Feedback has been a central practice in Agile methods. Unfortunately some feedbacks make people upset. Should I say what I think, or should I shut up to preserve collaboration? This talk gives you the necessary ingredients to express authentic and useful feedbacks (Based on Marshall Rosenberg's NonViolent Communication process).

1. Giving & Receiving Feedbacks
Paul-Georges Crismer
ATBru-2016
© Paul-G. Crismer – licensed under a Creative Commons 4.0 CC-BY-NC-SA licence
Useful

2. Paul-Georges Crismer
@PGCrismer
paul@conforit.be http://www.conforit.be
Efficiency through Attitude
Individuals, Relationships, Cooperation

3. Let’s connect

4. Agile & Feedback
Customer
Collaboration

5. Feedback loop

6. Embedded in Agile DNA
• Pair programming
• Unit Testing
• Continuous integration
• Daily Scrum
• Sprints

7. Opportunities
Actors
Team
Scrum Master
Product Owner
Users
Stakeholders
…
Events
Daily Scrum
Sprint Planning session
Backlog grooming
Pair Programming
Sprint Review
Sprint Retrospective
…

8. Feedback ?
Information
• about a past behaviour
• expressed here and now (present time)
• that may influence future behaviour
Behaviour
NOW

9. Exercise (page 7)
• A feedback that you would like to give,
- the usual way -
• Pairs (giver, receiver)
– Giver : expresses the feedback
– Receiver : « tastes »
• Open mind ?
• Closed or Tension ?
• Sincere moose to contribute ?
(contributive energy arousal)
2 x 1 minute – raise a hand when finished

10. What’s the point ?
… with feedback …

11. What’s the point?
• Learn
• Grow
• Mutual recognition
– Limits
– Drivers
• Support
• Trust

12. Modes
Appreciation
• Strengthen
• Repeat
Dissatisfaction
• Improve
• Change

13. Modes
Appreciation
• Strengthen
• Repeat
• Praise
• GOOD
Dissatisfaction
• Improve
• Change
• Blame
• BAD

14. When ?
• ASAP
• At a suitable moment for each party
• Ask before giving

15. What is difficult for you?
• GIVING Feedback ….
• RECEIVING Feedback…

16. Giving feedback

17. Communication

18. Dialogue breakers (brakes)

19. Judgement

20. Demands

21. Lack of responsibility

22. Prerequisite

23. Intention

24. Being right?

26. Cooperation ?

28. Choice

29. Working example
“Your updates in the daily standup are not
very useful”

30. Basic assumptions

31. Positive a priori
• all human behaviour stems from
attempts to meet universal human
needs
• Every human being does his best to
satisfy his needs.
• Humans feel better when they find
solutions based on cooperation

32. Let’s go ! 4 steps.

33. Facts

34. Working example
“Your updates in the daily standup are not very useful”
Observation) The two last standups you
said « everything is ok », then you spoke
about specific code problems.

35. Effects (feelings)

36. Working example
“Your updates in the daily standup are not very useful”
Observation) The two last standups you said
« everything is ok », then you spoke about specific code
problems.
Feelings) I feel disappointed, puzzled

37. Motivation (Needs)

38. Working example
Your updates in the daily standup are not very useful”
Observation) The two last standups you said « everything is ok », then you spoke
about specific code problems.
Feelings) I feel disappointed, puzzled
Need)
Because I value consistency.
I need a clear vision of the overal progress
of the story.

39. Dialogue (Request/Action)

40. Working example
Your updates in the daily standup are not very useful”
Observation) The two last standups you said « everything is ok », then you spoke
about specific code problems.
Feelings) I feel disappointed, puzzled
Need)
Because I value consistency. I need a clear vision of the
overal progress of the story.
Request) Can you tell me what prevents
you to say « I have problems » when you
intend to speak about problems ?

41. Key distinctions
• FACTS (Observation)
– Evaluation
• EFFECTS (feelings)
– Thought, involving somebody else
• MOTIVATIONS (Needs)
– Specific strategies
• DIALOGUE (Request)
– Demand

42. Exercise (page 7)
• Express your feedback using the 4 steps
• Pairs (giver, receiver)
– Giver : expresses the feedback
– Receiver : « tastes »
• Open mind ?
• Closed or Tension ?
• Sincere moose to contribute ?
(contributive energy arousal)
2 x 1 minute – raise a hand when finished

43. To sum it up
Thougths,
moralistic judgements
FACTS/Observation
EFFECTS/Feelings
MOTIVATION/Needs
DIALOGUE/Request

44. Receiving a feedback

45. Reminder
The one who gives a
feedback
…
actually speaks of himself
Judgement (and critiques) are tragic
expression of unmet needs.
(Marshall B. Rosenberg)

46. Reminder
… and does its best
to ask you something,…
contributing to her own well-
being
Judgement (and critiques) are tragic
expression of unmet needs.
(Marshall B. Rosenberg)

47. Receive = Reformulate

48. Working example
Observation) When you hear me say
“Everything is OK”, and then I speak about
code problems
Feelings) You feel disappointed and
puzzled
Need) because you need consistency
Request) And you want me to tell you
what prevents me to say « I have
problems » if there are problems ?

49. Conclusion
• Useful
– Based on facts, Responsible (needs)
– Cooperation
– Take ownership
• Balance
– Appreciation : 3
– Dissatisfaction : 1

50. I need feedback
Post-it :
FIRSTNAME, LASTNAME, email,
One thing you learned
paul@conforit.be http://www.conforit.be

51. Thank you!
Any question ?
Coaching Consulting Training
Efficiency through Attitude
Individuals, Interactions, Cooperation
paul@conforit.be 0497/92.32.77 http://www.conforit.be

52. Webliography
• Agile Mindset
• https://www.infoq.com/articles/continuous
-feedback-teams
• https://confengine.com/agile-pune-
2014/proposal/426/agile-coaching-giving-
and-receiving-feedback
• https://www.techwell.com/techwell-
insights/2013/04/why-people-agile-teams-
need-feedback
• https://minds.coremedia.com/2012/11/08/
personal-feedback-in-agile-teams/

53. Webliography
NonViolent Communication
• Giving workplace feedback and
Evaluation
• Center for NonViolent Communication
Other
• The Art And Science Of Giving And
Receiving Criticism At Work

54. Books