methodatlas
Compare

View methods side by side.

Choose up to four methods. Add them using the search and share the comparison by copying its link.

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 Causal Factor Analysis.
Operations
Causal Factor Analysis
A 5 Whys working surface connects an observable problem with evidenced causes, marked uncertainty and concrete countermeasures with ownership.
Operations
5 Whys
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.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.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.
Complexitydifferent
LowHighLow
Timedifferent
45–75 min2-6 h15-30 min
Participantsdifferent
Team members involved3-102-6
Formatdifferent
WorkshopWorkshop + asyncWorkshop
Outputdifferent
4Ls Board, Learning Themes, Improvement ActionsEvent Timeline, Causal Factor Chart, Cause List, Corrective ActionsRoot cause notes, Countermeasures
Tagsno overlap
RetrospectiveLearningReflectionTeam
CausalityIncidentRoot causeTimeline
Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving
Add more methods

Often compared together

Methods with strong topical overlap with the current selection, not yet in the comparison.

Paper illustration for Learning Review.
Operations
Learning Review
Paper illustration for Root Cause Analysis.
Operations
Root Cause Analysis
Paper illustration of a team retrospective with three separate Start, Stop, and Continue areas and a shared action list.
Agile
Start Stop Continue