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| Criterion |  Agile Sprint Retrospective |  Operations A3 Problem Solving |  Operations 5 Whys |  Operations After-Action Review |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | 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. | For a complex deviation with several people involved, the method bundles problem, analysis, and decision onto one page. It creates a shared working space where causes, countermeasures, and follow-up fit together. | 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. | After missions or project phases with unclear outcomes, the method makes visible what actually happened and what can be learned from it. It separates course, effect, and causes so experience turns into solid improvement. |
Complexitydifferent | Low | Medium | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | Up to 3 hours for a one-month Sprint; shorter Sprints are usually shorter | 45-90 min | 15-30 min | 20-45 min |
Participantsdifferent | Scrum Team | 2-5 | 2-6 | 3-12 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Improvement actions, Team agreements | A3 Report, Action Plan, Root Cause Analysis | Root cause notes, Countermeasures | Lessons learned, Action items, Event summary |
Tagsno overlap | RetrospectiveImprovementLearning | LeanProblem solvingCoachingOperations | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving | LearningOperationsImprovement |