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Developer Tea

Two Tips for Better Retros - Add Specificity, Respect Uncertainty

Sep 5, 2023
Learn two specific ways to enhance retrospective outcomes: specificity and respecting uncertainty. Avoid generic improvement statements and treat outcomes as experiments. Make specific adjustments based on hypotheses and accept and adapt to uncertainty by running experiments, measuring outcomes, and making adjustments accordingly.
09:27

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Quick takeaways

  • Being specific in defining desired changes increases the likelihood of actionable tasks and measurable progress in retros.
  • Approaching retro outcomes as experiments and respecting uncertainty allows for iterative improvements and ongoing learning.

Deep dives

Be Specific in Retro Outcomes

One key tip for improving the outcomes of retros is to be specific in defining the desired changes. Instead of vague statements like 'We should do something about the noisy alert channel,' it is important to clearly specify what actions should be taken and by whom. Being specific increases the likelihood of turning the outcome into an actionable task that can be executed. It also helps avoid the trap of generic improvement goals, such as 'Do better next time,' which lack specificity and fail to drive meaningful change. By identifying specific actions or processes to implement, teams can effectively address the identified problems and make measurable progress.

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