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Criterion
A 5 Whys working surface connects an observable problem with evidenced causes, marked uncertainty and concrete countermeasures with ownership.
Operations
5 Whys
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 team retrospective with three separate Start, Stop, and Continue areas and a shared action list.
Agile
Start Stop Continue
Purposedifferent
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.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 a team wants to deliberately adjust its working behavior, it makes habits visible and assessable. It focuses on concrete changes instead of diffuse mood.
Complexitysame
LowLowLow
Timedifferent
15-30 min45–75 min30-60 min
Participantsdifferent
2-6Team members involved3-12
Formatsame
WorkshopWorkshopWorkshop
Outputdifferent
Root cause notes, Countermeasures4Ls Board, Learning Themes, Improvement ActionsStart Stop Continue Board, Improvement Actions
Tagsno overlap
Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving
RetrospectiveLearningReflectionTeam
RetrospectiveImprovementTeamReflection
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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 for Sailboat Retrospective
Agile
Sailboat Retrospective