Recently I’ve been working on creating new retrospective scenario. I was looking for something creative so I’ve decided to prepare my own plan not based on anything found in the Internet. So here it is :)While creating this scenario I was mainly focused on what other teammates can give to the team. Not what the whole team can do to improve process, quality of code or other stuff we’re talking about during the retro meeting. Everything in this scenario is focused on my own commitment to the team. What can I, as Mark or Sofia, can give to the team to help our group achieve the goals. I’ve named this retro: “My Investment”. How the actual plan looks and how it can be modified.

Plan:

  1. As every retro, this one also starts with introduction. During this part, you can use some games, like check-in or sometimes energizers. I’ve decided to do “Mysterious Questions” exercise. You can do it both offline and online. In the offline version you use real cards and in the online I’ve created simple website with cards. You can download this website from my GIT repo. Main idea is to have cards (at least the same number as participants) with questions. On each card there should be different question. Types of questions depend on the purpose, for instance:
    • make people get to know each other – question from personal life, dreams, past experience
    • give people understating about current project situation – what do they like, how do they feel about particular situations, etc.
  2. In the base retro plan next part should be “Gather Data”. The aim of this part is find our team problems based on recent history. I’ve slightly changes this part. At the beginning of this part I show team some stats where we are, what happened (only facts) and what is our short term goal, like usability testing sessions, release, etc. After giving the team an insight you can give them a cards with coins. On the back of the coin they should put their investment for the team. You should ask them a question: what you as (here goes the name) can do to achieve our goal. If the team has more than one goal before giving them coins they should choose what investment they like to do. Give them approximately 10min to fill the coins. They can use more than one coin per person.
  3. The next part is connected with discussing their ideas. How? Note: For this part is nice to have prepared a flip with some bag. One by one teammates should talk about their ideas and put it on the flip. After some time every coin should be on the board and everyone in the room should have the same understanding about different ideas. And now is the time to decide in what we’d like to invest our time (metaphorical coins).
  4. We’re deciding based on level of Return of Investment (ROI). The higher the better. It’s crucial to talk how can we achieve different goals. After voting every person should have max one task (coin) assigned to themselves.
  5. At the end check what gave this retro to people. How they feel about it. You can do it openly (simple talking) or some feedback doors. Whatever technique you use do not forget about your participants feedback without it you cannot improve 😦

This technique can be used especially in situations when the team has some goal set and you need everyone’s involvement to reach this. Sometimes it can used as simple steppingstone retro meeting by it’s different formula.

I hope you can find this retro plan useful. Keep me posted what you think about it 🙂 Below you find poster I’ve used in the invitation for my team.

My Investment