Retrospectives are indispensable for continuous learning and improvement in Lean, Agile, DevOps, and other contexts. But too many organizations run retrospectives “in name only,” and fail to generate the value they promise. In this tutorial, Aino introduces common antipatterns that undermine the effectiveness of retrospectives, and shows exactly how to overcome each of them.

In a mixture of short presentations and activities we will look at body language, psychology behind retrospectives, online retrospectives, types of retrospectives, etc.

Target Audience: Facilitators, project leaders, managers, coaches, team leaders, Scrum Masters
Prerequisites: Have facilitated retrospectives or wants to facilitate them in the future
Level: Advanced

Extended Abstract:
Using the familiar “patterns” approach, she introduces antipatterns related to team and meeting structure, inadequate or counterproductive planning, human interaction, and much more. From “blaming and naming” to too much smalltalk, negativity to cultural disconnects in distributed teams, Aino reveals traps she’s encountered in leading hundreds of retrospectives – and presents proven solutions. With her insights and guidance, you can run retrospectives that deliver actionable improvements and concrete value — not just once, but over and over again.