Simple Guide to Effective Problem-Solving in Scrum Retrospectives

In Scrum retrospectives, it's crucial to foster a safe and open environment for candid discussions. Unfortunately, teams can sometimes fall into a blame game, hindering improvement. Instead, let's focus on the process and situations that cause problems and work together to find solutions.

Here's a step-by-step approach:

1. Define the Problem:

Start by clearly stating the problem or challenge observed during the sprint. Keep it short and objective, avoiding blame.

Example: Instead of naming individuals, refer to items or challenges, like "JD-988 was blocked by an external team and stopped the release" or "JD-999 took longer than expected."

2. Gather Information:

Collect data and insights related to the problem. Encourage the team to share observations and experiences without assigning blame.

3. Identify Root Causes:

Use techniques like the "5 Whys" to dig deeper and uncover the underlying causes of the problem. This helps avoid superficial solutions.

Example: Client was unable to view their account details after the recent release.

• “Why?” - A bug was introduced in the load account details page.
• "Why?" - The bug was missed in development and code review.
• “Why?” - The scenario test case wasn’t mentioned.
• “Why?” - Team had too much context switching
• “Why?” - There were too many small meetings schedules throughout the day.

4. Brainstorm Solutions:

Encourage a brainstorming session where team members freely share potential solutions. Focus on generating ideas without worrying about their quality at this stage.

5. Categorise Solutions:

Group the suggested solutions into three categories: tools, education, and process improvements. This helps organize your approach.

6. Tools Improvement:

Evaluate whether new or different tools can address the problem. This might involve adopting new software, frameworks, communication platforms, or automation.

Example: Automating the release process to prevent missing manual steps.

7. Education Enhancement:

Determine if knowledge or skill gaps contributed to the problem. Consider organizing training sessions, workshops, or knowledge-sharing opportunities.

Example: Providing engineers with courses on Test-Driven Development and defensive programming to reduce bugs.

8. Process Enhancement:

Examine if changes to your team’s processes could resolve the issue. This may involve adjustments to sprint planning, task breakdown, writing Acceptance Criteria, or communication protocols.

Example: Changing the process for writing User Stories to include clear test criteria in a "Given, When, Then" format.

9. Prioritize Solutions:

As a team, prioritize solutions in each category based on their potential impact and feasibility. Ensure team consensus on the selected solutions.

10. Create Action Plans:

Turn the selected solutions into actionable items with clear responsibilities and deadlines. Assign ownership for each action.

11. Experiment and Evaluate:

Implement the chosen solutions during the next sprint as experiments. Collect data on their effectiveness and impact.

12. Review Progress:

In the subsequent retrospective, review the progress on the implemented solutions. Discuss what worked, what didn't, and why.

13. Iterate as Necessary:

If a solution did not yield the expected results, use the retrospective to adapt and refine it. Continue experimenting until the problem is satisfactorily addressed.

Remember, it's a team effort, and the focus should always be on continuous improvement rather than assigning blame.