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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 of a Polarity Map with two poles and four quadrants
Systems Thinking
Polarity Mapping
Paper illustration of a team retrospective with three separate Start, Stop, and Continue areas and a shared action list.
Agile
Start Stop Continue
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.Polarity Mapping makes tensions between two opposing poles tangible, such as standardization and adaptation or control and autonomy. The method guards against making apparent either-or decisions prematurely.When a team wants to deliberately adjust its working behavior, it makes habits visible and assessable. It focuses on concrete changes instead of diffuse mood.
Complexitydifferent
LowMediumLow
Timedifferent
45–75 min1-2 h30-60 min
Participantsdifferent
Team members involved3-123-12
Formatsame
WorkshopWorkshopWorkshop
Outputdifferent
4Ls Board, Learning Themes, Improvement ActionsPolarity Map, Warning Signs, Balance ActionsStart Stop Continue Board, Improvement Actions
Tagsno overlap
RetrospectiveLearningReflectionTeam
Systems thinkingTradeoffsLeadership
RetrospectiveImprovementTeamReflection
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Methods with strong topical overlap with the current selection, not yet in the comparison.

Paper illustration for Sailboat Retrospective
Agile
Sailboat Retrospective
The Scrum Team inspects people, interactions, processes, tools, and the Definition of Done, then agrees on a few testable improvements.
Agile
Sprint Retrospective
Paper illustration for Starfish Retrospective
Agile
Starfish Retrospective