and architectural decisions are connected to identified risks.
Architecture
ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method)
Paper illustration for Mad Sad Glad
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.When several people work toward one goal but hold different mental maps, Alignment Mapping makes the discrepancies visible. It arranges goals, assumptions, and priorities so shared direction becomes verifiable.ATAM helps teams weigh architecture decisions when quality goals compete. The team considers business goals, stakeholder expectations, and technical decisions together. The evaluation shows which risks need further investigation.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.
Complexitydifferent
LowMediumHighLow
Timedifferent
45–75 min1-2 hSeveral meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope30-60 min
Participantsdifferent
Team members involved4-12Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders3-10
Formatdifferent
WorkshopWorkshopWorkshop + asyncWorkshop
Outputdifferent
4Ls Board, Learning Themes, Improvement ActionsAlignment Map, Open Issues, Decision QuestionsPrioritized quality scenarios in a utility tree, Architecture risks with reasoning and assumptions, Sensitivity and trade-off points, Findings report with open investigationsEmotion Board, Themes, Action Items
Tagsno overlap
RetrospectiveLearningReflectionTeam
AlignmentStakeholdersStrategyFacilitation
ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders
RetrospectiveTeamReflection
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