RETROSPECTIVES AND BEYOND TOOLS

A retrospective is an opportunity for the team to inspect their activities and develop an improvement
plan for the next stage of the project. If you work at Scrum, then a retrospective, abbreviated as
"retro", takes place at the end of each Sprint. During such a meeting, the team checks the course of
the last stage or Sprint, proposes several improvements and is responsible for their implementation in
the following weeks of the project or in the next Sprint. It is worth making sure that such a meeting is
well prepared and facilitated. Below you will find a set of tools to use in each of the five stages of the
retrospective: introduction, information gathering, generating ideas, choosing the solutions and
summarising.

Retrospective - introduction
1. GOAL OR EXPRESS yourself
Start from defining a goal by asking questions:
 What do you expect from this meeting?
 How do you imagine this meeting?
 How can this meeting help us?
Then collect the answers.
2. PHASE OR SPRINT IN 3 WORDS
Invite each meeting participant to describe the past phase of the project or Sprint in three words, along
with the rationale.
3. NEIGHBOUR'S OPINION
Say what a neighbor who is sitting on your right thinks about the past stage or Sprint, and then ask
him/her if she agrees.
4. APPRECIATE YOUR NEIGHBOR
Say or write on a piece of paper or a whiteboard what you value in your neighbor. This time it could
be a neighbor on your left.
5. VALUE RADAR
The retrospective is also a good time to talk about respecting the fundamental values that the team
has agreed to. Such a reflection is also worth conducting for yourself. You can take advantage of the
Scrum value radar: https://www.scrum.org/resources/blog/visualising-scrum-values or customize the
radar to your needs. Ask: Are the behaviors I observe consistent with what is important to me? Then
mark on the scale from 1 to 5 how you feel. Once you have completed the exercise with your team,
ask: Did anything surprise us? Do you see any scheme? Later in the meeting, it's a good idea to look
at what we can do to align to the values if we are not.
Example of a Scrum value radar created in Retrium

Source: AgilePMO
6. WHAT WAS THE WEATHER LIKE?
Invite each meeting participant to draw a pictogram of the weather during the past stage of the project
or Sprint.
7. EMOTICONS
An alternative to the weather can be emoticons. Invite the meeting participants to present the
emotions that describe the past stage or Sprint with the emoticons.
Sample pictograms and emoticons

Autor: Anna Szczepkowska – Visual Coach

 8. MORE DRAWING
Invite each meeting participant to draw the most important moment of the past period or Sprint, and
then ask the group to guess what the author meant. We can also ask: What do you think of the past
period or Sprint? Are you happy with it? And then ask to draw an answer.
9. REVIEW FROM ALLEGRO
Ask to write a review of the past period or Sprint. Add a title and description and rate it on a scale of 1
to 5 stars.
Sample review

Be-Web live!
The incredible energy and engagement of the team despite the challenges and
uncertainty allowed us to launch the first version of the Be-Web site as
planned.
10. THERMOMETER
Draw a thermometer and mark the temperature at 36.6 degrees C on it, and then ask each participant
in the meeting to mark the temperature during the previous period or Sprint on the thermometer.
Sample thermometer in the MIRO app

Source: AgilePMO’s client retro

 11. FLOOR – SCALE (UN)SATISFACTION
It is a perfect exercise to move around a little bit. Draw a line on the floor – you can use a string and
mark the ends – EXCELLENT and DISASTER. Then ask the meeting participants to line up based on what
they think of the past period of the project or Sprint.
12. POSTCARD OR LETTER
Prepare, write and address to a team member or other project stakeholder a postcard. Then forward
it in person or send it. Share your feelings about the past period of project or Sprint. A postcard or
personalized letter is also a good way to appreciate the people we work with.
Sample letter sent by traditional post

Source: AgilePMO
Retrospective – information gathering

The aim of this part of the meeting is to gather as much information as possible, both positive and
negative, concerning the course of the previous period of the project or Sprint. We are interested not
only in what we have achieved, but also in how we have worked together - whether our behaviour has
supported the values and principles we have agreed on. Below are some suggestions to help you and
your team to achieve the goal of this retrospective stage.

13. SAILBOAT / BALLOON / GRIEF AND PRIDE

Draw a sailboat or balloon or prepare two cards signed GRIEF and PRIDE. Then ask the participants of
the meeting to write out as much positive information as possible on separate post-its about the past
period of the project or Sprint – that is, everything that gave us the wind in the sails and what inhibited
us, and then stick them to the appropriate places of the sailboat, balloon, or place them under the
appropriate title: REGRET or PRIDE. Then briefly describe them.

Example of a sailboat

Autor: Anna Szczepkowska – Visual Coach

 14. TABOO
In any project there may be things that we do not want to talk about out loud. Ask your team to save
these things and then throw them in the ballot box or some other closed box. Then during the meeting
read them aloud. Be sure to remind the rules of such a meeting. For example LAS VEGAS - the issues
discussed on it will not go outside.
15. OSCAR
We can "give away" the Oscars in different categories and in different areas. This can be, for example,
OSCAR IN THE CATEGORY BEST / WORST USER STORY or the most interesting story, the most helpful
action or the biggest failure. To begin with let's create a list of stories, actions or failures, and then
assign each participant of the meeting 3 VOTES each, let's ask them to distribute them among the
proposals in the list in a given area and category.
16. NEWSPAPER HEADLINES
In order to stimulate creativity, prepare a few headlines from newspapers and bring them to the
meeting. Then ask each attendee to prepare their own headline that will describe the past stage of the
project or Sprint.
Sample newspaper headline
Translation: The billionaire gave away all the money. He became poor at his own request.

Source: Forbes Polska

17. TWEETING
We tweet about the past period of the project or Sprint. Invite each meeting participant to tweet a
short message of up to 160 characters (currently up to 280 characters) for the Sprint. Then put the
tweets on the Sprint/project period timescale in a place consistent with their possible appearance.
Sample tweet

Before you use the materials from the Internet, make sure you
have the rights to do so. The owner of the picture saw her face in
our survey #cockup

Source: AgilePMO
 18. FILM CRITIC
Play with the film critic and treat the past stage of the project or Sprint like a movie. Suggest TITLE,
GENRE, STORYLINE and CLIMAXES. Finally recommend this video or advise not watching.

19. WHEEL OR STAR

Draw a circle on a flipchart or a board and divide it into five parts describing each of them: MORE,
LESS, START, STOP, LEAVE. Then ask the meeting participants to complete the individual parts with
information about what they need MORE or LESS, what we don't do, and it's worth STARTing, which is
unnecessary, so we don't want to continue anymore - STOP and what's important and we LEAVE. Then
review these ideas and choose the ones you want to implement. This solution will also work well in
operational work – such a wheel can hang in a room or online and be constantly filled with information
that will be viewed and addressed regularly.

Sample wheel

Source: AgilePMO
 20. 4xL
4xL is an alternative to the wheel. In this case, we collect information in four areas: LIKED, LACKED,
LEARNED, LONGED FOR. Then we review these ideas and choose the ones we want to implement or
strengthen.

21. LEAN COFFEE

We can use this tool during the retrospective, when we collect information, as well as in any other
discussion, when we have limited time and want to make sure that we use it to talk about topics that
are really important to us.
To begin with define the topics – let each participant of the meeting propose one topic that interests
him or. Then ask to distribute 3 VOTES to each among the proposals. The topic with the highest
number of votes will be discussed first, and the next depending on the largest number of votes. It is
worth using a board with three or four columns: READY TO DISCUSS, DISCUSSING, DISCUSSED,
ACTIONS. During the discussion move the cards into the appropriate columns. In the end we can also
write down actions if they come up. For each of the topics we talk for 5 minutes. After this time, we
ask the team if they want to continue for a few more minutes, and if not then move on to the next
topic.
Retrospective – generating ideas

Once we have gathered enough positive and negative information regarding the past period of the
project or Sprint, we can move on to the idea generation phase, where we analyze the previously
collected information. We also try to identify the roots of the problems and then look for solutions.

22. 5 x WHY?
Repeating the question "Why did this happen? " five times it will allow us to get to know the problem
in depth, and then it will be much easier for us to look for a solution.
23. PERFECT PHASE/SPRINT
Ask everyone to rate the past phase of the project or Sprint on a scale of 1 to 10. Then ask: What can
we do to make the next phase of the project or Sprint received 10 points out of 10? Write down all
the ideas.
24. WORST PHASE/SPRINT
Having the perfect one, why not to visualize the worst phase or Sprint. Ask the question: What would
have to happen for the past phase of the project or Sprint to turn into a total failure? Collect ideas
and look for the repeating schemes. In the next phase look for solutions by turning them into opposites.
25. POSTER
Select the most important issue that was identified in the previous step and then ask the team to
present it as a poster. Helpful questions:
What happened?
How did this happen? What are the solutions?
Who can help us?
If the team is large it is worth dividing it into several groups and prepare several posters.
Sample poster

Author: Anna Szczepkowska – Visual Coach

26. WISH
Imagine that we have a goldfish that fulfills one of our wishes within 24 hours – solve our biggest
problem. Ask a few questions: What happened? How do you know that the problem has been
resolved? What has changed – the positive sides of change? Write down the answers and finally ask
the team what they have imagined.
Sample created in MIRO

Source: AgilePMO client’s retro

 27. SPEEDDATING
Let everyone choose one, the most important problem from his perspective, and then pair. Talk about
your problems for 5 minutes and then join in new pairs until everyone speaks to everyone.
28. ISHIKAWA DIAGRAM - FISHBONE
A visual technique used to develop understanding of a complex issue,
WHAT
chronology of events or phases

WHEN  Deal with multiple or complex issues that need to be bucketed or

categorised
 Identify the causes (and their sequence) that led to a particular
event or situation
 Plan a timeline of activities for a future event
HOW 1. Select the problem (the effect) and write down it up on flipchart
with an arrow drawn to it
Presenting problem
(effect)

2. Determine the major categories of causes that could possible give

rid to the end effect (about 3-5). Draw arrows leading to the min
arrow, each one representing one of the causes categories.
Common categories include people, environment, methods,
equipment etc.

Major Cause

Presenting problem
(effect)

3. Use a discussion generating technique such a storyboarding to

identify all the cases in each of these categories (Minor causes). Add
these to the diagram.
Major Cause

Presenting problem
(effect)
Minor Cause

4. Discuss and select the most likely causes or major contributions. In

case and effect analysis. They are usually multiple causes to business
problems and these causes rarely have equal impact. It is therefore
important to determine the impact of each cause before you can
evaluate any solutions.
Retrospective: selecting the solutions
Once we have done the introductionn, collected information, and generated as many ideas as possible
we can move on to the solution selection stage.

29. VOITING
Głosowanie kropkami to najczęściej stosowane narzędzie wybierania rozwiązań. Każdy uczestnik
spotkania otrzymuje 3 KROPKI, które może rozdzielić pomiędzy rozwiązania wygenerowane
w poprzednim etapie. Rozwiązanie, które otrzymało największą liczbę kropek, zostaje zaplanowane
w kolejnym Sprincie czy etapie projektu.
Voting using dots is the most common solution selection tool. Each meeting participant receives 3
DOTs, which can be devided between the solutions generated in the previous stage. The solution that
received the most dots is scheduled in the next Sprint or project stage

30. CHAOS COCTAIL PARTY

Choose one solution and talk about it to each meeting participant. Then ask the meeting participants
to distribute 5 points between the two most valuable solutions from their point of view. Those
solutions that have received the most points will be implemented.

31. MONOPOLY
You have $20,000 that you want to invest in the improvements that would bring the most value.
Suggest investing the money. These improvements, which receive the most funding are going through.

32. WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

Choose 8 improvements and plan the competition. First these 8 teams play with each other - we have
4 pairs, of which 4 improvements go to the semi-finals, and then the winners meet in the final. The
master will be implementation as a priority and then the next ones.

33. FRUIT TREE

Draw a tree and divide its crown into four parts. To the top of the tree go improvements difficult to
implement and to the bottom the easy ones. On the left – the improvements that have a big impact,
and on the right the ones that have little impact. Start from implementing improvements from the
bottom left quarter, which are impact-heavy and easy to implement.
Retrospective - closing
In conclusion, it is worth summarizing the meeting and thanking yourself.

34. DARTS
Draw a few shooting targets on the flipchart and write down one of the following questions: Did we
talk in the meeting about things that matter to us? Did I have the opportunity to speak freely during
the meeting? Are we able to implement the solutions we have chosen? Then each participant of the
meeting marks their answers on the targets – the closer to the center of the target, the more he agrees.

Sample of Darts

Author: Anna Szczepkowska – Visual Coach

35. ROUND OF QUESTIONS

Each participant answers the question: What did I learn during this meeting? Collect these answers.
Next, it's worth summarizing the findings – repeat which solutions we choose to implement – and
thank each other.

36. YOU AND ME

Divide the flipchart into two parts – in the first type what you are grateful for, in the second resolutions
– what do you want to change?
 37. ROTI
ROTI stands for Return on Time Invested. Draw a scale on the door, for example from 1 to 4 and ask
the leaving participants to mark how satisfied they are with a meeting. 1 means inefficient and 4 time
very well invested.

Example of ROTI

38. HAPPINESS DOOR

A happy door is an alternative to ROTI. In this case, in addition to the level of satisfaction with the
meeting or training, you can get more details that participants enter on the sticky notes to be placed
at a specific emoticon visualizing (un)satisfaction.
Happiness Door

Source: AgilePMO

KUDDOS – appreciation cards

You can find Jurgen Appello's ready-made "Kuddos" on the web, but it is also worth designing yours.
Below are some suggestions.

Source: Grupa Allegro

Source: Siemens

Source: Thomson Reuters Above and Beyond Award system

Reading
 Agile Retrospectives: Helping Teams Become More Efficient by Marc Loeffler
 Toolbox for the Agile Coach – 96 Visualization Examples, J. Janlén