Retrospective Formats & Anti-Patterns Flashcards

Which retrospective technique uses dot voting on a 2x2 matrix of effort versus impact to prioritize improvement actions?

Answer: Impact/Effort Matrix

The Impact/Effort Matrix helps teams select high-impact, low-effort improvements first, making retrospective outcomes more achievable and measurable.

A distributed Scrum Team holds retrospectives via video call, but engagement drops significantly compared to in-person sessions. What is the most effective adaptation?

Answer: Use collaborative digital boards with real-time voting and breakout rooms

Digital collaboration tools with interactive features like voting and virtual breakout rooms replicate the engagement dynamics of in-person retrospectives for remote teams.

The '5 Whys' technique is used during a retrospective to analyze a problem. What is its primary purpose?

Answer: Identify the root cause of a problem by iteratively asking why

The 5 Whys technique drills through layers of cause and effect until the systemic root cause is identified rather than stopping at surface symptoms.

A retrospective where the Scrum Master speaks for most of the time and proposes all improvement ideas exemplifies which anti-pattern?

Answer: Facilitator takeover

Facilitator takeover happens when the Scrum Master dominates rather than facilitating, removing team ownership of the improvement process.

Which retrospective format uses the metaphor of a hot air balloon with sandbags and hot air to distinguish what slows the team from what energizes it?

Answer: Hot Air Balloon

The Hot Air Balloon retrospective uses 'hot air' for what lifts the team and 'sandbags' for what weighs it down, making impediments and energizers tangible.

A Scrum Master notices the team only discusses technical problems during retrospectives and ignores team dynamics. What intervention is most appropriate?

Answer: Introduce prompts or activities that explicitly invite discussion of collaboration and relationships

Retrospectives should address all aspects of team work including relationships; targeted prompts or structured activities can expand the conversation beyond technical topics.

What is the primary risk when a Scrum Team generates more than five improvement actions in a single retrospective?

Answer: None of the actions get completed due to overcommitment

Selecting too many improvement actions dilutes focus and effort, resulting in none being completed — a key reason experts recommend limiting actions to one or two per retrospective.