This document discusses the importance of retrospectives for continual learning and improvement. A retrospective is a ritual where a project team reviews the iteration/release/milestone to harvest lessons learned, identify successes and improvements. Insights from retrospectives form the basis for adapting and improving in future iterations. The document provides guidance on when to hold retrospectives, key questions to consider, and tips for successful retrospectives such as planning, using data, ensuring participation and building safety. Various retrospective activities are presented and the document emphasizes ending retrospectives well to begin future work well.

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Ellen Gottesdiener
www.ebgconsulting.com
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End Well to Begin Well:
Using Retrospectives for
Continual Learning and Improvement
© EBG Consulting, 2013
11 November 2013

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Facilitator, trainer, coach, conference advisor, author
Working & playing at the collaborative convergence of:
requirements
+ product management
+ project management
Founder & Principal Consultant,
EBG Consulting
Ellen Gottesdiener

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@ellengott
#BBCcon
#retros
tweet

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what

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rituals

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A ritual in which the project community:
Reviews the story of the
<iteration-release-milestone-project>
Harvests the collective wisdom of the team
Tells the truth without blame or judgment
Identifies what to appreciate and improve
Understands and forgives its failings
Relishes in its successes
retrospective

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The insights
gained from retrospectives
are the basis
for starting again

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postmortem?

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retrospective

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The whole is more
than the sum of its parts.
The part is more than a
fraction of the whole.
Aristotle

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when

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end

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interim:
heartbeat

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interim:
work chunk

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interim:
custom

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five key questions

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1. What did we do well that we
might forget to do next time
if we don’t discuss it?
2. What did we learn?
3. What should we do
differently next time?
4. What still puzzles us?
5. What needs more discussion?

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why

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see the whole

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transparency

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adaptive
learning

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closure

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participation
works

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successful
retrospectives

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planning

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community
involvement

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use data

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feelings count

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build in
safety

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structure

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1. get ready - set the stage
2. past – gather data
3. present – generate insights
4. future – decide what to do
5. retrospect - close the retrospective

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basis for
change

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the prime
directive

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Regardless of what we discover,
we understand and truly believe
that everyone did the best job
they could, given what they knew
at the time, their skills and
abilities, the resources available,
and the situation at hand.
Norm Kerth
“
”

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activities

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real-time
slide show
from
actual retrospectives…

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1. get ready
2. past
3. present
4. future
5. retrospect
end well

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1. get ready
set the stage
define success
create safety

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2. past
gather data
artifact contest
project timeline

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3. present
generate insights
deep inquiry
identify themes

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4. future
decide what to do
change the paper
retro planning game

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5. retrospect
close the retrospective
celebration card
temperature readings

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1. get ready
2. past
3. present
4. future
5. retrospect
end well

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ellen@ebgconsulting.com
Thanks!
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End Well to Begin Well
Copyright © 2013 EBG Consulting, Inc.

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