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| Criterion | ![]() Facilitation Fishbowl Discussion | ![]() Facilitation World Café | ![]() Agile Mad Sad Glad | ![]() Agile 4Ls Retrospective |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | When a controversial topic needs depth and discipline at the same time, Fishbowl Discussion makes the structure of the conversation transparent. The format keeps the core small enough for real dialogue and open enough for controlled turnover. | When a group needs to connect many viewpoints in a short time, World Café creates a calm alternation between closeness and rotation. It sets thinking in motion without forcing the conversation into full-plenary rigidity. | 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. | 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 | Medium | Medium | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 45-90 min | 60-180 min | 30-60 min | 45–75 min |
Participantsdifferent | 8-80 | 12-100+ | 3-10 | Team members involved |
Formatsame | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Discussion Insights, Observed Tensions, Follow-up Questions | Table Notes, Emergent Themes, Shared Questions | Emotion Board, Themes, Action Items | 4Ls Board, Learning Themes, Improvement Actions |
Tagsno overlap | FacilitationDialogueLarge group | FacilitationDialogueLarge groupSensemaking | RetrospectiveTeamReflection | RetrospectiveLearningReflectionTeam |



