View methods side by side.
Choose up to four methods. Add them using the search and share the comparison by copying its link.
| Criterion | ![]() Operations After-Action Review | ![]() DevOps Blameless Postmortem | ![]() Agile 4Ls Retrospective | ![]() Agile Start Stop Continue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | After missions or project phases with unclear outcomes, the method makes visible what actually happened and what can be learned from it. It separates course, effect, and causes so experience turns into solid improvement. | 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. | 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 wants to deliberately adjust its working behavior, it makes habits visible and assessable. It focuses on concrete changes instead of diffuse mood. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Medium | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 20-45 min | 30-90 min | 45–75 min | 30-60 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-12 | 3-12 | Team members involved | 3-12 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Lessons learned, Action items, Event summary | Postmortem Doc, Action Items, Timeline | 4Ls Board, Learning Themes, Improvement Actions | Start Stop Continue Board, Improvement Actions |
Tagsno overlap | LearningOperationsImprovement | Site Reliability EngineeringIncidentLearningReliability | RetrospectiveLearningReflectionTeam | RetrospectiveImprovementTeamReflection |



