What’s one way to describe a sprint retrospective that doesn’t improve the next work cycle? A waste of time.
Retros should be intentional and structured around the idea of improvement, but they’re only effective when all team members are engaged and prepared. Some Colorado tech teams recommend providing contributors with advance notice of the retro and a template for what they should prepare.
During these meetings, teams should expect to discuss specific challenges their colleagues faced and why, and everyone should feel empowered to share. Outstanding performances should be recognized, while disagreements are worked through with honesty and empathy. Based on the goals of the upcoming sprint, action items should be clearly defined and made visible for the entire team to see and discuss.
From there, Colorado tech professionals recommended the following tips for further improving retros: Document action items, avoid finger-pointing and assign ownership.
Eric Voetberg, a program manager at autonomous yard operations company Outrider, said individuals in his role are tasked with assigning action items to contributors after sprints. Those action items should be made clear to the entire team, and one of those tasks should always include offering praise to top performers.
How do you structure sprint retrospectives to ensure they’re productive and action-oriented?
There are three keys to successful sprint retrospectives. First, provide advance notice of at least one week, which allows team members to prepare their feedback and discuss it with others.
Second, collect feedback in a methodical manner by using a standard template. Then, everyone will know what information to bring and how the retro will be structured and managed. Our meetings start with a review of the sprint objectives, team goals and epics. Then, we celebrate victories and give shout-outs to contributors. Next, we discuss and take detailed notes on what didn’t go well, focusing on root causes, key learnings and ways to avoid failures in future sprints. Our retros wrap up by discussing how to refine the next sprint to make it as good as or better than the last.
Lastly, check egos at the door. Retros go well when team members are humble, honest and forthcoming. What one person might consider insignificant, someone else may not. And the cardinal rule of retros is “no finger-pointing.” Retros are not intended to find or assign blame; they are designed for us to learn and grow, iteratively.
We make recognition a standard part of our action items.”
How does your team decide what the action items should be at the end of a meeting?
We do not decide or assign action items during the retro. We found that doing so invites people to start resolving things then and there, and that’s not the purpose of the meeting.
After the retro, the facilitator, which is typically the program manager, buckets observations into common themes. The program manager then converts the findings into action items and assigns owners. This list is shared with all attendees, who are then invited to post comments and feedback. Disagreements tend to emerge during this time and we expect team members to work together to resolve the issue. As a result, some action items end up being deferred or considered not applicable. The key is to make space for disagreement, making sure people feel heard and have a resolution. Whether that result is in their favor or not, it’s a decision.
We make recognition a standard part of our action items. It is important to provide recognition in a way that an individual or team will appreciate.
How do you decide which team members will handle various action items?
In order to make sure action items get done, the program manager uses Jira tickets to assign tasks and track status. Typically, we tag action items as “short” or “long-term.” For the shorter-term items, the program manager follows up every few days to check progress. The longer-term items need less frequent check-ins but need to be tracked so they don’t get dropped.
The most important and effective way to ensure action items get done is to make them visible. Create dashboards appropriate to the audience and include status, timing, outcomes and conclusions. Then, share action items frequently in as many channels as possible so everyone knows what the team is out to accomplish.
Each retrospective is different, and an action item that takes top billing one week might be deemed irrelevant the next. At order-to-cash solution provider Billtrust, Director of Agile Neil Sproul said the team looks at each action item contextually and determines the importance of each one through discussion and voting.
How do you structure sprint retrospectives to ensure they’re productive and action-oriented?
Start with understanding the team and organizational culture, as it will influence how to approach retrospectives. Leading up to the retrospective, confirm the team’s understanding of the event’s purpose and the format that will be used. During the event, contextualize coaching to the team: ask questions, keep people focused, seek clarification and move the conversation toward possible solutions for the things that surface. Don’t focus on detractors by default; unpacking a positive event can hold more insight and open up the conversation faster.
Foster as much self-organization and team ownership as possible.”
How does your team decide what the action items should be at the end of a meeting?
It depends on the team and what surfaced during the retrospective. Sometimes the action is obvious based on the conversation during the event. If action items are varied in complexity, focus on the highest value items and the expected outcomes. If a team is struggling with what to take on during retrospectives, dot-voting can help the team decide on priority.
How do you decide which team members will handle various action items?
Foster as much self-organization and team ownership as possible. Make action items visible to everyone and have a common understanding of the outcomes desired. Revisit these items often and communicate about them like you would a product feature. Keep a regular cadence of retrospection to surface new improvements and adjust for new learnings.
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