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| Criterion |  Operations After-Action Review |  Operations Runbook |  Operations Process Mapping |  DevOps Blameless Postmortem |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | For recurring operational tasks or incidents, the method keeps solid action logic ready. It reduces uncertainty when time pressure, role changes, or rare situations demand fast access. | With a confusing workflow that has many handoffs, the method makes the actual process visible. It shows where work is passed on, delayed, or duplicated, so improvement targets the right spots. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Low | Medium | Medium |
Timedifferent | 20-45 min | 20-60 min | 1-3 h | 30-90 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-12 | 1-4 | 3-10 | 3-12 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Async | Workshop | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Lessons learned, Action items, Event summary | Runbook, Checklist, Escalation Path | Process Map, Handoff List, Improvement Backlog | Postmortem Doc, Action Items, Timeline |
Tagsno overlap | LearningOperationsImprovement | OperationsReliabilityDocumentation | ProcessOperationsImprovement | Site Reliability EngineeringIncidentLearningReliability |