PMP lesson · Agile Metrics & Events · Agile events · lesson 3 of 3 · about 6 minutes
The retrospective: improving how the team works
Agile and hybrid (also useful in predictive projects)Free preview
Goal: After this lesson you can run a safe, useful retrospective and make sure its improvement actions actually happen.
1The situation
“Retros are a waste of time”
Every MES retrospective produced a long list of ideas. A review showed that almost none of the actions from the last six retrospectives had been implemented. The team now calls retros “a waste of time”.
In another team, retros had turned into blame sessions, and members stopped coming.
Both problems are fixable, and fixing them is one of the highest-value things an agile team can do.
2Purpose
The retrospective is the team's regular look at how it works: what helped, what hurt, and what to change next. It is where continuous improvement happens.
Safe
Psychological safety
Focus on the system, not on blaming people.
Few actions
1–2
Small, concrete, owned.
Follow-through
In the next sprint
Actions are planned as work and checked next time.
Retros that change nothing → fewer actions, with owners, put into the next sprint and reviewed. Blame → reset ground rules around the system, not people.
3A simple retrospective structure
1 · Set the stage
Safety first: “Everyone did the best they could with what they knew.”
2 · Gather data
What happened? What went well, what didn't?
3 · Generate insights
Why did it happen? Look at the system, not people.
4 · Decide 1–2 actions
Owner, put into the next sprint, review next time.
Safety → data → insights → actions.
4How it looks on the exam
Exam-style question 1. Each retrospective produces many improvement ideas, but almost none of the actions from the last six were implemented, and the team considers retrospectives a waste of time. What should the project manager suggest?
A. Hold retrospectives once per release
B. Assign all actions to the project manager
C. Limit each retrospective to one or two concrete actions with owners, include them in the next sprint, and review their effect at the next retrospective
D. Replace retrospectives with a survey
Show the answer and the decode
Answer: C.
In simple English
Retros produce lists but no change.
What is the question really asking?
How to make them effective.
Key words / trigger
“almost none … were implemented”
PMP logic
Few, owned, planned actions that are reviewed create real improvement.
Why the wrong answer looks attractive
Fewer retros reduce learning without fixing follow-through.
5Remember this
Your memory card
Retro = inspect how we work; continuous improvement
Safe: system, not blame
1–2 actions, owners, in the next sprint, reviewed next time
Apply lessons throughout the project
The full lesson in the PMCLEAR app also has:
the rest of the lesson (In hybrid and predictive projects)