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how_do_we_run_our_first_sprint_retrospective [2019/08/14 05:42] – [Want to Know More?] added liberating structures hpsamioshow_do_we_run_our_first_sprint_retrospective [2021/10/06 13:14] (current) – [Want to Know More?] hans
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-====== How Do We Run Our First Sprint (or Iteration) Retrospective? ======+====== How Do We Run Our First Iteration (Sprint) Retrospective? ======
  
 ====== Premise ====== ====== Premise ======
  
-At the end of a sprint, the Team holds a Sprint (or Iteration) Retrospective to review their work process and the way the Team worked together (the "inspect and adapt" cycle for the process and people). This information can help the Team determine how to improve performance in the next Sprint / Iteration. Typically, the Retrospective is held after the Review / Demo.+At the end of a sprint, the Team holds a Iteration (Sprint) Retrospective to review their work process and the way the Team worked together (the "inspect and adapt" cycle for the process and people). This information can help the Team determine how to improve performance in the next Sprint / Iteration. Typically, the Retrospective is held after the Review / Demo.
  
 ====== Background ====== ====== Background ======
  
-When reviewing retrospective materials you will often see that the retrospective is about:+When reviewing Retrospective materials you will often see that the Retrospective is about:
  
   * What went well that we should continue to do?   * What went well that we should continue to do?
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 In addition in most cases should be an energizing (if sometimes exhausting) event. In addition in most cases should be an energizing (if sometimes exhausting) event.
  
-Everyone on the Team should participate in the Retrospective. Others may be invited, but this is essentially a Team-focused activity. The Team can determine who they want to invite on a iteration-by-iteration basis.+Everyone on the Team should participate in the Retrospective. Others may be invited, but this is essentially a Team-focused activity. The Team can determine who they want to invite on a Iteration-by-Iteration basis.
  
 The Scrum Master's role during the Retrospective is to facilitate the Team's discussion about improving their delivery process. It may be helpful, and a beneficial change of pace, to have someone else facilitate the meeting so the Scrum Master can participate as a “normal” Team member during the Retrospective. For example, another Team's Scrum Master could serve as facilitator. The Scrum Master's role during the Retrospective is to facilitate the Team's discussion about improving their delivery process. It may be helpful, and a beneficial change of pace, to have someone else facilitate the meeting so the Scrum Master can participate as a “normal” Team member during the Retrospective. For example, another Team's Scrum Master could serve as facilitator.
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 ====== Sample Retrospective ====== ====== Sample Retrospective ======
  
-The following is a simple retrospective “script” aimed at working through your first retrospective:+The following is a simple Retrospective “script” aimed at working through your first Retrospective:
  
   * Preparation:   * Preparation:
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 As said, a Retrospective meeting is the easiest way to get this all done, ensures that the team takes time to focus on improvement, and helps with team dynamics by having the team work complex issues. You will want to have a very good reason for not doing a Retrospective meeting before deciding on some other approach. And, if you don't do this through a meeting, you will need to ensure that you take the time to focus on continuous improvement and that the equivalent results are part of your team documentation. As said, a Retrospective meeting is the easiest way to get this all done, ensures that the team takes time to focus on improvement, and helps with team dynamics by having the team work complex issues. You will want to have a very good reason for not doing a Retrospective meeting before deciding on some other approach. And, if you don't do this through a meeting, you will need to ensure that you take the time to focus on continuous improvement and that the equivalent results are part of your team documentation.
  
-For distributed Teams, there is always an issue of "communication" and so you may want to consider this subject as a standard subject for every Retrospective the Team has or, in some cases, establish a single subject Retrospective to address a specific issue. Many people make the mistake of treating "communication" as a tool issue. In reality it is often an issue of working agreements a Team has (see [[blog:how_can_we_work_more_effectively_with_remote_people|How Can We Work More Effectively with Remote People?]] for more information).+For distributed Teams, there is always an issue of "communication" and so you may want to consider this subject as a standard subject for every Retrospective the Team has or, in some cases, establish a single subject Retrospective to address a specific issue. Many people make the mistake of treating "communication" as a tool issue. In reality it is often an issue of working agreements a Team has (see [[how_can_we_work_more_effectively_with_remote_people|How Can We Work More Effectively with Remote People?]] for more information).
  
 ===== "Running" Retrospective ===== ===== "Running" Retrospective =====
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   * Having a Retrospective: After a while team’s begin to feel they have all the improvements under control and so think they don’t need a retrospective. After all, they are perfect. To be clear – there is always room to get better, and so always a need for something like a retrospective.   * Having a Retrospective: After a while team’s begin to feel they have all the improvements under control and so think they don’t need a retrospective. After all, they are perfect. To be clear – there is always room to get better, and so always a need for something like a retrospective.
   * All the issues are not the team’s fault: For these teams, recommend that the team’s maintain two lists: 1) things that the team needs to address 2) things that the organization needs to address. Set the expectation that both lists will be populated.   * All the issues are not the team’s fault: For these teams, recommend that the team’s maintain two lists: 1) things that the team needs to address 2) things that the organization needs to address. Set the expectation that both lists will be populated.
-  * Organizational issues are being dealt with: Management has responsibility to the system the team is operating in. In the early days of the team, there are typically many things identified that can and should be addressed by the team and you often see rapid improvement. Some things can only be addressed by management, and the worse thing that can happen is that the team repeatedly raises organizational issues, but nothing is done about it. Management needs to be open and transparent about working organizational issues and become very responsive to these kinds of requests.+  * Organizational issues are not being dealt with: Management has responsibility to the system the team is operating in. In the early days of the team, there are typically many things identified that can and should be addressed by the team and you often see rapid improvement. Some things can only be addressed by management, and the worse thing that can happen is that the team repeatedly raises organizational issues, but nothing is done about it. Management needs to be open and transparent about working organizational issues and become very responsive to these kinds of requests.
   * The team does not talk about people issues: Some people think that high performing teams are smooth running teams. The opposite is true. A significant hallmark of high performing teams is “constructive dissent” where there is passionate disagreements about the things that are important to the goals of the team. To make this kind of happen, team members really need to be able to trust their team mates. Trust only develops when you have dealt (as a team) with all the inter-personal issues you have. Trust does not develop where everyone is behaving politely and where people have not worked through the difficult personal issues.   * The team does not talk about people issues: Some people think that high performing teams are smooth running teams. The opposite is true. A significant hallmark of high performing teams is “constructive dissent” where there is passionate disagreements about the things that are important to the goals of the team. To make this kind of happen, team members really need to be able to trust their team mates. Trust only develops when you have dealt (as a team) with all the inter-personal issues you have. Trust does not develop where everyone is behaving politely and where people have not worked through the difficult personal issues.
   * The team does not see improvement from one sprint to the next: Make sure the first part of the retrospective is focused on “what happened as a result of the last set of experiments we have run – did things get better and, if not, what have we learned.” See also the "Tears of Joy" idea above.   * The team does not see improvement from one sprint to the next: Make sure the first part of the retrospective is focused on “what happened as a result of the last set of experiments we have run – did things get better and, if not, what have we learned.” See also the "Tears of Joy" idea above.
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 ====== Want to Know More? ====== ====== Want to Know More? ======
  
 +  * [[what_can_we_do_to_improve_our_retrospectives|What Can We Do To Improve Our Retrospectives?]]
   * [[http://www.amazon.com/Agile-Retrospectives-Making-Pragmatic-Programmers-ebook/dp/B00B03SRJW/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=|Agile Retrospectives]] - the Bible!   * [[http://www.amazon.com/Agile-Retrospectives-Making-Pragmatic-Programmers-ebook/dp/B00B03SRJW/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=|Agile Retrospectives]] - the Bible!
   * [[collaboration_at_scale_-_keeping_retrospectives_fresh_by_ben_linders|Keeping Retrospectives Fresh]] - report of a webinar. Idea is to vary goal, exercises and environment to keep retrospective engaging.   * [[collaboration_at_scale_-_keeping_retrospectives_fresh_by_ben_linders|Keeping Retrospectives Fresh]] - report of a webinar. Idea is to vary goal, exercises and environment to keep retrospective engaging.
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   * [[http://www.funretrospectives.com/|Fun Retrospectives]]. Site with, no surprise, fun retrospectives.   * [[http://www.funretrospectives.com/|Fun Retrospectives]]. Site with, no surprise, fun retrospectives.
   * [[http://www.liberatingstructures.com/|Liberating Structures]]. Great site for collaborative, inclusive facilitation techniques. Again, great for retrospectives but also useful in other situations.   * [[http://www.liberatingstructures.com/|Liberating Structures]]. Great site for collaborative, inclusive facilitation techniques. Again, great for retrospectives but also useful in other situations.
 +  * [[https://www.thevirtualagilecoach.co.uk/|Fun Retrospectives by the Virtual Agile Coach]]. Pretty much ready to be dropped into Mural or Miro.
  
 {{tag>Consultant Tools Team Retrospective Ceremony FirstSprint FAQ}} {{tag>Consultant Tools Team Retrospective Ceremony FirstSprint FAQ}}
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