Retrospectives: Yesterday’s News or Tomorrow’s Headlines

By: Robbie Mac Iver

1. Retrospectives: Yesterday’s News Or Tomorrow’s Headlines! Retrospectives: Yesterday’s News Or Tomorrow’s Headlines! The measure of success is not whether you have a tough problem to deal with, but whether it is the same problem you had last year – John Foster Dulles Robbie Mac Iver, Principal Consultant
2. Signs Your Retrospectives Are Just… “It’s a group hug!” “It’s ALWAYS been like that!” No one’s talking… Talking but not capturing ideas Someone calls it “Lessons Learned” Everyone HATES going to the retrospective! Team NOT Improving! The Mac Iver Group, LP © 2005-2013 2
3. Making Retrospectives Meaningful The Mac Iver Group, LP © 2005-2013 3
4. Objectives for Today Provide Tools You Can Start Using Now Define a Framework and a Process Identify Keys to Success The Mac Iver Group, LP © 2005-2013 4
5. Reflecting to Improve Here is Edward Bear, coming downstairs now, bump, bump, bump, bump, on the back of his head, behind Christopher Robin. It is, as far as he knows, the only way of coming downstairs, but sometimes he feels that there is another way, if only he could stop bumping for a moment and think of it. -- A. A. Milne Winnie the Pooh The Mac Iver Group, LP © 2005-2013 5
6. Create a Learning Organization The Mac Iver Group, LP © 2005-2013 6 Reflect Reflect Reflect Adapt Adapt Adapt Experiment Experiment Experiment
7. Outputs Outputs • Actions! • Team Agreements • Experiments • Learning • Inspiration A Retrospective Framework The Mac Iver Group, LP © 2005-2013 7 Framework Technique Framework Technique Inputs Inputs • Diaries • Photos • Observations • Feedback • Powerful Questions • Diaries • Photos • Observations • Feedback • Powerful Questions Have a PLAN for Your Retrospective! Have a PLAN for Your Retrospective!
8. Framing the Conversation Identify Team Situation Determine How to Present it to the Team Prepare to Guide the Conversation Facilitate an Outcome The Mac Iver Group, LP © 2005-2013 8
9. Scrum Board – Sprint 1 - Day 6 The Mac Iver Group, LP © 2005-2013 9
10. Scrum Board – Sprint 1 - Day 7 The Mac Iver Group, LP © 2005-2013 10
11. Scrum Board – Sprint 1 - Day 8 The Mac Iver Group, LP © 2005-2013 11
12. Scrum Board – Sprint 1 - Day 9 The Mac Iver Group, LP © 2005-2013 12
13. Scrum Board – Sprint 1 - Day 10 The Mac Iver Group, LP © 2005-2013 13
14. Framing the Conversation Identify Team Situation Determine How to Present it to the Team Prepare to Guide the Conversation Facilitate an Outcome The Mac Iver Group, LP © 2005-2013 14
15. Framing the Conversation Identify Team Situation Determine How to Present it to the Team Prepare to Guide the Conversation Facilitate an Outcome The Mac Iver Group, LP © 2005-2013 15
16. Scrum Board – Sprint 2 - Day 2 The Mac Iver Group, LP © 2005-2013 16
17. Scrum Board – Sprint 2 - Day 3 The Mac Iver Group, LP © 2005-2013 17
18. Scrum Board – Sprint 2 - Day 4 The Mac Iver Group, LP © 2005-2013 18
19. Scrum Board – Sprint 2 - Day 5 The Mac Iver Group, LP © 2005-2013 19
20. Scrum Board – Sprint 2 - Day 6 The Mac Iver Group, LP © 2005-2013 20
21. Scrum Board – Sprint 2 - Day 7 The Mac Iver Group, LP © 2005-2013 21
22. Scrum Board – Sprint 2 - Day 8 The Mac Iver Group, LP © 2005-2013 22
23. Scrum Board – Sprint 2 - Day 9 The Mac Iver Group, LP © 2005-2013 23
24. Tomorrow’s Headline The Mac Iver Group, LP © 2005-2013 24
25. Keys to Meaningful Retrospectives Have a (Flexible) Plan The Mac Iver Group, LP © 2005-2013 25
26. It Takes Planning and Preparation Visuals are Powerful RESPECT Team’s Privacy The Mac Iver Group, LP © 2005-2013 26 Inputs Inputs • Diaries • Photos • Observations • Feedback • Powerful Questions • Diaries • Photos • Observations • Feedback • Powerful Questions
27. It Takes Planning and Preparation Plans for the Sprint Planning Meeting Daily Standups Review/Demo Team Interactions The Mac Iver Group, LP © 2005-2013 27 Inputs Inputs • Diaries • Photos • Observations • Feedback • Powerful Questions • Diaries • Photos • Observations • Feedback • Powerful Questions
28. It Takes Planning and Preparation Co-located Team Members Communicate by e-Mail The Mac Iver Group, LP © 2005-2013 28 Inputs Inputs • Diaries • Photos • Observations • Feedback • Powerful Questions • Diaries • Photos • Observations • Feedback • Powerful Questions
29. It Takes Planning and Preparation “I saw Wendy was on-line at 11pm last Sunday and pulled her into chat…” “She told me the sprint ends Tuesday and she is really stressed getting everything done in time.” The Mac Iver Group, LP © 2005-2013 29 Inputs Inputs • Diaries • Photos • Observations • Feedback • Powerful Questions • Diaries • Photos • Observations • Feedback • Powerful Questions
30. It Takes Planning and Preparation Did you meet the sprint goal? Was the product owner available? How do you feel about this past sprint? What do you know now that you wish you had known in the planning meeting? The Mac Iver Group, LP © 2005-2013 30 Inputs Inputs • Diaries • Photos • Observations • Feedback • Powerful Questions • Diaries • Photos • Observations • Feedback • Powerful Questions
31. It Takes Planning and Preparation Generate curiosity Stimulate reflective conversation Are thought-provoking Surface/question assumptions Invite creativity Generate energy for taking action Evoke more questions The Mac Iver Group, LP © 2005-2013 31 Inputs Inputs • Diaries • Photos • Observations • Feedback • Powerful Questions • Diaries • Photos • Observations • Feedback • Powerful Questions Characteristics of Powerful Questions Characteristics of Powerful Questions
32. It Takes Planning and Preparation Why, How, What Who, When, Where Which, Yes/No Questions The Mac Iver Group, LP © 2005-2013 32 Inputs Inputs • Diaries • Photos • Observations • Feedback • Powerful Questions • Diaries • Photos • Observations • Feedback • Powerful Questions Least Powerful Most Powerful Source: The Art of Powerful Questions – Vogt, Brown, Issacs www.theworldcafe.com/pdfs/aopq.pdf
33. Guide the Conversation Situation Possible Questions Anticipated Responses Follow-Up Questions Alternative Outcomes The Mac Iver Group, LP © 2005-2013 33
34. Sample Situations Team Member(s) Miss Meetings Stories Accepted, But Not “Done” Dominant Voice Makes “Team” Decisions The Mac Iver Group, LP © 2005-2013 34 What Questions Would You Ask? What Questions Would You Ask?
35. Keys to Meaningful Retrospectives Have a (Flexible) Plan Leverage All Available Inputs The Mac Iver Group, LP © 2005-2013 35
36. Individual or Team Issues? The Mac Iver Group, LP © 2005-2013 36 “I saw Wendy was on-line at 11pm last Sunday and pulled her into chat…” “She told me the sprint ends Tuesday and she is really stressed getting everything done in time.”
37. Individual or Team Issues? George… Frequently does work not on the sprint backlog Reviews every line of code checked-in -- makes changes without telling anyone Works mostly behind closed doors Often misses team meetings Takes days to respond to questions from other team members The Mac Iver Group, LP © 2005-2013 37
38. Coaching Opportunities The Mac Iver Group, LP © 2005-2013 38 Growing Better Agile Teams, Team Practices, Team Learning Whole Team Coaching Growing Better Agile Team Members Growing Better Agile Team Members Growing Better Agile Team Members Individual Coaching Retrospectives are Whole Team Coaching Opportunities Retrospectives are Whole Team Coaching Opportunities
39. Keys to Meaningful Retrospectives Have a (Flexible) Plan Leverage All Available Inputs Coach Whole Team The Mac Iver Group, LP © 2005-2013 39
40. Avoid Falling Into a Rut The Mac Iver Group, LP © 2005-2013 40
41. Alternate Framework Techniques The Mac Iver Group, LP © 2005-2013 41 Framework Technique Framework Technique
42. A Good Place to Start What Should We Start Doing… Things that help us What Should We Stop Doing… Things that hurt us What should We Continue Doing… Things that are working The Mac Iver Group, LP © 2005-2013 42
43. Four Questions The Mac Iver Group, LP © 2005-2013 43 Source: Linda Rising – www.lindarising.com Choose an Experiment for Each Iteration Choose an Experiment for Each Iteration
44. Continuous Retrospective What Makes Me Happy? What Makes Me Sad? What Ideas Have I Had? Who Should I Thank? Supplements or replaces diary The Mac Iver Group, LP © 2005-2013 44
45. Values to Action The Mac Iver Group, LP © 2005-2013 45
46. Values to Action Pick a Value How does your team exhibit this? How could your team exhibit more of this? The Mac Iver Group, LP © 2005-2013 46 Courage ▪ Respect ▪ Commitment ▪ Openness ▪ Focus Courage ▪ Respect ▪ Commitment ▪ Openness ▪ Focus We Believe in <Value>, Therefore We… We Believe in <Value>, Therefore We…
47. One Team’s View The Mac Iver Group, LP © 2005-2013 47
48. One Team’s View The Mac Iver Group, LP © 2005-2013 48
49. Find Your Strengths A Good Team Member Does Whatever it Takes to Help the Team The Mac Iver Group, LP © 2005-2013 49 A Good Team Member Deliberately Volunteers His Strengths to the Team Most of the Time Source: Marcus Buckingham - Go Put Your Strengths to Work Which of These Do You Want? Which of These Do You Want?
50. Do You Know… What Percentage of the Time, Do Most People Spend Using Their Strengths? The Mac Iver Group, LP © 2005-2013 50 Source: Marcus Buckingham - Go Put Your Strengths to Work How Can We Change This? How Can We Change This?
51. Speed Boat The Mac Iver Group, LP © 2005-2013 51 Source: Source: Faster Slower Shallow Medium Deep
52. Speed Boat The Mac Iver Group, LP © 2005-2013 52 Source: Source:
53. Keys to Meaningful Retrospectives Have a (Flexible) Plan Leverage All Available Inputs Coach Whole Team Vary Techniques The Mac Iver Group, LP © 2005-2013 53
54. Do Emotions Play a Part? The Mac Iver Group, LP © 2005-2013 54 Open, Honest, Candid Conversations Open, Honest, Candid Conversations
55. Facilitate to Control Emotions Leading by Example Creating Safe Environment Listening – Actively Observing – Team Behaviors Empathizing – Feelings Are OK Encouraging Shared Responsibility Asking Open Ended (Powerful) Questions The Mac Iver Group, LP © 2005-2013 55 Controlling Emotions Starts With YOU! Controlling Emotions Starts With YOU! Reference: http://www.iaf-world.org
56. Retrospective Spirit – A Prime Directive The Mac Iver Group, LP © 2005-2013 56
57. Keys to Meaningful Retrospectives Have a (Flexible) Plan Leverage All Available Inputs Coach Whole Team Vary Techniques Discuss Events Not People The Mac Iver Group, LP © 2005-2013 57
58. Retrospectives Are Actionable Prioritize Improvement Ideas Select 2-3 Ideas Define Action Items Assess in Next Retrospective The Mac Iver Group, LP © 2005-2013 58
59. Keys to Meaningful Retrospectives Have a (Flexible) Plan Leverage All Available Inputs Coach Whole Team Vary Techniques Discuss Events Not People Take Action The Mac Iver Group, LP © 2005-2013 59
60. What is YOUR Next Step? The Mac Iver Group, LP © 2005-2013 60 What One Thing Will You Do Differently in Your Next Retrospective? What One Thing Will You Do Differently in Your Next Retrospective? Write It Down Right Now! Write It Down Right Now!
61. ▪ Agile Leadership ▪ Agile Training ▪ Agile Transition ▪ Coaching ▪ Mentoring ▪ 10+ Years Agile Techniques ▪ 10+ Years Project Leadership ▪ 20+ Years Information Technology Robbie Mac Iver The Mac Iver Group, LP © 2005-2013 61 ▪ Past President/Advisor National Board of Directors ▪ Founder Houston Chapter ▪ Stage Producer – Agile 2010, Agile 2011 ▪ Presenter – Agile 2010 ▪ Stage Producer – Agile Executive Forum 2011 www.robbiemaciver.com robbie@robbiemaciver.com @robbiemaciver robbiemaciver