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| Criterion | ![]() Operations Visual Management | ![]() Operations Gemba Walk | ![]() Agile Mad Sad Glad | ![]() Agile 4Ls Retrospective |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | With high tempo and many parallel topics, the method makes status, deviations, and priorities visible at a glance. It reduces search effort and prevents what matters from getting lost in daily work. | When there is uncertainty about the real course of a process, the method brings observation to the place where work happens. It combines perception, follow-up questions, and process knowledge so decisions rest on actual workflows instead of assumptions. | 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. |
Complexitysame | Low | Low | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | Ongoing | 30-120 min | 30-60 min | 45–75 min |
Participantsdifferent | 1-20 | 2-6 | 3-10 | Team members involved |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Visual Board, Status Indicators, Exception Cues | Observation Notes, Improvement Ideas | Emotion Board, Themes, Action Items | 4Ls Board, Learning Themes, Improvement Actions |
Tagsno overlap | SignalsOperationsVisual management | LeanObservationProcessOperations | RetrospectiveTeamReflection | RetrospectiveLearningReflectionTeam |



