Agile Thoughts

A retrospective is a time-boxed ceremony where the Core Scrum Team (optional for the Product Owner) convenes to discuss the iteration that was most recently completed. This practice is very similar to the lessons learned meeting that takes place in waterfall projects. Pertinent information is collected during these meetings and is documented for utilization in future Sprints. Scrum Team members discuss their existing best practices, potential improvements, issues and blockages. The Scrum Master ensures that the high priority recommendations are implemented not later than the next Sprint.

The retrospective is an Inspect and Adapt event that is facilitated by the Scrum Master. Discussions, based on what went right and what went wrong, are recorded for imminent accomplishment. Participation by all team members is expected. The main goals of the retrospective are to provide responses for three distinct assessments:

1. What are the things that the Scrum team needs to continue doing?
2. What are the things that the Scrum team needs to start doing?
3. What are the things that the Scrum team need to stop doing?

Metrics and Measuring Techniques

There are a variety of metrics that a Scrum team can utilize to measure their performance on a Sprint by Sprint basis. These metrics have been identified in Table 1. below.

Table 1. Retrospective Metrics

Velocity

Velocity is a number that stands for the average number of user stories that have been completed during the Sprints. When a Scrum team has determined the average number of story points that they can complete, they can then calculate the estimated time frame that it will take to finish the project. The team will use the number of user stories that need to be completed and then divide this number among the remaining Sprints. For example, if a team has a total of 150 story points remaining, then the projection for completion is then 9. This assumes that the average velocity has been averaged at 17 story points per Sprint.

• Team A has completed the following number of story points during the Sprints:
  • Sprint 1 – 15 story points
  • Sprint 2 – 16 story points
  • Sprint 3 – 20 story points
  • Average of Sprints 1,2,3 = 15+16+20 = 51/3 = 17 is the velocity
• Story Points Remaining / Velocity = Number of Iterations Remaining
• 150/17 = 8.82 = 9
• It will take 9 Sprints to complete 150 story points based on the team’s projected velocity of 8.82

Completed Success Rate

This metric is represented as a percentage of the story points completed based on what the team projected that they would complete. For example, if the team made a commitment to complete 50 story points and they only completed 49, the completed success rate would be 49/50 = 98%.

Estimation Accuracy

This metric is represented as a percentage of the actual time spent on tasks and user stories and the time that the team estimated would be needed. For example, if the team estimated their total work as 50 hours and it took 45 hours to complete, then 45/50 = 90% estimation accuracy.

Feedback Ratings

This metric is the feedback rating from the stakeholders on the project using subjective and/or objective ratings that measures the Scrum Team’s performance. For example, stakeholder may provide feedback as “Very Good, Excellent, or Outstanding”.  This would be an subjective measurement of feedback. On the other hand, if a stakeholder responds on a scale of 1 to 5, where:

• 1 = Outstanding (A)
• 2 = Very Good (B)
• 3 = Good (C)
• 4 = Fair (D)
• 5 = Poor (F)

The above measurement represents an objective feedback rating.

Team Morale Ratings

The Scrum Team members conduct self-assessments regarding their morale in relationship to the project. For example, team members provide information such as:

• Team Member 1 morale = High
• Team Member 2 morale = Low
• Team Member 3 morale = High

Peer Feedback

This metric is used to provide feedback for Scrum team members where each team member choses a peer, conducts observation during an agreed upon time frame and then share the information to the selected peer. With Scrum, other members of the Core Scrum Team can participate in peer feedback (Scrum Master, Product Owner). Some firms use the 360-degree feedback model, a many-to-many feedback format. This model focuses on team member performance evaluation and a questionnaire is typically used. This model has little to no team collaboration.

Release Progress

This metric is based on the amount of business value that is provided in each release based on story points. A Release Burnup Chart is used to identify the work completed for the release. A business uses this metric to determine how much work has been delivered. Burndown Charts can also be used for this metric. See Figure 1. below.

Figure 1. Release Burnup Chart (Agile Velocity Blog, 2014)

In conclusion, companies have their organizational specific measurement techniques and metrics. The metrics presented here are just examples used during the Retrospective meetings and the choice of which ones to use are based on the project’s needs.

Keywords: retrospective, metrics, measurements

References:

Agile Alliance. (2015). Glossary. Velocity. Retrieved from https://www.agilealliance.org/glossary/velocity/

Agile Alliance. (2015). Peer Feedback. Retrieved from https://www.scrumalliance.org/community/articles/2015/january/new-innovation-to-scrum-ceremonies-peer-feedback

Agile Velocity Blog. (2014). Improve Your Visibility into Release Progress. Retrieved from http://www.agilevelocity.com/blog/release-planning/

SCRUMstudy. (2016). A Guide to the Scrum Body of Knowledge (SBOK^TM Guide.), 3^rd Edition