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| Criterion |  Operations Kepner-Tregoe |  Agile Mad Sad Glad |  Agile Start Stop Continue |  Operations 5 Whys |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | For a disturbance that's hard to pin down, the method cleanly separates problem, cause, and decision. It reduces mixing when symptoms allow several interpretations. | 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 team wants to deliberately adjust its working behavior, it makes habits visible and assessable. It focuses on concrete changes instead of diffuse mood. | For a single, hard-to-explain deviation, the method exposes the causal chain behind the visible symptom. It keeps the cause open until a controllable condition emerges instead of a mere description. |
Complexitydifferent | High | Low | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 2-8 h | 30-60 min | 30-60 min | 15-30 min |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | 3-10 | 3-12 | 2-6 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Problem Analysis, Decision Analysis, Risk Plan | Emotion Board, Themes, Action Items | Start Stop Continue Board, Improvement Actions | Root cause notes, Countermeasures |
Tagsno overlap | Problem solvingRoot causeDecisionOperations | RetrospectiveTeamReflection | RetrospectiveImprovementTeamReflection | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving |