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+title: A short introduction to retrospectives
+author:
+  name: Henry
+  url: https://github.com/henryaddison/retrospectives-intro-presentation
+output: slides.html
+style: slides.css
+theme: jdan/cleaver-retro
+controls: true
+
+--
+# A short introduction to retrospectives
+
+* Why?
+* Who?
+* When?
+* How?
+* What next?
+* Resources
+
+--
+
+# WARNING
+
+This talk is focussed on agile retrospectives for a tech team on a project.
+
+But it doesn't have to be just devs on the same project.
+
+--
+
+# Why?
+
+Make the team happier: Simpleweb measure of success.
+
+Continuous improvement of the team.
+
+Lots of cleverer people than me recommend them.
+
+--
+
+# Who?
+
+The devs working on a project.
+
+If you're a one man team then maybe just a one-on-one catch up with another dev.
+
+If there's only two of you then you might get away being less formal.
+
+--
+
+# When?
+
+Often enough that events are still fresh.
+
+Not so often you don't have time to work and change things.
+
+I recommend regular schedule or else it doesn't happen.
+
+--
+
+# How?
+
+1. Start
+2. Gather Data
+3. Generate Insight
+4. Decide Actions
+5. End
+
+--
+
+# How?
+
+## Gather Data example
+
+Before the retrospective, the team is asked to prepare up to 6 items which answer one of:
+* what to **start** doing?
+* what to **continue** doing?
+* what to **stop** doing?
+
+At the retrospective, in turn everyone shares an item.
+
+--
+
+# How?
+
+## Generate Insight example
+
+Discuss the presented items as a group:
+* Give everyone a fixed amount of time to lead the discussion so they can focus on what they want.
+* Try and discuss items rather than solutions at this stage.
+
+Afterwards, group together similar items.
+
+--
+
+# How?
+
+## Decide Actions example
+
+Better to fix a few things than mull over many things.
+
+Decide what to focus on by voting on the items (e.g. everyone gets two votes to decide the top 3 most important items).
+
+Then assign actions or items to people.
+
+--
+
+# How?
+
+Ultimately up to the team.
+
+--
+
+# How? - Top tips
+
+## Be Prepared
+
+--
+
+# How? - Top tips
+
+## Timebox
+
+--
+
+# How? - Top tips
+
+## Assign actions to people
+
+--
+
+# How? - Top tips
+
+## Have a Facilitator and Note-taker
+
+--
+
+# How? - Top tips
+
+## Location, location, location
+
+--
+
+# How? - Avoid
+
+## Bitching and blaming
+
+--
+
+# How? - Avoid
+
+## Spending a long time on issues that you can't fix in this group
+
+--
+
+# What next?
+
+Ask me to help you get started.
+It's my job.
+
+## OR
+
+Just do it! (and let me know if you do).
+This is your team.
+
+--
+
+# Resources
+
+* [The Retrospective Handbook, by Patrick Kua](https://www.amazon.co.uk/Retrospective-Handbook-guide-agile-teams/dp/1480247871)
+
+* [Agile Retrospectives, by Esther Derby and Diana Larsen](https://pragprog.com/book/dlret/agile-retrospectives)
+
+* Agile Retrospective Resource Wiki has ideas for formats: https://retrospectivewiki.org/index.php
+
+* Atlassian have a plan for a retrospective: https://www.atlassian.com/team-playbook/plays/retrospective

speaker-notes.md

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+# A short introduction to retrospectives
+
+* Why?
+* Who?
+* When?
+* How?
+* What next?
+* Resources
+
+***
+
+## WARNING
+
+This is going to be focussed on agile retrospectives for a tech team on a project.
+
+But NB it doesn't have to be just devs on the same project.
+
+PMs you could have your own retrospectives.
+
+FE or BE Tribes you could have your own retrospectives.
+
+***
+
+## Why?
+
+Make the team happier: Simpleweb measure of success.
+
+Continuous improvement of the team.
+
+Lots of cleverer people than me recommend them.
+
+***
+
+## Who?
+
+I'm going to recommend starting with the devs on a project together as mixing with a PM will discourage programming related items.
+Plus they tend to be busy so it also limits when they can happen.
+
+If you're a one man team then maybe just a one-on-one catch up with another dev.
+
+If there's only two of you then you might get away being less formal.
+
+It may be useful to have a PM involved (occassionally) - particularly if problems require changes to client or wider process (e.g. timing of meetings, JIRA vs Basecamp flamewars).
+But the purpose is to make your lives as developers easier not fix the project.
+
+
+
+
+
+But NB it doesn't have to be devs.
+
+PMs you could have your own retrospectives.
+
+FE or BE Tribes you could have your own retrospectives.
+
+***
+
+## When?
+
+Often enough that events are still fresh.
+End of project is too late.
+
+Not so often you can't do actual work or have enough time to change things.
+
+***
+
+## When?
+
+Perhaps fortnightly or weekly.
+
+I recommend regular schedule or else it doesn't happen.
+
+Can be good to match up with a planning session between "sprints".
+
+***
+
+## How?
+
+1. Start
+2. Gather Data 
+3. Generate Insight
+4. Decide Actions
+5. End
+
+
+
+## How??
+
+1. Start - meet; review actions from last retrospective
+2. Gather Data - everyone is given a chance to share their thoughts on what has gone well and what could be improved.
+3. Generate Insight - everyone given a chance to sell their thoughts or explore those of others in more detail.
+4. Decide Actions - pick the most pressing things to be changed and pick a person to act on it for the next retrospective.
+5. End - summarise outcome; decide time of next retrospective 
+
+
+
+## How?? - Gather Data example
+
+Before the retrospective, the team is asked to prepare up to 6 items which answer one of:
+* what to **start** doing?
+* what to **continue** doing?
+* what to **stop** doing?
+
+At the retrospective, in turn everyone shares an item.
+
+
+
+## How?? - Generate Insight example
+
+Discuss the presented items as a group.
+Give everyone a fixed amount of time to lead the discussion so they can focus on what they want.
+Perhaps to sell their own items.
+Perhaps to get more clarification on someone else's.
+Try and discuss the item rather than solutions at this stage.
+After this it may be wise to group together similar items.
+
+
+
+## How?? - Decide Actions example
+
+Better to fix a few things than mull over many things.
+Decide what to focus on by voting on the items (e.g. everyone gets two votes to decide the top 3 most important items).
+Then ASSIGN ACTIONS TO PEOPLE
+
+
+
+## How??
+
+Ultimately up to the team.
+
+
+
+## How?? - Top tips
+
+Everyone prepare beforehand and have a meeting agenda
+
+Aggressively timebox - include times on agenda
+
+Assign actions to people - to make sure they get done
+AND to make everyone feel part of the team (everyone has a action rather than some overloaded and some without).
+
+Have a facilitor: keep it moving and keep it focussed; allow everyone equal chance to contribute; enforce the timeboxes.
+
+Have a note-taker: definitely record outcomes; ideally record issues; possibly record discussion.
+
+Go somewhere else to have it (but be aware of remote participants) - change of scene: fewer distractions, change of mindset
+
+Focussed retrospective: keep items to a single topic
+Including...
+a retrospective on retrospectives: improve your retrospectives.
+
+
+
+## How?? - Avoid
+
+AVOID BLAMING OR BITCHING
+
+Avoid spending too long on issues you can't fix on your own (e.g. client's business plans or salaries).
+These issues and your opinions may well be important
+BUT 3 devs complaining about to each other won't fix it.
+
+***
+
+## What next?
+
+Come and ask me to help you get started. It's my job.
+
+Or
+
+Just do it.
+And let me know if you do.
+
+***
+
+## Resources
+
+These slides, including the fuller version with my notes: https://github.com/henryaddison/retrospectives-intro-presentation
+
+### Books
+
+* [The Retrospective Handbook, by Patrick Kua](https://www.amazon.co.uk/Retrospective-Handbook-guide-agile-teams/dp/1480247871)
+
+* [Agile Retrospectives, by Esther Derby and Diana Larsen](https://pragprog.com/book/dlret/agile-retrospectives)
+
+### Websites
+
+Agile Retrospective Resource Wiki has ideas for formats: https://retrospectivewiki.org/index.php
+
+Atlassian have a plan for a retrospective: https://www.atlassian.com/team-playbook/plays/retrospective