Aire’s Agile Coach, Meena, shows how Agile Retrospectives can fuel a culture of continuous improvement at work.
At the heart of our product development work at Aire sit empowered, cross-functional squads. Working in sprints, the squads deliver an increment of the product which they then showcase to their stakeholders at each Sprint Review.
So how, within this framework, can we create the space for team reflection?
Enter the Agile Retrospective — held at the end of each sprint, this ceremony allows the team to evaluate its past working cycle and to gather feedback on what went well, and what didn’t. Here we delve into the benefits:
1. Turnaround moments
Teamwork is a skill and just like any skill it grows stronger with use. Having retrospectives helps to identify where squads would like to improve, thereby growing stronger as a unit with every passing iteration.
In his book Elastic Leadership, Roy Osherove observes that ‘for a self organising team, having each team member realise that they are not stuck in a situation, but can always choose to do something about it is a turnaround moment.’
Good practices are often contagious. What started at Aire in the more product centric teams has spread to other parts of the business with our Commercial and Brand teams now having a retrospective after every iteration of their sprint work.
‘I first thought these types of conversations would be really uncomfortable, but they can actually be pretty therapeutic and a great way to bond.’
Wiki, Software Engineer
2. Building better teams
Some retrospectives feel like mini celebrations, helping us pause and take stock of those amazing moments when we’ve been at our element as a team.
But they must also be used as a space for honest feedback when we need to reflect on the times that haven’t gone so well. Providing an environment where we can do this is absolutely fundamental to building strong teams.
‘I’ve been impressed by the safe space you find yourself in during a retrospective. I’ve seen teams dealing with difficult issues whilst remaining respectful, positive and united.’
Becci, Agile Facilitator
3. Uncovering the right tools
Shifting to a remote-first approach at Aire, we've adapted our retrospectives to become virtual. We have learnt that with the right tools and good facilitation a virtual retrospective can be just as impactful.
Seek out the tools that best work for your team and don’t be afraid to test. In the true spirit of Agile we approached it as an experiment, collecting feedback and learnings along the way.
‘Retrospectives are very refreshing and cathartic events. They give us space to be completely honest with each other.’
Chris, Software Engineer
And remember…
When a sprint ends it might seem tempting to jump straight into the next one. A grave mistake! Retrospectives are a valuable Agile tool for any team and one that can help all of us in our journey of continuous improvement.
For anyone looking to learn more, Agile Retrospectives: Making good teams great by Esther Derby and Diana Larsen, is an excellent resource.
Meena will be speaking at this year’s Women in Agile Conference as part of their ‘New Voices’ programme on 23rd November 2020. Secure your ticket here.
