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| Criterion |  Operations A3 Problem Solving |  Agile 4Ls Retrospective |  DevOps Blameless Postmortem |  Operations 5 Whys |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | For a complex deviation with several people involved, the method bundles problem, analysis, and decision onto one page. It creates a shared working space where causes, countermeasures, and follow-up fit together. | 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. | After an incident with damage or a near miss, the method creates a sober field for learning without assigning blame. It directs attention to the course of events, conditions, and effective countermeasures. | 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 | Medium | Low | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 45-90 min | 45–75 min | 30-90 min | 15-30 min |
Participantsdifferent | 2-5 | Team members involved | 3-12 | 2-6 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | A3 Report, Action Plan, Root Cause Analysis | 4Ls Board, Learning Themes, Improvement Actions | Postmortem Doc, Action Items, Timeline | Root cause notes, Countermeasures |
Tagsno overlap | LeanProblem solvingCoachingOperations | RetrospectiveLearningReflectionTeam | Site Reliability EngineeringIncidentLearningReliability | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving |