View methods side by side.
Choose up to four methods. Add them using the search and share the comparison by copying its link.
| Criterion |  Architecture Architecture Decision Record |  Agile Starfish Retrospective |  Agile Mad Sad Glad |  Agile Start Stop Continue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | An ADR permanently records an architecture decision with context, trade-offs, and consequence. It creates continuity for later changes because the decision path stays traceable. | When improvement options need to be sorted more finely than just start and stop, it brings observations into clear kinds of action. This makes visible what should be done more, less, newly, or continued. | 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 | Low | Low | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 15-45 min | 45-90 min | 30-60 min | 30-60 min |
Participantsdifferent | 1-3 | 4-12 | 3-10 | 3-12 |
Formatdifferent | Async | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale | Starfish Board, Practice Changes, Experiments | Emotion Board, Themes, Action Items | Start Stop Continue Board, Improvement Actions |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance | RetrospectiveImprovementExperimentsTeam | RetrospectiveTeamReflection | RetrospectiveImprovementTeamReflection |