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| Criterion | ![]() Architecture Architecture Decision Record | ![]() Agile Starfish Retrospective | ![]() Agile Start Stop Continue | ![]() Agile Mad Sad Glad |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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 wants to deliberately adjust its working behavior, it makes habits visible and assessable. It focuses on concrete changes instead of diffuse mood. | 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. |
Complexitysame | Low | Low | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 15-45 min | 45-90 min | 30-60 min | 30-60 min |
Participantsdifferent | 1-3 | 4-12 | 3-12 | 3-10 |
Formatdifferent | Async | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale | Starfish Board, Practice Changes, Experiments | Start Stop Continue Board, Improvement Actions | Emotion Board, Themes, Action Items |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance | RetrospectiveImprovementExperimentsTeam | RetrospectiveImprovementTeamReflection | RetrospectiveTeamReflection |



