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| Criterion |  Architecture Architecture Decision Record |  Business Strategy Strategy Execution Loop |  Agile 4Ls Retrospective |  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. | The Strategy Execution Loop helps avoid treating strategy as a one-off document. It makes visible how strategic decisions are turned into objectives, initiatives, operational work, measurement, and learning. | 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'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. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | High | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 15-45 min | Initial 3-6 h, then monthly or quarterly reviews | 45–75 min | 30-60 min |
Participantsdifferent | 1-3 | 5-12 | Team members involved | 3-10 |
Formatdifferent | Async | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | ADR File, Decision Log, Rationale | Execution Loop, Review Cadence, Strategic Learning Log | 4Ls Board, Learning Themes, Improvement Actions | Emotion Board, Themes, Action Items |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance | ExecutionCadenceLearningGovernance | RetrospectiveLearningReflectionTeam | RetrospectiveTeamReflection |