RETROSPECTIVE

Workshops can be powerful tools, but with a clear purpose, full participation, supporting structure, managed time, enough information and trust in facilitator, they are even better.

One way to construct a workshop is to think of it as a series of data transformations. Each step has to filter or transform the input in a way that it matches the input of the next exercise, until we have reached the requested result. This helps in controlling the format, and quality, of the results, without controlling its content.

Teams perform better when dividing talking time and recognizing each others emotions. Working in an ensemble facilitates both of them, when done right.

The most important thing to learn is improvement. Copying someone is not enough for true excellence. That is true for clothing and organizations.

Your retros will be more productive if you do them right. Read this post, "Agile retrospectives, making good teams great", and/or get someone who facilitates your retrospective.