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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
Paper illustration for Mad Sad Glad
Agile
Mad Sad Glad
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 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.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 min30-60 min30-60 min
Participantsdifferent
2-63-103-12
Formatsame
WorkshopWorkshopWorkshop
Outputdifferent
Root cause notes, CountermeasuresEmotion Board, Themes, Action ItemsStart Stop Continue Board, Improvement Actions
Tagsno overlap
Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving
RetrospectiveTeamReflection
RetrospectiveImprovementTeamReflection
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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 Root Cause Analysis.
Operations
Root Cause Analysis
Paper illustration for Sailboat Retrospective
Agile
Sailboat Retrospective
Paper illustration for Starfish Retrospective
Agile
Starfish Retrospective