The document discusses best practices for running effective agile retrospectives. It emphasizes explaining the "prime directive" to set appropriate expectations, checking the "safety" of participants, creating action items that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound, and the facilitator's role in preparing, recapping, explaining, motivating, and keeping time while staying invisible. Retrospectives are most useful when these guidelines are followed to promote understanding and improvement over empty rituals.
15. Regardless
of
what
we
discover,
we
understand
and
truly
believe
that
everyone
did
the
best
job
they
could,
given
what
they
knew
at
the
Ame,
their
skills
and
abiliAes,
the
resources
available,
and
the
situaAon
at
hand
22. Regardless of what we discover,
we understand and truly believe that
everyone did the best job they
could, given what they knew at the
time, their skills and abilities,
the resources available, and the
situation at hand
25. Let’s Pretend,
Regardless of what we discover,
we understand and truly believe that
everyone did the best job they
could, given what they knew at the
time, their skills and abilities,
the resources available, and the
situation at hand
28. The Prime Directive
How are you presenting it?
Are you explaining the meaning behind it?
“Let’s pretend”
The retrospective is not an appropriate
forum for personal feedback
Badly explained prime directive + alcohol = anger
33. So you can decide whether
to carry on or not
+
So the team gains awareness
34. 5 Talk about anything, want to explore other’s
thoughts as well as my own
4 Talk about most things, but small few topics
I may keep quiet on
3 Happy to sit and listen, will talk if something
I am very passionate about comes up
2 Not comfortable talking, even when I have a
strong opinion, will keep it to myself
1 Not comfortable being here, I want to leave
44. The Safety Check
“Is it secret? Is it safe?” – Gandalf the grey
Explain the numbers
Keep it anonymous
Is just as valuable to the group
as it is to the facilitator Safety too low?
- ask for ways to improve safety
(keep it anonymous and make
everyone write something down)
72% of all facilitators suffer
from premature safety checking, - Implement changes
don’t be one of them - Redo safety check
- Be prepared to stop if necessary
57. The Action items
Thought without action = powerless meditation
Action without thought = crazy man covered in mud
Thought, then action = awesome warrior monk
Remove ambiguity (a good rule for all communication)
Keep them SMART
Only ever volunteer yourself!
Action cop FTW
66. The facilitator
Remember the boy scouts motto: always be prepared
Recap the last retro + review actions
Be a time cop (not timecop –
“time cop” = keep track of time/keep team informed.
“Timecop” = awful Van-Damme movie)
Motivate! The retrospective
Should engage your creative side
Communicate/explain – spread understanding
through the team like you spread butter on a muffin.
Only don’t use a knife.
Be invisible!
67. How can we use
the lessons of the past
to improve our future
?
68. The Prime Directive The Safety Check
How are you presenting it? “Is it secret? Is it safe?” – Gandalf the grey
Is just as valuable to the group
Are you explaining the meaning behind it? as it is to the facilitator Explain the numbers
“Let’s pretend” Safety too low?
Keep it anonymous
- ask how to increase it
The retrospective is not an appropriate (keep it anonymous and make
forum for personal feedback 72% of all facilitators
suffer from everyone write something)
premature safety checking, - Implement changes
Badly explained prime directive + alcohol = anger don’t be one of them - Redo safety check
- Stop if necessary
The Action items The facilitator
Remember the boy scouts motto: always be prepared
Thought without action = powerless meditation
Action without thought = crazy man covered in mud Recap the last retro + review actions
Thought, then action = awesome warrior monk Be a time cop (not timecop –
“time cop” = keep track of time/keep team informed.
“Timecop” = awful Van-Damme movie)
Remove ambiguity (a good rule for all communication)
Communicate/explain – spread understanding
Keep them SMART through the team like you spread butter on a muffin.
Only ever volunteer yourself! Only don’t use a knife.
Motivate! The retrospective Be invisible!
Action cop FTW
Should engage your creative side
akash@thoughtworks.com
69. The Prime Directive The Safety Check
How are you presenting it? “Is it secret? Is it safe?” – Gandalf the grey
Is just as valuable to the group Explain the numbers
Are you explaining the meaning behind it?
as it is to the facilitator
“Let’s pretend”
Keep it anonymous Safety too low?
The retrospective is not an appropriate - ask for ways to improve safety
forum for personal feedback (keep it anonymous and make
72% of all facilitators suffer everyone write something down)
from premature safety checking, - Implement changes
Badly explained prime directive + alcohol = anger don’t be one of them - Redo safety check
- Be prepared to stop if necessary
akash@thoughtworks.com
The Action items The facilitator
Thought without action = powerless meditation Remember the boy scouts motto: always be prepared
Action without thought = crazy man covered in mud
Recap the last retro + review actions
Thought, then action = awesome warrior monk
Be a time cop (not timecop –
“time cop” = keep track of time/keep team informed.
“Timecop” = awful Van-Damme movie)
Remove ambiguity (a good rule for all communication)
Keep them SMART Communicate/explain – spread understanding
Only ever volunteer yourself! through the team like you spread butter on a muffin.
Only don’t use a knife.
Action cop FTW
Be invisible!
akash@thoughtworks.com
