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How to jazz up your Retros

Ryan McKergow

Twitter: @RMcKergow LinkedIn: RyanMcKergow

Special thanks to:

Image  source:  h"p://www.jazzeddie.f2s.com/images/Simpsons/lisabeatnikkid.gif  

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Overview

•  A quick intro to Retros

•  How to run a:

1.  Bad Retro – How can they go wrong

2.  Good Retro - Areas to address in your Retros

3.  Great Retro – New & disruptive Retro techniques

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A question for you…

Why do we even hold Retrospectives?

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“Agile Retrospectives are special

meetings where a team steps back,

examines the way they work, and

identifies ways they can improve.” Ester Derby

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How to run a bad Retro

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Unproductive!

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Same format, same issues!

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Blaming session!

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Don’t follow up actions!

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Issues with traditional Retrospective

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How to run a good Retro

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Be prepared

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Facilitated well

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Enforce appropriate behaviour

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Clear actions

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How to run a great Retro

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Appreciative Retrospective

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Instructions: •  Start by providing another team member with positive feedback

–  As a team, reflect on the past Iteration. What were the: •  Strengths •  Successes •  Major events

–  Discuss the reflections together –  Repeat the process thinking about the next two Iterations –  Discuss the reflections together –  Work out an action plan to achieve the team’s future state

•  Find out more about the Appreciative Retrospective here: http://retrospectivewiki.org/index.php?title=Appreciative_Retrospective

Appreciative Retrospective

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Emotional Timeline

 Image  source:  h"p://www.agileacademy.com.au/agile/sites/default/files/Timeline%20RetropecHves%202011.pdf  

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Instructions: •  Draw a time line on a whiteboard •  Ask the team to write down:

–  Good events –  Problematic events –  Significant events

•  Explain the events for context •  Everyone plots how happy or sad they were throughout the timeline •  Plot out the consensus line for the team •  Discuss the findings and identify actions for improvement in the future •  Find out more about the Emotional Timeline Retrospective here:

http://www.agileacademy.com.au/agile/sites/default/files/Timeline%20Retropectives%202011.pdf

Emotional Timeline

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The 4 L’s Retro

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Instructions: •  Reflect on 4 different categories:

–  Liked –  Learned –  Lacked –  Longed for

•  Write notes against each category •  Split into 4 even teams •  Each team goes through findings and presents to everyone •  Discuss important topics with team •  Agree on action items •  Find out more about the 4 L's Retrospective here:

http://ebgconsulting.com/blog/the-4l%E2%80%99s-a-retrospective-technique/

The 4 L’s Retro

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Lean Coffee

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Instructions: •  Ask everyone to raise 1-2 topics for discussion •  Vote on the discussion items •  Start discussion about the topic for 5 minutes •  After 5 minutes, vote on whether to continue discussions •  Throughout the discussions, identify actions to take away •  Find out more about the Lean Coffee Retrospective here:

http://www.agilecafe.org/lean-coffee-retrospective/

Lean Coffee

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Jeopardy

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Instructions: •  Draw a Jeopardy game board •  Everyone writes a one word or short phrase answer •  Think of the question to the answer. Don’t tell anyone. •  The team guesses the question to the answer •  Discuss where the questions are different to owner’s question •  Agree on actions from the discussions •  Find out more about the Jeopardy Retrospective here:

http://retrospectivewiki.org/index.php?title=Jeopardy_Retrospective

Jeopardy

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Speed boat

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Instructions: •  Team draws:

–  a Boat (Your team) –  some Wind pushing the boat forward (Activities/behaviours/processes that could give the

team moment) –  an Anchor holding the boat back (What is currently hold us back from achieving our goals) –  an Iceberg in the distance (What is something that could really damage the team in the

future) •  Team writes notes against the three elements impacting the boat •  Read out notes to team •  Group into themes (optional) •  Discuss the findings •  Identify actions from the notes •  Find out more about the Speedboat Retrospective here:

http://innovationgames.com/speed-boat/

Speedboat

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Recap

How to run a:

1.  Bad Retro – How can they go wrong

2.  Good Retro - Areas to address in your Retros

3.  Great Retro – New & disruptive Retro techniques

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•  Twitter: @RMcKergow •  LinkedIn: RyanMcKergow

Thank you!