The Key to Continuous Improvement (part 1)

Sprint Retrospectives Part 1:  Why?

The retrospective is one of the most important parts of an Agile process and one teams frequently fail to stick with or implement properly from the get go. But a a well formed and disciplined process is one of the keys to a continuously improving system and also to team happiness and productivity.

The reason is entropy. All systems break down over time and if they are to remain productive or even get more productive then they need a reset button. The retropsective is that that button and it has a few key benefits.

1. Continuous Improvement: The system, team and product they are producing will get better and bettter.

2. Team Cohesion: Loose, social connections are the most important for any team and the retrospective is (or should be) an opportunity for celebration, fun and informal interaction. Do it at the end of the day, bring beer and snacks and keep it fun.

3. Taking a Breath: No one can run forever and rest actually will make the team move faster and more productive later. The retrospective is an opportunity to pause and is something many teams look forward to when they are in the midst of a full on sprint.

4. Surface Missing Conversations: Missing conversations are the biggest killer of teams there is. The retrospective is an opportunity to let off steam, offer suggestions, express concern and realign the team.

In the next video – tomorrow – I’ll share my favorite format for a retrospective. Be sure to tune in.

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