This week, your host, Dan Neumann, is joined by Norm Kerth, author of Project Retrospectives: A Handbook for Team Reviews. Norm Kerth wrote this book before Sprint Retrospectives were invented! In this episode, Norm and Dan explore the subject of Project Retrospectives. They discuss the learning opportunity within every major project event, especially in instances where things did not turn out favorably. Norm explains when and when not to have a Retrospective and how to prove its value to organizations reluctant to grant the necessary time to invest in them.

Key Takeaways

• An unconventional career:

• • Norm realized that the best way to move up inside a corporation was not to be in line or follow other people’s paths but to find the void that other people were leaving in the company and fill it. This is an amazing way to contribute.

  • Norm wrote the book Project Retrospectives even before retrospectives and sprints were created.

• Project Retrospective:

• • Learning from past experiences is quite valuable, which is why Retrospectives are so beneficial for a Team.

  • The first step is to assume that every member of the Team is doing the best they can according to their capacities and knowledge. If this is not the foundation, people will fear being blamed for mistakes or errors instead of focusing on the learning opportunity.

  • Once the Team has learned from past experiences, they can decide how they will operate differently in future circumstances.

  • Retelling the story is very crucial.

  • The necessary four questions: What went well? What did I learn? What do I want to do differently the next time? What still puzzles me?

• Retrospectives need time, but organizations do not always agree.

• • When you reach the end of a project and are late starting the new one, don’t rush! Remember that if there is no reflection on the last project, the following will repeat its mistakes.

  • The best way to improve organizational processes is to involve the people doing the work.

  • Consultants must ask four questions: How did you get to where you are? How do you feel about where you are at the moment? Where do you want to go? What do you want to do differently? The Retrospective is the way to find the answers to these questions.

• When is a Retrospective not needed?

• • There is no point in having a retrospective in dysfunctional organizations. It doesn’t matter how a Team changes its ways if the organization has major conflicts that are not addressed.

  • The manager needs to be involved in Retrospectives; if there is no collaboration from leadership, why waste the time?

  • Don’t do the Retrospective only because it is trendy to do it.

• How can Retrospective’s value be demonstrated?

• • First, retell the story of the project, going through the most significant events. Search for the wisdom while answering the four questions.

  • Break the Team into naturally affinity groups (they will probably group together according to the area of work). These subgroups are encouraged to propose what they want to do differently. These suggestions have to be achievable and measurable so their value can be tested in the following Retrospective.

Mentioned in this Episode:

Project Retrospectives: A Handbook for Team Reviews, by Norm Kerth

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This week, your host, Dan Neumann, is joined by an external guest: Kristen Belcher, a Software Developer turned Agile Coach. In this episode, they discuss liberating structures, simple and subtle tools that can help everyone attending a group event contribute and be included. They dive deep into some of the Liberating Structures, such as 1-2-4-All, Drawing Together, Purpose-to-Practice, and TRIZ. Listen to this thoughtful conversation and get ready to apply some of these practices to the next event you facilitate.

Key Takeaways

• Many structures we use with groups, like presentations, status reports, and even tight discussions, tend to fail because they don’t have space for all the participants’ voices or allow members to think “outside the box.” Sometimes, there is even no structure at all. Liberating structures are the tools that liberate everyone in the conversation to contribute and be included.

• We all have different participation styles: thinkers, talkers, and quiet ones. We all communicate in unique manners, and our input is equally valuable.

• There are 33 liberating structures.

• • One Liberating Structure is 1-2-4-All. You can apply it starting with 1: People have time to think on their own. Then 2: They pair up and discuss with another person. Then 4: The pairs will pair, generating themes and sharing what they learn. Finally, All: Where everybody can share their ideas. Even though everyone won’t be allowed to speak to the large group, they had the chance to contribute in the previous instances.

  • Another Liberating Structure is called Drawing Together. Everyone needs to draw a picture using the same shapes (no artistic ability is required). Every shape has a significance: Circles stand for wholeness, rectangles represent support, triangles represent goals, spirals represent changes, and the stick or star persons represent relationships. The group interprets a picture, and these views are the kickstart for a discussion.

  • Purpose-to-Practice is a tool for identifying our main purpose and rooting the members together. It helps realize who must be included to achieve a shared purpose.

  • TRIZ is the liberating structure created to assess the absolute worst scenario that can happen.

• When choosing a liberating structure, you must match it with the problem you are trying to solve in a group.

• • First, you need to frame the problem to find the right tool to approach it.

  • It's a good idea to have a Plan A and a Plan B for facilitation.

• How can you start applying Liberating Structures?

• • When approaching liberating structures, you will first learn what they are for, then how to approach the space, how people participate, groups, and the sequence of steps to be followed. The material also provides time allocations. You will receive minimum specifications of how the liberating structures are set up.

  • There is no specific script about how you should facilitate.

  • Be comfortable doing something uncomfortable and new.

Mentioned in this Episode:

LiberatingStructures.com

Download the Liberating Structures App

The Art of Gathering, by Priya Parker

The Fearless Organization: Creating Psychological Safety in the Workplace for Learning, Innovation, and Growth, by Amy C. Edmondson

Right Kind of Wrong: The Science of Failing Well. by Amy C. Edmondson

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This week, your hosts, Dan Neumann and Justin Thatil, share seven tips for Agile Facilitation. Collaboration is necessary when solving a problem, and Agile Coaches and Masters work to enable a Team to cooperate. Every event is unique, which is why Facilitation could be considered a form of art.

Key Takeaways

• Contextual Awareness:

• • Teams and events are filled with unique variables that the facilitator cannot always anticipate; as a result, reading the overall atmosphere of a room and the individuals’ body language is a fundamental skill for Facilitators.

  • Every Facilitator has to remember that they are facilitating for a specific audience. Who is this meeting for? What is the value for these participants?

• Use Time boxes.

• • A Facilitator must master the flow of the meeting to achieve the goal in a timely manner.

  • A Facilitator should design the session with the intended activities, promote collaboration from collaborators, and be flexible enough to adapt to changes.

• Mastering the act of active listening:

• • Listening is achieved when being fully present.

  • Seek to understand.

  • Facilitators must be able to paraphrase what they just listened to to ensure they understand what the collaborator is saying.

  • Are collaborators listening to each other? A Facilitator must also promote active listening among participants.

• A Facilitator must foster an open and inclusive communication environment.

• • A Facilitator must become a master observer of the room. Who is participating? Who is silent?

• Design a power start!

• • Set the purpose and the intended outcome for the meeting. This will improve participant engagement.

  • Specify how participants can engage.

  • Visual Facilitation tools are incredibly beneficial for a better Facilitation.

• A Facilitator must handle conflict with grace.

• • Conflict is inevitable, especially in a collaborative environment.

  • Participants should be encouraged to learn from each other. Conflicting perspectives must both be validated.

  • A Facilitator must be clear about which behaviors are acceptable. Safe boundaries are essential to hosting a psychologically safe environment.

• Facilitators must continuously improve their skills.

• • Facilitators must apply learnings in a setting first to realize how they can be improved.

  • Pairing with other Facilitators can be a great way to keep learning continuously.

Mentioned in this Episode:

Empowered: Ordinary People, Extraordinary Products (Silicon Valley Product Group), by Marty Cagan and Chris Jones

Want to Learn More or Get in Touch?

Visit the website and catch up with all the episodes on AgileThought.com!

Email your thoughts or suggestions to Podcast@AgileThought.com or Tweet @AgileThought using #AgileThoughtPodcast!