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Criterion
Paper illustration of a Polarity Map with two poles and four quadrants
Systems Thinking
Polarity Mapping
Paper illustration for Mad Sad Glad
Agile
Mad Sad Glad
Paper illustration for World Café.
Facilitation
World Café
Paper illustration of a team retrospective with three separate Start, Stop, and Continue areas and a shared action list.
Agile
Start Stop Continue
Purposedifferent
Polarity Mapping makes tensions between two opposing poles tangible, such as standardization and adaptation or control and autonomy. The method guards against making apparent either-or decisions prematurely.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 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 wants to deliberately adjust its working behavior, it makes habits visible and assessable. It focuses on concrete changes instead of diffuse mood.
Complexitydifferent
MediumLowMediumLow
Timedifferent
1-2 h30-60 min60-180 min30-60 min
Participantsdifferent
3-123-1012-100+3-12
Formatsame
WorkshopWorkshopWorkshopWorkshop
Outputdifferent
Polarity Map, Warning Signs, Balance ActionsEmotion Board, Themes, Action ItemsTable Notes, Emergent Themes, Shared QuestionsStart Stop Continue Board, Improvement Actions
Tagsno overlap
Systems thinkingTradeoffsLeadership
RetrospectiveTeamReflection
FacilitationDialogueLarge groupSensemaking
RetrospectiveImprovementTeamReflection
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