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| Criterion |  Operations After-Action Review |  Systems Thinking Polarity Mapping |  Agile 4Ls Retrospective |  Agile Mad Sad Glad |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | Polarity Mapping makes tensions between two opposing poles tangible, such as standardization and adaptation or control and autonomy. The method guards against making apparent either-or decisions prematurely. | 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 | Medium | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 20-45 min | 1-2 h | 45–75 min | 30-60 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-12 | 3-12 | Team members involved | 3-10 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Lessons learned, Action items, Event summary | Polarity Map, Warning Signs, Balance Actions | 4Ls Board, Learning Themes, Improvement Actions | Emotion Board, Themes, Action Items |
Tagsno overlap | LearningOperationsImprovement | Systems thinkingTradeoffsLeadership | RetrospectiveLearningReflectionTeam | RetrospectiveTeamReflection |