A Framework for Distributed Retrospectives

At Girbil, we’ve been running a distributed/remote team for the last year. We love the many benefits of remote work, but there are also challenges.

We have learned it’s important to have intentional conversations about how we work. So we put together a framework to brainstorm ways to work better as a remote team.

I want to share this framework and retro process with you in hopes it will be helpful as your team transitions to remote work this week.

The Framework

Here’s the framework we used to structure our team conversation around working remotely. Like any framework, there are multiple approaches, but hopefully, this will give some ideas:

1) Accentuate the Positives of Remote Work

A. Flexibility

i. Working schedule

ii. Work location/space

iii. Synchronous/asynchronous options

B. Talent availability

i. Global best

ii. Diversity

C. Focus

i. More focus on outcomes/deliverables (e.g., less politicking, managing impressions)

ii. Fewer distractions and disruptions

2) Mitigate the Risks and Challenges Related to Remote Work

A. Health

i. Burnout

ii. Loneliness

B. Communication

i. Problem-solving/collaboration

ii. Staying on the same page (expectations, requirements, progress/status)

iii. Context transferring

B. Culture

i. Mentorship/coaching/learning

ii. Community/relationships/trust

iii. Energy

Retro Process

With this framework, we used the following process for our retro:

1. Create a MIRO board with our remote work framework to structure the conversation. You can copy the one we created here: https://miro.com/app/board/o9J_kxV0gcc=/
2. Jump on a Zoom call
3. Pick a bucket from the framework
4. Add ideas silently/individually under each category (2–5 minutes; more below)
5. Review ideas as a team to make sure each idea is understood
6. Silently vote on interesting ideas using “digital dots” (2–3 minutes; 5 per person)
7. Repeat steps #3–6 until each category of the framework is covered
8. Discuss ideas with the highest votes
9. Pick 1–3 ideas to implement as a team over the next 1–2 weeks
10. Repeat entire retro in 1–2 weeks

Quick note on step #3–6: You can repeat these steps twice using the two “macro” buckets (Positives & Negative). You can also run steps #3–6 on each of the 6 “micro” categories. I recommend the former, since the latter is arduous (we tried it). If you only run steps 3–6 twice, I recommend giving people 5 minutes for each brainstorming step to give people enough time to add ideas under each "micro" category.

Closing Thoughts

Remote work is fantastic. On a personal level, it can unlock greater focus, flexibility, and happiness. For companies, it lays the groundwork for more autonomy, accountability, and talent. Societally, it can help the environment, encourage more gender-role balance in families, and alleviate congestion.

However, the transition to remote work can be challenging. From my experience, it’s essential to be deliberate about how you and your team approach it. “If you start right, you’ll go right.”

A structured upfront retrospective like the one above (a prospective?) can help your team get off on the right foot and make the transition to remote work a positive and productive experience for everyone.

Good luck!