Useful Hacks On How To Run A Remote Retrospective With Your Team

Retrospectives are a key part of agile development, and they can be even more important when your team is remote. By following some simple hacks, you can make sure that your remote retrospective is effective and helps your team continue to improve. In this article, we will discuss some of the best ways to run a remote retrospective. Stay tuned for tips on how to get the most out of these meetings!

Make Sure You Are Prepared

The first hack is to make sure that everyone on your team is prepared for the retrospective. This means sending out an agenda and any necessary materials ahead of time so that everyone can review them and come to the meeting ready to participate. You should also take some time at the beginning of the meeting to catch up with your team and see how they are doing. This will help create a more open and collaborative environment for the retrospective.

Use Online Tools

Another hack is to use a tool like Google Docs or Mural to facilitate your meeting. This way, everyone can see the same information and contribute their thoughts in real-time. These tools can also be used to capture follow-up items from the meeting and to create retrospective templates so that nothing falls through the cracks.

A tool like Mural can also be used to facilitate virtual brainstorming sessions, which can be helpful for generating new ideas. Your team can even use Mural to capture ideas during the retrospective itself so that you can review them later.

Review Recent Past

When you are preparing for your retrospective, it can be helpful to review the past few sprints or weeks. This will help you identify any patterns or areas that need improvement. It is also a good way to get everyone on the same page so that you can discuss what has been going well and what needs to be changed.

In addition, looking at the past can help you set goals for the future and make sure that your retrospective is focused on moving forward. Also, when it comes to your recent past, don’t forget to review your team’s velocity. This will help you identify any issues that might be affecting your team’s productivity. By understanding your team’s velocity, you can make sure that your retrospective is focused on improving it.

Create Structure

It is also important to create a structure for your remote retrospective. This means having a clear agenda and sticking to it. You should also designate someone to facilitate the meeting and keep everyone on track. It can be helpful to start with a quick check-in and then move on to brainstorming, followed by action items.

By having a clear structure, you can ensure that everyone knows what is expected of them and that the meeting stays focused. Moreover, you should also make sure to leave time for team building. This is especially important in a remote environment, where team members may not have as much opportunity to interact with each other on a personal level. Platforms like Escapely, provide games, virtual happy hours, and other social activities that can help your team bond and build trust with each other.

Discuss Honestly And Openly

Finally, it is important to create an environment where team members feel comfortable discussing their thoughts honestly and openly. This can be difficult in a remote setting, but it is essential for a productive retrospective. One way to do this is by using an anonymous chat tool like Slack or Google Chat. This way, team members can share their thoughts without feeling like they are being judged.

It is also important to encourage team members to give feedback to each other. This can be done by having everyone share one thing that they appreciated about another team member. This will help create a more positive and supportive environment.

End on a Positive Note

Finally, make sure to end your retrospective on a positive note. This means taking the time to celebrate your team’s accomplishments and thank everyone for their hard work. You should also use this time to set goals for the next iteration and review any action items from the previous meeting.

By ending on a positive note, you can ensure that your team stays motivated and focused on improving. Also, don’t forget to send out a summary of the meeting afterward so that everyone can review what was discussed.

Get Feedback

Finally, don’t forget to get feedback from your team after the retrospective. This will help you understand what worked well and what could be improved for future meetings. You can use a tool like Mural to gather feedback or simply send out a survey. By getting feedback, you can ensure that your retrospectives are always improving and that your team is getting the most out of them. 

A good way to gather feedback is to create a survey using Google Forms or Survey Monkey. You can also use Mural’s “Reflection” feature to gather feedback from your team. Simply create a post-it for each question and have your team respond anonymously. This way, you can get honest feedback without anyone feeling like they are being singled out.

What To Watch For

There are a few things to watch out for when running remote retrospectives. First, make sure that everyone on your team is prepared and has the necessary materials. Second, use online tools to facilitate the meeting and capture ideas. Third, create a clear structure for the meeting.

Finally, make sure to end on a positive note and get feedback from your team afterward. By following these tips, you can ensure that your remote retrospectives are always productive and beneficial for your team. Thanks for reading! I hope this was helpful.

Finally, make sure to end your retrospective on a positive note. Thank everyone for their participation and take some time to celebrate your team’s successes. This will help keep morale high and ensure that everyone is looking forward to the next retrospective. Following these simple hacks, you can run an effective remote retrospective that will help your team continue to improve. Thanks for reading!