Retro can be fun! How to make retrospective meetings more engaging
We held several sessions to reflect on the full-year results. It was exciting!
What is a retrospective meeting?
Nobody wants to be wrapped up in elaborate business processes, follow a schedule, or actually work at the end of the year with holidays just around the corner. Christmas dinner, gifts, and a long-awaited break — this is where your mind really is.
The festive season is about positive emotion, not end-of-the-year fatigue. You want your team to finish the year thinking about high points and feeling excited about future plans, don’t you? Well, this is where a retrospective meeting comes in.
“Oh, man, another retro? Ok, I just need to sit it out, and then I’m free.” Afraid of causing a similar reaction? Your team will never think of a final retro this way if you develop a creative and engaging scenario. Read on to learn all about smashing retro ideas.
Classic retro structure
This is a standard structure I follow when holding retro meetings with different teams (some elements may vary):
- Summarizing a previous retro, 3 min
- Rating the current sprint on a scale from 1 to 10, 1 min
- Finalizing the current sprint, 5 min
- Giving time to express any negative feedback (intervention format), 5 min
- Writing up ideas on post-its, 3 min
- Sticking and discussing post-its, 43 min
One hour is just enough to cover everything. A classic end-of-the-year meeting can last 15–20 minutes longer to discuss annual results, for example, some metrics, data, achievements, or plans. Sounds good, but… don’t you think it’s boring?
A retrospective meeting usually consists of five modules:
- Creating a safe environment
This module is necessary to help participants relax. Show your team that they can speak out without being judged.
2. Collecting feedback and opinions
The central part of the meeting is for gathering important information and summarizing the team’s state.
3. Brainstorming
Don’t let a single idea escape your attention. Capture diverse proposals, even the ones that sound like science fiction (or the opposite)..
4. Finalizing the ideas
Select the best suggestions and make a joint decision.
5. Closing
Work out an action plan and close the session.
Changing the game
From my experience, employing a standard scenario in a long end-of-the-year retro is a bad idea. Instead, set up a secure space, so participants feel like sharing, making jokes, and staying a bit longer.
These are the elements of a relaxed environment:
- Room
The location depends on certain conditions, but, if possible, hold the meeting in a room that feels homely. Perfect if it’s different from the space you usually use for retro sessions. Our office has a hall with a comfy couch to relax and be at ease. It goes without saying that offline meetings put online sessions in the shade.
2. Timing
The meeting can take up to two or three hours, depending on the number of participants.
3. Coffee pause
Three hours is a long time. Remember to take a short break for snacks and drinks. You can offer alcoholic beverages if your company policy allows it to create a more casual atmosphere.
4. Music
Background music is another great tool to build up a relaxed climate. Besides, music can fill the silence, like when people write something on their post-its.
5. Breaks
If you see that participants start to lose focus, take a break. There’s no need to keep everyone cooped up for three hours straight.
6. Plan adjustment
Check the time and try to note people’s attitudes. You can adjust an extensive plan if there’s not enough time for all its stages. Don’t push it. Instead, get the best out of the modules that fit the timing.
7. Closing
Imagine you’ve just spent three hours in a meeting. Its closing point needs to be spectacular! Adjourn the session in a way that creates a positive impression and encourages participants to join other events.
8. Preparation
By failing to prepare, you’re preparing to fail. Take time to set up the process. Ensure you have everything you need (pens, markers, post-its, whiteboard, flipchart, sheets, envelopes, and handouts). Write up bullet points on the whiteboard or in Miro (for online sessions) before the retro starts.
Now, after you’ve done everything to create a relaxed atmosphere, it’s time to develop a meeting plan and start preparing.
Speaking of meeting plans… Here are two retro scenarios we tested with several teams last year. Both options proved to be helpful when developing an engaging end-of-the-year retro.
Retrium
by Valeriya Santaeva
Find a room suitable for sticking post-its. Divide it into zones.
CREATING AN ATMOSPHERE
- One year, one word
Participants need to describe the year in one word and explain their choice.
2. This year’s epics
Celebrate the team and its fantastic job this year.
3. Three things you’re proud of
Ask participants to name three personal, team, or company achievements they feel proud about.
COLLECTING FEEDBACK AND OPINIONS
4. Key achievements: three reasons
What are those reasons? What participants’ qualities have helped them reach their goals?
5. Expressing gratitude
Retro is a great chance to thank fellow team members. Ask participants to say “Thank you” to colleagues they feel grateful for.
6. Stress and tension
An activity to look back at difficult moments. What were the most challenging parts that required a lot of effort and caused negative feelings? This is when the team reflects on past failures and challenges.
CLOSING THE MEETING
7. Time to dream
What great things do you want to happen so you can proudly remember them in the next year’s final retro? Where do you see the team and its members in the future?
Retrowheel
by Alexander Popov
CREATING AN ATMOSPHERE
- How has your year been? (choose one option)
- It’s been challenging, but we made it
- Common, it’s been a good year!
- It can’t be over soon enough
2. What happened this year
Ask participants to think of two momentous events (positive or negative) that happened this year, one personal life and one work event. Participants can share the events with the team.
COLLECTING FEEDBACK AND OPINIONS
3. The Zoo
If your team member was an animal, what would it be? Participants have to pick an animal, write their choice on a post-it, share it with a teammate, and explain their choice.
4. The wheel of opinions
Save the categories: Team Spirit, Joy at Work, Understanding Perspectives, Code Health, Feedback, Speed of Development / Workplace environment / I Wish … (but you could replace them with your own).
Participants have to write their thoughts on each topic on post-its, stick them under a relevant topic name, and discuss them together.
5. Who? What? When?
Ask participants to study the information on the post-its placed on the wheel and work out action points.
CLOSING THE MEETING
6. Dear Santa
The team must write a letter with wishes and promises to future selves. Ask them to write it on an A5 sheet and put it in an envelope to be opened in half a year (or you can use some online services, like FutureMe). It’ll be fun to read it six months later and check what wishes come true.
I’m already working on gamifying this year’s final retro! Wait till after the holidays to learn how it went down.
To wrap things up, don’t hesitate to experiment and get creative. Relax and enjoy the process together with your team!
