Retrospectives have become part of the daily work routine in many companies. "Retro" is what you do if you're aiming for "agile" principles! However, a retrospective that isn't properly implemented and practiced quickly becomes a tiresome ritual. At best, participants are bored; at worst, it leads to acrimonious discussions that strain collaboration.
If you're going to do retros, do it right
Ever heard these phrases before? "Let's do a quick retrospective right now, we've got half an hour." – "What didn't go well in the last iteration? Is there anything you didn't like?" – "No? Great!" ... So, retrospective, check!
Anyone who truly wants to initiate a continuous improvement process in their company should seriously engage with the topic of "retrospectives." The five phases of a retrospective ("set the stage," "gather data," "generate insights," "decide what to do," and "closing") should not only be understood but also implemented using various facilitation techniques. Thorough preparation is essential! The facilitator guides and supports the group in achieving better results. To this end, they must master facilitation methods and techniques and approach participants neutrally and with empathy. Only then will the results be valuable and bring about sustainable improvement within the organization.
Iterative and incremental
Another rule is: always take small steps! The idea behind this is not to take on too much. It's better to develop just two or three concrete measures, but then implement them consistently. If this happens regularly, and the implementation and impact of the last agreed-upon measures are checked after each implementation, the improvement process will gain momentum.
Improvement requires change – trained facilitators are the foundation for bringing about sustainable improvement in the company.
Only those who understand
can yesterday ensure that
tomorrow will be better!
Wishing you all the best in your recovery!
Yours (Mesrop Yaghubian)
Interested in acquiring more knowledge and practical experience with retrospectives? Then we cordially invite you to our Academy :
In the course “Retrospectives, Time to Improve”, participants learn everything worth knowing about retrospectives; inexperienced moderators are prepared for their first retrospective moderation, but experienced Scrum Masters also go home with new ideas and moderation techniques.
Reserve your spot for the next event on Thursday, November 21, 2019, at the Infometis Academy!
