Scrum Master’s Retrospective Guide
Your Complete ScrumMaster’s Guide to Running Fun Easy and Effective Sprint Retrospectives
Online vs In Person vs Remote Retros
What is the Difference Between Remote, Online Retrospectives for Remote Teams and In-person Ones?
Even if a remote or online retro means that not everyone is physically in the same room, the goals and principles of Agile do not change. Agile is about the process.
An in-person retrospective means you have to book a room, set it up, draw things on boards, check the logistics and collate sticky notes afterward. For remote retros, the focus is more on having the right video conferencing tool (Zoom, MS Teams, Skype) and having an online retrospective tool to collaborate effectively. It’s not just a stream of chats, unorganized sticky notes, or someone trying to scribe what is said and not being able to join in themselves.
According to this 3,500 large State of Remote Work report, working from home is on the rise with the benefits of flexibility, no commute time and family time being some key benefits. On the other hand, collaboration, communication and loneliness represent 40% of the biggest challenges. Retrospectives are then both an opportunity and a challenge. It is a time that people can come together and an opportunity to share and learn from each other in a supportive environment. The pros and cons of remote online retrospectives are:
The pros
- Easier for people to meet
- Ability to have asynchronous retrospectives
- Real-time feedback
- No manual collation
- Equal opportunity for people to contribute
- Independent brainstorming and voting
- Anonymous options
- More time for discussion and team ponding
- No more production blocks or anchoring ( 1 person talking about their idea)
- No room set up
The cons
- A loss of all body language ques
- A potential loss in a general sense of togetherness
- Reliance on technology for video conferencing and collaboration tools
- Facilitating a remote retrospective is more challenging.
It’s important with online retrospectives to find ways to build reports and ensure that every voice in the room is “heard”. You may not have to prep a room, but you still need to prep for the session.
The need to continue to build engagement, connection, participation, and buy into decisions applies to both types of retrospectives, albeit with slightly different strategies.
Whilst online meetings don’t have everyone standing side by side, this doesn’t mean it has to be impersonal or cold. It can lend itself to understanding a bit more about each person in the team, to find out more about them, and for them to share a little of their lives with everyone. Having activities for online meetings that connect, energize, challenge, or engage the team including your retrospective ensures that there is the opportunity to build these relationships.