An Integral Part of Transformation is Reflection: Five Retro Formats for Agile Teams
In agile teams, the retrospective is an integral part of the work process. Good agile teams do the retrospective regularly, very good teams do a retro session after each iteration, says Anna Roizman. She has been an Agile Coach at Porsche for three years and knows: A good retrospective is as individual as the team itself.
Last January, the 14th Annual State of Agile Report was published, one of the largest global surveys on agility in software development. One of the most popular techniques with 81 percent? The retrospective; only the daily stand-up is even more popular with 85 percent.
I support the thought process within the team
Most people probably know the principle of a retrospective from themselves: It’s about consciously taking time to get off the “hamster wheel”, to think about the past — and to recognize what went well in the past, what we would like to keep and what we would like or can change in order to make some things better or simply different in the future.
I am convinced that transformation basically starts with the retrospective, the step back to get a view of the big picture. What went well for the team in the past iteration? Where were the difficulties? A technique that initiates a thought process among all team members for the future — and thus can improve not only the effective result but also the very personal feeling regarding work. My task as an agile coach is to accompany people through this process.
My favorite retro formats
The teams that I accompany in my work as an agile coach in finance and IT are mostly organizational units that deal iteratively with strategic or interdisciplinary topics. Each team is different and can benefit from different formats. Here I have compiled five retro formats that are very helpful according to my experience:
#1 — What went well? What inspired me? What irritated me? What do I wish differently in the future?
Some teams have to get used to the format of a retrospective and to the rules, such as the Vegas rule. What happens in Las Vegas stays in Las Vegas. Topics that are discussed in the retrospective stay within the team. I like to start with these teams with four simple questions: What went well in the last iteration? What inspired me? What irritated me? What do I wish differently in the future?
#2 — Like a phoenix from the ashes
Sometimes I also have to wake up the teams. The following questions have proven to be very useful for me: Why do we invest time in the retrospective? What can we use to sabotage it? What will happen if there are no more retrospectives? And then: What can we do together so that the retrospective brings the desired added value?
It’s always nice for me to see how creative the teams get when they consider how they can sabotage the retrospective. The list of possibilities is long, from unpunctuality to writing e-mails on the side. I feel even better when the teams think about their meeting culture — and clearly define what they will look for in the future to make better use of the planned time. It’s also nice to accompany the teams again after some time and to reflect together on which agreed approaches have proven themselves and which need to be sharpened in the future.
#3 — Retro with rating stars
Five out of five: A fast way, known from many internet platforms, to classify and evaluate the last iteration of a project phase. The task for the team: Rate the last sprint with stars, give your rating a title and a short description.
This results not only in very creative evaluations but also in a very open and subjective discussion about the success of the iteration. Afterwards, we look at what the team can do together to improve the rating of the next iteration by one star or to keep the current rating.
#4 — The Gratitude Retro
As a team, you overcome obstacles and fight against complexities in an iteration. There are stressful, hectic and exhausting phases. That’s why it’s even nicer to come together afterwards and create space to reflect and remember: Who helped me? Who was there for me? Who thought along and actively contributed to the success of the iteration with tips, active support or listening?
It is important to open the space for two perspectives with focused questions: On the one hand, to give gratitude not only one, but many voices. On the other hand, to give room to accept the gratitude and maybe enjoy the warm feeling for a few minutes in silence. The wave of appreciation that then sloshes through the round not only feels good but also shows colleagues whose abilities or personality traits are particularly valued by others.
#5 — The Superhero Retrospective
If a team has been working together for months, has achieved its goals and there are, for example, only two iterations left until the team is dissolved, then, in my opinion, it is not worth spending energy on the questions from example #1.
But that doesn’t mean you can’t do a retro. The superhero retrospective fits perfectly in such a situation. I get a package of cookies, shaped like famous superheroes. The team members compare themselves to the superheroes, reminiscing about working together — and about moments when someone had to use his or her superpowers to fight their kryptonite. Special bonus: The cookies taste very good.
What are your favourite formats for reflection?
No matter which format teams use for a retrospective, in the end, agility is not just a trend but a central success factor for digital transformation.
Anna Roizman works as an Agile Coach at Porsche.
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