Retro recipe

Monty Python

Posted on the 9th of August 2023 by

From knights who say "Ni!" to silly walks that defy gravity, get ready to step into the whimsical world of Monty Python. Just like a well-timed punchline, it's time to dive into the heart of our past sprint with a retrospective that carries the charm and hilarity of Monty Python's sketches.

Ingredients

  • A team ready for a laughter-infused retrospective
  • A sprinkle of 'Silly Walks' creativity
  • Physical:
    • Printed A4 papers with the main questions for the mural
    • Printed A3 (or A4) paper of the Holy Grail (for the Action Point zone)
    • Sticky notes and pens
    • A room (optionally with windows and markers)
  • Online:
    • Mural accounts joined in a workspace accessible to everyone on the team
    • Mural template, converted into a mural on your workspace
    • Cameras and microphones for all participants

Retrospective (1h30)

Initial note: Depending on the size of your team, it might be prudent to implement breakout rooms for either the main part or even the entire retrospective. This ensures that you get the maximum value from this format. I recommend regrouping to discuss and vote on the potential action points so that the entire team is aligned.

Icebreaker: Unleash Your Inner Silly Walker! (10 min)

Let's kick off our Monty Python-inspired retrospective by channeling our inner John Cleese! Each team member demonstrates their very own 'Silly Walk' – a dance of humor that sets the stage for a laughter-filled introspection.

Mise-en-place:

  • Some room
  • If online: a camera

One by one, each team member performs their best 'silly walk', worthy of being registered at the Ministry of Silly Walks as per the famous Monty Python sketch.

This game is meant to boost team trust and happiness, setting the tone for the next part of the retrospective. I would ADVISE AGAINST using this warmup with a newly formed team, as it takes a preexisting level of trust for members to feel comfortable showcasing their maximum silliness in front of the entire team.

Check-in (2 min)

To capture the pulse of our retrospective journey, let's chart our feelings on a linear scale. How are you feeling today? And how stressed do you feel? The Agile Coach can keep this snapshot for future comparisons and follow-ups.

Mise-en-place:

  • For in-person retrospectives, draw out the scales with sticky notes and/or markers. Feel free to print out the images from the mural if this helps.

Let the team members place markers in the right spot. Depending on your intended approach for processing the results, you can ask them to include their names on the markers.

Previous Action Points (10 min)

As we continue our retrospective quest, let's revisit our past commitments.

Mise-en-place:

  • For in-person retrospectives, draw out the "done/not done vs. valuable/not valuable" matrix, as shown in the mural.
  • Add the previous action points to the mural or put them on sticky notes for in-person retros.

Choose a participant to select an action point. Together, assess the status of each action point from our previous retro and have the chosen participant move it to the appropriate quadrant. Discuss the outcomes and potential next steps:

  • (Partially) Done: Move the completed part to the "Done" quadrant. If there are any remaining parts, add them to the action point (AP) zone of the main retro.
  • Not Done: Discuss reasons and decide whether to finalize or move to the AP zone if it's still relevant and valuable.
  • Not Actionable (Right Now): Decide whether and how a reminder might be necessary down the road.

Select another participant to discuss the next action point. Rinse and repeat until all action points have been addressed.

Main discussion: Unraveling the Monty Python Quest (60 min)

Like a Monty Python sketch unraveling, we dive into our sprint experiences.

Mise-en-place:

  • For in-person retrospectives, print out each image, question, and subtext on separate pieces of paper and put them up around the room. Alternatively, you can use a single A3 paper and draw lines on your window to create links to each question.

Part I: Think about it (10 min)

First, everyone has 10 minutes to write out sticky notes, answering each of the following questions. Encourage the team to write down something for every category, but don't force them.

  • “Always look on the bright side of life”: What positive moments did we have during the last 2 weeks? What achievements did we make?
  • “It’s just a flesh wound”: When faced with setbacks or obstacles, how did we show resilience? How should we have shown more resilience and determination?
  • “We are the knights who say… Ni!”: In what aspect do we need to be critical and demanding? Which things should we inspect under a critical eye?
  • “I fart in your general direction”: What miscommunications happened? What should we say no to (in a more friendly way)?
  • “What is your quest?”: Reflecting on the goals and objectives we have, how did our actions align with our overall quest or purpose? What can we learn from this?
  • “I’m a lumberjack and I’m okay”: How did we balance our workload and ensure the well-being of team members during the sprint? What measures can we take to maintain a healthy work-life balance?

Part II: Voting (5 min)

Following this creative reflection, proceed to vote for the most resonant topics. You have the option to cast multiple votes on the same one, up to a predetermined maximum.

Part III: Group Discussion (30 min)

Using the remaining time (30 min in our example), immerse yourselves in the heart of Monty Python's collaborative spirit. Engage in discussions based on the notes with the highest number of votes, timeboxing each topic to ensure focused exploration.

From these discussions, distill actionable insights and share the resulting action points, recording them in the designated AP zone.

Part IV: Choose Action Points (15 min)

Upon reassembling from any breakout rooms, if employed, we'll dive into the potential action points. Once there's a clear understanding of the context for each point, have another round of voting. Dive deeper into the most highly voted one(s) to determine the smallest next step that can be taken. If beneficial, assign ownership of the task to a specific team member to facilitate getting it done.

Check Out (5 min)

Mise-en-place:

  • For in-person retrospectives, create the scale with sticky notes and/or markers. Feel free to print out the image as well.

As we conclude the retro, express your sentiment about the session by positioning a marker in the appropriate place on the "rate the retro" scale.

Leave a pinch of feedback if you fancy, shaping the future of your team's retrospectives.

Follow-up

Ensure that your action points, just like a well-delivered punchline, continue to resonate in your next retrospective and dailies.