The Structural Antipatterns
The Structural Antipatterns describe problems with the structure of the retrospective. How the activities are chosen, how the flow of the communication is facilitated, and where a change in agenda can often solve the problem, either at the present retrospective, or at the next retrospective
Wheel of Fortune …in which the team jumps to conclusions in the retrospective by solving symptoms instead of problems, and the facilitator makes them spend time on finding the causes behind the symptoms.
Prime Directive Ignorance …in which the team ignores the Prime Directive: “Regardless of what we discover, we understand and truly believe that everyone did the best job they could, given what they knew at the time, their skills and abilities, the resources available, and the situation at hand.” because they find it ridiculous, and the facilitator reminds them how important this mindset is for a successful retrospective.
In the Soup …in which the team discusses things that are outside their power to change, and the facilitator helps them focus their energy on what they can change and accept what they cannot change.
Overtime …in which the team gets sidetracked at the retrospective by talking about one development that is not the most important for the team as a whole, and the facilitator helps them get back on track.
Small Talk …in which the team members spend time on small talk in small groups instead of focusing on sharing and learning, and the facilitator changes the activities to make them work together as a team again.
Unfruitful Democracy …in which, to the frustration of the minority in the team, democracy is used to decide what to discuss and what to do, and the facilitator finds other ways of deciding that makes everyone happier.
Nothing to talk about …in which the team believes they have become so good that they don’t need retrospectives, and the facilitator shows them how they can learn to keep improving.
Political Vote …in which the team members wait until the last moment to vote in order to game the system, and the facilitator finds a way to make the voting system more fair.
The Planning Antipatterns
The Planning Antipatterns describe problems with the planning of retrospectives. Who do you invite to a retrospective, who should facilitate the retrospective, and when should you have a retrospective, how much time should you set aside for it? When you find yourself in a Planning Antipattern you cannot change this retrospective, you need to be aware to plan different next time.
Team, really? …in which the borders of the team are blurred, and they all help each other figure out who should attend the retrospective.
Do It Yourself …in which the facilitator is wearing several hats which is suboptimal for both the facilitator and the retrospective, and the team find other facilitators to take over at times.
Death by Postponement …in which the team is so busy with real work, that the retrospectives are postponed again and again, and the facilitator helps them see how valuable these retrospectives are and that they are real work.
Get it Over With …in which the facilitator rushes through the retrospective in order to waste as little time as possible for the team, and the facilitator finally decides, that to have a decent retrospective you need time enough for discussions.
Disregard of Preparation …in which the facilitator at first misjudges how much preparation an online retrospective requires, and later learns how to prepare for it wisely.
Suffocating …in which the team get tired and hungry and unfocused in the retrospective, and the facilitator makes sure to feed them and give them oxygen so that they can concentrate a bit more.
Curious Manager …in which a manager is curious about what happens at the retrospectives and wants to listen in on them, and the facilitator in a nice, but firm way, says no to them.
Peek-A-Boo …in which the team members will not show their face on the video in an online retrospective, and the facilitator learns why, and find ways to make it safer for people to show their face.
The People Antipatterns
The People Antipatterns describe problems with the people in the retrospectives. You often cannot anticipate these antipatterns, because they can occur quite suddenly. Knowing the people will help you be aware of these antipatterns, and the refactored solutions described here can help you navigate out of or around these antipatterns.
Disillusioned Facilitator …in which the team mocks the facilitator for using ridiculous activities, and the facilitator explains why the activities are useful.
Loudmouth …in which a team member needs to hear themself all the time at everyone else’s expense, and the facilitator applies various tactics to ensure the rest of the team is heard.
Silent One …in which a team member chooses to be almost completely quiet, and the facilitator applies various tactics to make sure the Silent One is heard.
Negative One …in which one team member’s attitude has great negative impact on a retrospective, and the facilitator shields the other team members from the negativity.
Negative Team …in which the team only wants to talk about the negative things because they think these are the only things they can learn from, and the facilitator shows them that a focus on positive aspects can be equally valuable.
Lack of Trust …in which the team members do not trust each other enough to share anything of importance in the retrospective, and the facilitator help them build that trust.
Different Cultures …in which the assumptions the facilitator or the team members bring from their own culture are preventing them from seeing how the retrospective is experienced by others, and the facilitator find ways to make them more aligned.
Dead Silence …in which the team members are completely silent, often in an online retrospective, and the facilitator uses various tactics to hear their opinion despite that.