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Criterion
Paper illustration of a Polarity Map with two poles and four quadrants
Systems Thinking
Polarity Mapping
The Scrum Team inspects people, interactions, processes, tools, and the Definition of Done, then agrees on a few testable improvements.
Agile
Sprint Retrospective
Paper illustration for Mad Sad Glad
Agile
Mad Sad Glad
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 sprint is over and friction shouldn't simply be carried forward, it opens the view onto collaboration and patterns. It creates space to see causes and changes together.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
MediumLowLow
Timedifferent
1-2 hUp to 3 hours for a one-month Sprint; shorter Sprints are usually shorter30-60 min
Participantsdifferent
3-12Scrum Team3-10
Formatsame
WorkshopWorkshopWorkshop
Outputdifferent
Polarity Map, Warning Signs, Balance ActionsImprovement actions, Team agreementsEmotion Board, Themes, Action Items
Tagsno overlap
Systems thinkingTradeoffsLeadership
RetrospectiveImprovementLearning
RetrospectiveTeamReflection
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Methods with strong topical overlap with the current selection, not yet in the comparison.

A structured reflection surfaces what was liked, learned, lacked, and longed for. It is a conversation format and does not validate actions automatically.
Agile
4Ls Retrospective
Paper illustration of a team retrospective with three separate Start, Stop, and Continue areas and a shared action list.
Agile
Start Stop Continue
Paper illustration for Sailboat Retrospective
Agile
Sailboat Retrospective
Paper illustration for Starfish Retrospective
Agile
Starfish Retrospective