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| Criterion |  Systems Thinking Current Reality Tree |  Operations Causal Factor Analysis |  Operations Learning Review |  Agile 4Ls Retrospective |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | A Current Reality Tree condenses many symptoms into a few causal chains. The method makes visible which core problems drive several negative effects at once. | 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. | After a project phase with mixed results, the method makes learning from the individual case reusable. It connects events, decisions, and systemic conditions into robust insights. | 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. |
Complexitydifferent | High | High | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 2-6 h | 2-6 h | 1-3 h | 45–75 min |
Participantsdifferent | 3-8 | 3-10 | 3-10 | Team members involved |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Current Reality Tree, Core Problems, Intervention Ideas | Event Timeline, Causal Factor Chart, Cause List, Corrective Actions | Learning Review Notes, System Factors, Improvement Actions | 4Ls Board, Learning Themes, Improvement Actions |
Tagsno overlap | Systems thinkingRoot causeConstraintsCausality | CausalityIncidentRoot causeTimeline | LearningRetrospectiveIncidentOperations | RetrospectiveLearningReflectionTeam |