Agile Retrospectives

2.1 Learning About the History and Environment

If you’re leading retrospectives for your own team, you probably already know the history and context. Even so, take a second look. Check your assumptions about the team’s history and morale and about the state of the project.

If you’re working with a team other than your own, study their context. Scan the team’s work space. Look at the cartoons, white boards, and other artifacts. Notice what artifacts are available and which are missing. Talk to formal and informal team leaders. The information you gather will help you work with the team to choose an appropriate goal. What you observe will give you clues about what questions to ask and what problems the team may be facing.

When you talk to people on the team, find out about topics such as these:

• What did this iteration produce? What was the team aiming for? How did the result meet (or not meet) expectations?

• What is the history of previous project reviews? What happened, and what was the follow-up?

• What’s going on elsewhere in the organization that affects the team as they go into the retrospective? For example, are there rumors of layoffs? Has there been a recent merger? A canceled product?

• What are the relationships between team members—how is their work interdependent? What are their personal connections and working relationships?

• What are team members feeling? What are their concerns or anxieties? What are they excited about?

• What kind of outcome will ...