A Retrospective on Retrospectives
The expectation in agile retrospectives is that the entire team reflects on the completed sprint and openly discusses what went well, what didn’t go well, and what is going to be done differently in the upcoming sprint. In reality, it is common for retrospectives to turn into a blame game—or, worse yet, an hour that is reminiscent of a high school class where no one willingly participates. In order to have honest and valuable discussion, a team must be in the right mental state to both give and receive honest and valuable feedback. Marilou Canon will provide useful warm-ups that help teams transition from the chaotic world of delivery into the reflective mindset of retrospectives, as well as different formats that drive engaging and productive conversations for an improved working iteration. Pulling tools from the world of improv, we will walk through how to build an environment that helps team members honestly feel heard and in control of their work.
Marilou is a quality engineer at Dialexa who is focused on establishing and maintaining quality from both a project and team perspective. She ensures product, design, and engineering teams are aligned in a product’s vision, functionality, and user experience. Marilou is passionate about facilitating retrospectives, frequently exploring different formats to update team processes as necessary to ensure a healthy and successful team environment. Marilou is also trained in improv theater, which helps her adapt to the fast-paced technology lifecycle.