The document describes techniques for conducting effective retrospective meetings in agile software development teams. It includes templates for gathering feedback on participant mindsets, team satisfaction levels, identifying positives and opportunities from the previous sprint, using 5 whys to determine root causes, and showing appreciation. The goal is to help teams continuously improve by learning from their experiences.

1. Copyright © 2008 Russell Pannone – rpannone@WeBeAgile.com. All rights reserved.

2. Source: Agile Retrospectives: Making Good Teams Great by Esther Derby and Diana Larsen
Copyright © 2008 Russell Pannone – rpannone@WeBeAgile.com. All rights reserved. 2

3. Source: Agile Retrospectives: Making Good Teams Great by Esther Derby and Diana Larsen
Copyright © 2008 Russell Pannone – rpannone@WeBeAgile.com. All rights reserved. 3

4. Source: Agile Retrospectives: Making Good Teams Great by Esther Derby and Diana Larsen
Copyright © 2008 Russell Pannone – rpannone@WeBeAgile.com. All rights reserved. 4

5. Your input will be kept strictly confidential by secret ballot
 Explorer
 Eager to discover new ideas and gain insights about the Sprint
 Shopper
 Looks over all the available information and will be happy to go home
with one useful idea
 Vacationer
 Aren’t interested in the work of the retrospective but are happy to be
away from the daily grind
 Prisoner
 Feel that you’ve been forced to attend and would rather be doing
something else
Source: Agile Retrospectives: Making Good Teams Great by Esther Derby and Diana Larsen
Copyright © 2008 Russell Pannone – rpannone@WeBeAgile.com. All rights reserved. 5

6. Explorer
Shopper
Vacationer
Prisoner
Source: Agile Retrospectives: Making Good Teams Great by Esther Derby and Diana Larsen
Copyright © 2008 Russell Pannone – rpannone@WeBeAgile.com. All rights reserved. 6

7. Source: Agile Retrospectives: Making Good Teams Great by Esther Derby and Diana Larsen
Copyright © 2008 Russell Pannone – rpannone@WeBeAgile.com. All rights reserved. 7

8. 5 = I think we are the best team on the planet! We
work great together.
4 = I am glad I’m part of the team and satisfied
with how our team works together.
3 = I’m fairly satisfied. We work well together
most of the time.
2 = I have some moments of satisfaction, but not
enough.
1 = I’m unhappy and dissatisfied with our level of
work.
Source: Agile Retrospectives: Making Good Teams Great by Esther Derby and Diana Larsen
Copyright © 2008 Russell Pannone – rpannone@WeBeAgile.com. All rights reserved. 8

9. 5
4
3
2
1
Source: Agile Retrospectives: Making Good Teams Great by Esther Derby and Diana Larsen
Copyright © 2008 Russell Pannone – rpannone@WeBeAgile.com. All rights reserved. 9

10. Positive – what worked well for us during the past
Sprint?
Negative – what did not work well for us during the
past Sprint?
Opportunities for improvement – what should we
do differently?
Source: Agile Retrospectives: Making Good Teams Great by Esther Derby and Diana Larsen
Copyright © 2008 Russell Pannone – rpannone@WeBeAgile.com. All rights reserved. 10

11. Source: Agile Retrospectives: Making Good Teams Great by Esther Derby and Diana Larsen
Copyright © 2008 Russell Pannone – rpannone@WeBeAgile.com. All rights reserved. 11

12. The following example demonstrates the basic process:
My car will not start. (the problem)
1.Why? - The battery is dead. (first why)
2.Why? - The alternator is not functioning. (second why)
3.Why? - The alternator belt has broken. (third why)
4.Why? - The alternator belt was well beyond its useful service life and has
never been replaced. (fourth why)
5.Why? - I have not been maintaining my car according to the recommended
service schedule. (fifth why, root cause)
Source: Agile Retrospectives: Making Good Teams Great by Esther Derby and Diana Larsen
Copyright © 2008 Russell Pannone – rpannone@WeBeAgile.com. All rights reserved. 12

13. Source: Agile Retrospectives: Making Good Teams Great by Esther Derby and Diana Larsen
Copyright © 2008 Russell Pannone – rpannone@WeBeAgile.com. All rights reserved. 13

14. Source: Agile Retrospectives: Making Good Teams Great by Esther Derby and Diana Larsen
Copyright © 2008 Russell Pannone – rpannone@WeBeAgile.com. All rights reserved. 14

15. Source: Agile Retrospectives: Making Good Teams Great by Esther Derby and Diana Larsen
Copyright © 2008 Russell Pannone – rpannone@WeBeAgile.com. All rights reserved. 15

16. The core of showing
appreciation is to convey
the message to the other
person that you
appreciate something
they have done for you
Source: Agile Retrospectives: Making Good Teams Great by Esther Derby and Diana Larsen
Copyright © 2008 Russell Pannone – rpannone@WeBeAgile.com. All rights reserved. 16

17. Retrospective Process Improvement
Strengths Change
Source: Agile Retrospectives: Making Good Teams Great by Esther Derby and Diana Larsen
Copyright © 2008 Russell Pannone – rpannone@WeBeAgile.com. All rights reserved. 17