Retrospective - the most ignored event in Scrum

Sprint Retrospective Meeting
the most ignored event in Scrum
Sanjay Saini – ©2016. All Rights Reserved 1

What is a retrospective?
As per Wikipedia - “Retrospective generally means to
take a look back at events that already have taken
place”
Lesson learned
Knowledge sharing
Post mortem analysis
Blame game meeting

How does it fit into Agile?
Principle# 12 -
“At regular intervals,
the team reflects on
how to become more
effective, then tunes
and adjusts its
behavior
accordingly.”

How do we do retrospectives?
1. What went well?
2. What didn’t go well?
3. What can be improved?

References and acknowledgement
Esther
Derby
Diana
Larsen
David
Horowitz
Luis
Goncalves
None of the images being used in this slide deck are mine,
thanks to all the owners

Five steps retrospective
Set the
stage
Gather data
Generate
insights
Decide what
to do
Close the
retrospective

Step# 1 – Set the stage
Set the
stage
Gather data
Generate
insights
Decide what
to do
Close the
retrospective

Set the stage
1. Welcome everyone
2. Set the working agreements –
a) Inquiry rather than Advocacy
b) Dialogue rather than Debate
c) Conversation rather than
Argument
d) Understanding rather than
Defending

Step# 2 – Gather Data
Set the
stage
Gather data
Generate
insights
Decide what
to do
Close the
retrospective

Gather data
Gathering data creates
a shared picture

Gather data #1 - Triple Nickels
1. Each team member write 2-5 data
items/notes, use separate paper for
each item/note
2. Pass on the paper to your right
3. Each team member shall read the
paper
4. Write down data item/note that build on
the item/note already written on the
paper
5. Repeat until the paper returns to the
original writer
Everyone gets the chance to contribute equally in developing the data set

Gather data # 2 – Color code the timeline
1. Think back over the sprint and
remember all the memorable and
significant events
2. Each team member shall write them
down on sticky note
3. Draw the timeline on a board and
paste the sticky notes on it
4. Each team member will have 5-10
Green (high energy) and Blue (low
energy) dots
5. Let each individual put the dots against
each event on the timeline
When you have limited time, this technique filters topics for discussion

Gather data # 3 – Mad Sad and Glad
1. Divide the board into three parts – Mad
Sad and Glad
2. Ask team to write down event when
they were mad, sad or glad
3. Paste sticky note into respective
section
4. Read each note and ask “Is this similar
to earlier one”
5. Cluster into People, Process and
Customer
Instead of Mad Sad and Glad you can use Prouds and Sorries

Gather data #4 – Locate Strength
1. Prepare questions for identifying the
strengths so the team can build on
them in next sprint
2. Form pairs and hand out the questions
3. Have the pair choose who will
interview first
4. When the first interview is finished,
switch roles
5. Share findings with the entire group
It helps team remember that even dismay sprints have good moments
Q# - What is the best thing happened during
the Sprint?
Q# - Based upon your association so far
share your best moment with the team?

Gather data #5 – Team Radar
1. Identify the factors to be measured e.g.
engineering practices, process,
product quality, team work, external
factors
2. Give sticky notes to team members
3. Ask them to vote on each criteria
between 1-5
4. Average out and plot on a spider chart
A quick and painless way to uncover emotional data

Gather data – Quick recap
1. Triple Nickels
2. Color code the timeline
3. Mad Sad and Glad
4. Locate Strength
5. Team Radar

Triple Nickel Color code the
timeline
Mad Sad and Glad Locate Strength Team Radar
1. Each team member
write 2-5 data
items/notes, use
separate paper for
each item/note
2. Pass on the paper
to your right
3. Each team member
shall read the paper
4. Write down data
item/note that build
on the item/note
already written on
the paper
5. Repeat until the
paper returns to the
original writer
Everyone gets the
chance to contribute
equally in developing
the data set
1. Think back over the
sprint and
remember all the
memorable and
significant events
2. Each team member
shall write them
down on sticky
note
3. Draw the timeline
on a board and
paste the sticky
notes on it
4. Each team member
will have 5-10
Green (high energy)
and Blue (low
energy) dots
5. Let each individual
put the dots against
each event on the
timeline
When you have
limited time, this
technique filters
topics for discussion
1. Divide the board
into three parts –
Mad Sad and Glad
2. Ask team to write
down event when
they were mad, sad
or glad
3. Paste sticky note
into respective
section
4. Read each note
and ask “Is this
similar to earlier
one”
5. Cluster into People,
Process and
Customer
Instead of Mad Sad
and Glad you can use
Prouds and Sorries
1. Prepare questions for
identifying the strengths
so the team can build
on them in next sprint
2. Form pairs and hand
out the questions
a) What is the best
thing you like
about the team?
b) Based upon your
association so far
share your best
moment with the
team?
3. Have the pair choose
who will interview first
4. When the first interview
is finished, switch roles
5. Share findings with the
entire group
It helps team remember
that even dismay sprints
have good moments
1. Identify the
factors to be
measured e.g.
engineering
practices,
process,
product quality,
team work,
external factors
2. Give sticky
notes to team
members
3. Ask them to
vote on each
criteria between
1-5
4. Average out
and plot on a
spider chart
A quick and
painless way to
uncover
emotional data

Step# 3 – Generate Insights
Set the
stage
Gather data
Generate
insights
Decide what
to do
Close the
retrospective

Generate insights
Make meaningful
information from
the data gathered
in the previous step

Generate insights #1 – Five Whys
1. Review the issues and themes that the
team has already identified
2. Divide the team into pairs
3. One member asks the question why an
event or problem occurred
4. In response to the answer, the
questioner asks why that happened
5. Record the response that come out till
the fifth Why?
6. Have the pairs report what they
discovered
7. Use this information as input into the
next phase, Decide What to Do.
Dig deeper and don’t settle for the obvious
e.g. we should do a better job at writing test
cases.

Generate insights #2 - Fishbone
1. Draw a fishbone diagram
2. Write the problem or issue at the fish’s
head
3. Label the bones of the fish with
categories
4. Brainstorm and write causes and factors
for each category
5. Items appearing under more than one
category will be the most likely causes
Look for reasons behind problems and breakdowns

Generate insights #3 – Learning Matrix
1. Let the team discuss the data gathered in
previous step
2. Divide the flip chart or board into four quadrant
a) Smiley – what did we do well that we want to
continue?
b) Frowny – what would we like to change?
c) Light bulb – What new ideas have come up?
d) Bouquet – who do we want to stop?
3. Ask team members to post their idea in the
respective quadrant
4. Prioritize the ideas using dots.
Helps team members find what’s significant in their data

Generate insights #4 – Patterns and Shifts
1. Facilitate a discussion for analyzing the data
gathered in previous step
2. Focus on an event at a time, go through event
by event
3. Let the participants write notes on what they
noticed or felt for an event
4. Looks for links and connection between facts
and feelings, do you see a pattern or shift?
5. Review and ask question – how do these
patterns or shifts contribute to our current
issues?
6. Ask which ones are most important to address in
the next Sprint and move to next step
Things were going smoothly but suddenly it got crazy or vice versa

Generate insights #5 – Identify Themes
1. Form two or three interview groups
2. Each group will discuss the themes heard during
the previous step
3. Each group will post their findings
4. After all groups are done, ask the entire group to
sort the cards in clusters
5. Ask the group to select a cluster that they want
to work on.
Find common themes for experiments, changes and recommendations

Generate insights – Quick Recap
1. Five Whys
2. Fishbone
3. Learning Matrix
4. Patterns and Shifts
5. Identify Themes

Five Whys Fishbone Learning Matrix Patterns and Shifts Identify Themes
1. Review the issues and
themes that the team
has already identified
2. Divide the team into
pairs
3. One member asks the
question why an event
or problem occurred
4. In response to the
answer, the questioner
asks why that
happened
5. Record the response
that come out till the
fifth Why?
6. Have the pairs report
what they discovered
7. Use this information
as input into the next
phase, ‘Decide what to
do’.
Discover underlying
conditions that
contribute to an issue
1. Draw a fishbone
diagram
2. Write the problem or
issue at the fish’s
head
3. Label the bones of the
fish with categories
4. Brainstorm and write
causes and factors for
each category
5. Items appearing under
more than one
category will be the
most likely causes
Look for reasons behind
problems and
breakdowns
1. Let the team discuss
the data gathered in
previous step
2. Divide the flip chart or
board into four
quadrant
3. Smiley – what did we
do well that we want to
continue?
4. Frowny – what would
we like to change?
5. Light bulb – What new
ideas have come up?
6. Bouquet – who do we
want to appreciate?
7. Ask team members to
post their idea in the
respective quadrant
8. Prioritize the ideas
using dots.
Helps team members
find what’s significant in
their data
1. Facilitate a discussion for
analyzing the data
gathered in previous step
2. Focus on an event at a
time, go through event by
event
3. Let the participants write
notes on what they
noticed or felt for an
event
4. Looks for links and
connection between facts
and feelings, do you see
a pattern or shift?
5. Review and ask question
– how do these patterns
or shifts contribute to our
current issues?
6. Ask which ones are most
important to address in
the next Sprint and move
to next step
Things were going
smoothly but suddenly it
got crazy or vice versa
1. Form two or three
interview groups
2. Each group will
discuss the themes
heard during the
previous step
3. Each group will
post their findings
4. After all groups are
done, ask the entire
group to sort the
cards in clusters
5. Ask the group to
select a cluster that
they want to work
on.
Find common themes
for experiments,
changes and
recommendations

Step# 4 – Decide what to do
Set the
stage
Gather data
Generate
insights
Decide what
to do
Close the
retrospective

Decide what to do
Team develop
proposals for action,
create detailed plans
for experiments and
set measureable goals
to achieve the results

Decide what to do #1 – Retrospective planning games
1. Work individually or in pairs to
generate all the tasks
2. Compare tasks, eliminate duplicates
and fill gaps
3. Cluster the tasks and again check
for duplicates and gaps
4. Order the tasks
5. Let team members sign up for the
tasks
Develop detailed plans for experiments or proposals

Decide what to do #2 – SMART Goals
1. Form groups around the items that
the team prioritized to work on
2. Ask each group to develop SMART
goals for the prioritized item
3. Identify action plans for
accomplishing the goal
4. Confirm with the rest of the groups
on the goals and action plan
Develop specific measurable actions e.g. pair programming at-least for 4 hours a day

Decide what to do #3 – Circle of Questions
1. Invite team members to sit in a circle
2. Turn to the person on your left and ask a
question e.g. “From your perspective, what is
the highest priority for us to try in the next
Sprint and why?”
3. The team member answers, from his or her
perspective, to the best of his or her
knowledge and ability.
4. Then that team member becomes the
questioner, turning to the person on his or
her left to ask a question that extends the
previous discussion or starts a new one.
5. The new respondent answers and, then in
turn, asks a question and so on
Team members engage in a question asking and answering process to reach
consensus on next steps

Decide what to do – Quick Recap
1. Retrospective planning games
2. SMART goals
3. Circle of Questions

Retrospective Planning
Games
SMART Goals Circle of Questions
1. Work individually or in pairs to
generate all the tasks
2. Form pairs of pairs to compare
tasks, eliminate duplicates and fill
gaps
3. Cluster the tasks and again check
for duplicates and gaps
4. Order the tasks
5. Let team members sign up for the
tasks
Develop detailed plans for
experiments or proposals
1. Form groups around the items
that the team prioritized to work
on
2. Ask each group to develop
SMART goals for the prioritized
item
3. Identify action plans for
accomplishing the goal
4. Confirm with the rest of the groups
on the goals and action plan
Develop specific measurable
actions e.g. pair programming at-
least for 4 hours a day
1. Invite team members to sit in a
circle
2. Turn to the person on your left
and ask a question e.g. “From
your perspective, what is the
highest priority for us to try in the
next Sprint and why?”
3. The team member answers, from
his or her perspective, to the best
of his or her knowledge and
ability.
4. Then that team member becomes
the questioner, turning to the
person on his or her left to ask a
question that extends the previous
discussion or starts a new one.
Team members engage in a
question asking and answering
process to reach consensus on
next steps

Step# 5 – Close the Retrospective
Set the
stage
Gather data
Generate
insights
Decide what
to do
Close the
retrospective

Close the Retrospective
Closing the retrospective provides moments
for continuous improvement, for reflecting on
what happened during the retrospective, and
for expressing appreciation

Close the Retrospective #1 - +/Delta
1. Draw a T on a piece of flip chart paper
2. Ask the group to list down strengths and
changes
3. Compare the list with previous
retrospectives
4. Thank the group for their candid feedback
Delta is the Greek alphabet symbol for change
Retrospective Improvement
+
Identify strengths and changes for the next retrospective

Close the Retrospective #2 – Return on Time Invested
1. Discuss the rating scale with team
2. Going around the circle, ask each team
member to say the number that reflects
their ROTI
3. Ask those who rated 0 or 1, what they
wanted but didn’t get
4. Ask those who rated 2 or more to say what
benefits they received
5. A 0 doesn’t mean the meeting was bad, the
person may was distracted.
Gauge the effectiveness of the session from the team members perspective

Close the Retrospective #3 - Appreciations
1. Appreciate how others have contributed
during the session and during the sprint.
2. Demonstrate with a sample e.g. “Steve, I
appreciate you for helping me in completing
the unit test cases”.
3. Sit down, wait, someone will offer an
appreciation.
4. Allow silence, some people need time to
think before they appreciate.
End the retrospective on a positive note

Close the Retrospective – Quick Recap
1. +/Delta
2. Return on Time Invested
3. Appreciations

+/Delta ROTI Appreciation
1. Draw a T on a piece of flip
chart paper
2. Ask the group to list down
strengths and changes
3. Compare the list with previous
retrospectives
4. Thank the group for their
candid feedback
Identify strengths and changes
for the next retrospective
1. Discuss the rating scale with
team
2. Going around the circle, ask
each team member to say the
number that reflects their
ROTI
3. Ask those who rated 0 or 1,
what they wanted but didn’t
get
4. Ask those who rated 2 or more
to say what benefits they
received
5. A 0 doesn’t mean the meeting
was bad, the person may was
distracted.
Gauge the effectiveness of the
session from the team members
perspective
1. Appreciate how others have
contributed during the session
and during the sprint.
2. Demonstrate with a sample
e.g. “Steve, I appreciate you
for helping me in completing
the unit test cases”.
3. Sit down, wait, someone will
offer an appreciation.
4. Allow silence, some people
need time to think before they
appreciate.
End the retrospective on a
positive note

Q&A
Share experiences from
your retrospective meetings

Retrospective - the most ignored event in Scrum

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