This document provides an overview of techniques for continuous improvement retrospectives that can help propel an organization to the next level. It describes the typical structure for retrospectives, including setting the stage, gathering data, generating insights, and deciding on actions. Various techniques are outlined such as post-up, affinity mapping, dot voting, art gallery, start-stop-continue, four questions, timeline, sailboat diagram, learning matrix, team satisfaction survey, lean coffee, and futurespective. Tips are provided such as changing the format and location periodically, making actions visible, doing retrospectives regularly, and getting feedback on the retrospectives.

1. Jason Benton
Going From “Good” To “Great”!
Continuous Improvement techniques that can propel your organization to the next level

2. Inspect & Adapt

4. Retrospective

5. Structure for Retrospectives
1) Set the stage
2) Gather data
3) Generate insights
4) Decide what to do
5) Close the retrospective
Taken from: Agile Retrospectives by Esther Derby & Diana Larsen

6. Set the stage

7. Gather data

8. Generate insights

9. Decide what to do

10. Close the retrospective

11. Close the retrospective

12. @#&%!%&#@!

13. Establish working agreements

14. Focus on problems over personalities

15. %&#@! @#&%!%@$#!
Avoid interrupting others

16. No personal attacks

17. %&#@! @#&%!
Avoid blame

18. Techniques

19. Post Up

20. Affinity Mapping

21. Dot Voting

22. Art Gallery
1) Give participants post-its and a pen.
2) Ask them to draw a picture that represents
how it felt to work on the project.
3) After 2-3 minutes, have them put their
drawing on a wall.
4) Group similar pictures together and quickly
discuss themes.
*A simple variation on this (for less creative teams ) is to have the participants write a single word to describe the project

23. Start, Stop, Continue
1) What should we start doing?
2) What should we stop doing?
3) What should we continue doing?

24. Four Questions
1) What did we do well?
2) What did we learn?
3) What should we do differently?
4) What still puzzles us?

25. Timeline
Start End
January
February
March
April

26. Sailboat
Things that propel
us forward
Things that hold
us back
Risks!

27. Learning Matrix

28. Team Satisfaction Survey
5 = I think we are the best team on the
planet! We work great together.
4 = I am glad I’m a 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 teamwork.

29. Lean Coffee

30. Futurespective
What could go wrong? How could we prevent that?
What would success look like? How do we make it happen?

31. Tips!
1. Occasionally change the format if the meeting gets stale.
2. Ask other team members to facilitate.
3. Change the location - maybe go outside if the weather is nice.
4. Make action items visible. Put them up on the wall in a team area.
5. Do this regularly. Resist the urge to only hold retrospectives when
something “bad” has happened.
6. Get feedback on the retrospectives themselves from time to time.

32. Great success!

33. jbenton@daxko.com
Thanks!
Jason Benton