How to make sprint retros less shit?
Retros are super fucking boring, on a Friday (when our sprint ends), and I hate going to them. Now I’m supposed to lead them for my team. Has anyone ever been part of a sprint retro that wasn’t mind numbingly boring? Any ideas to make it less of a chore now that I’m leading them? I’m at a <100 person startup that is pretty easy going but I’m not sure we are cool to drink in the retro #tech #software #sanfrancisco #startup
Do them without actually doing them. Do a retro why retro is a bad idea. Then do another retro why having a retro is a good idea. Then do another retro why retro is a neutral idea. Plot the results and keep them for when anyone asks. When someone asks about new retro, restart them and do the same three week process again. Make it 15 minutes and time box everyone. Since you’re a startup doing these every week will not make sense. You probably are on the “99 bugs, take one down, 127 bugs left to fix” train anyway like every other startup.
Do it with a doc, or a "shit that went wrong" section of your stand-ups. If you are not engaged, try to give it to someone else.
Be a leader and cancel them.