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| Criterion |  Operations Causal Factor Analysis |  Operations Barrier Analysis |  Agile 4Ls Retrospective |  Agile Mad Sad Glad |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | For an event with a complicated course, the method breaks down the contributing factors along the timeline. It shows how conditions, decisions, and reactions together produce a course of events. | For a risk that can only be managed through multiple layers of protection, the method examines the effectiveness of each barrier. It shows where safeguards are missing, too weak, or fail under real conditions. | 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 | High | Medium | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 2-6 h | 2-4 h | 45–75 min | 30-60 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-10 | 2-6 | Team members involved | 3-10 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Event Timeline, Causal Factor Chart, Cause List, Corrective Actions | Barrier Inventory, Failure Analysis per Barrier, Action Backlog | 4Ls Board, Learning Themes, Improvement Actions | Emotion Board, Themes, Action Items |
Tagsno overlap | CausalityIncidentRoot causeTimeline | Root causeSafetyIncident | RetrospectiveLearningReflectionTeam | RetrospectiveTeamReflection |