Being Agile: Eleven Breakthrough Techniques to Keep You from “Waterfalling Backward”

Reflections

I pointed out earlier in this chapter that one of the principles of the Agile Manifesto was “At regular intervals, the team reflects on how to become more effective, then tunes and adjusts its behavior accordingly.”⁷ Given this, it should come as no surprise that these meetings that take place at “regular intervals” are called “reflections.” (You may have heard them called “retrospectives” elsewhere—I view the two terms as synonymous.) I recommend that these “regular intervals” should occur at the end of every iteration. Here’s how I suggest a team conduct a reflection meeting.

7. See: http://agilemanifesto.org/principles.html

First, it’s not a gripe session. Yes, people love to complain and, at times, it can even be cathartic to ...