Dragon Ball Retrospective

Description of the workshop

Inspired by the eponymous manga, the Dragon Ball Retrospective is a complete and playful retrospective format. In addition to the usual activities, it includes a review of the actions decided upon during previous sprints, a game that helps participants realize the importance of the retrospective ceremony, and an evaluation of the ceremony itself.

How to run the Dragon Ball Retrospective

The workshop is conducted in 7 steps:

Step 1: Review of Previous Actions

During the first step, each action owner presents the status of the actions decided during previous retrospectives. The action can be either canceled, validated, or still in progress.

This step generally takes 5 to 10 minutes.

Step 2: Character Selection

In preparation for Step 3, each participant chooses a character from the manga. The chosen character's role is not important for the rest of the workshop.

Step 3: Ball Game

The objectives of Step 3 are to strengthen team cohesion, improve communication, and better understand the purpose of the retrospective.

Inspired by the ball game, this step involves asking participants to pass around as many Dragon Balls as possible in one minute. Participants are not allowed to pass the Dragon Ball to their immediate neighbors, and all participants must touch the Dragon Ball at least once. Participants are allowed two or three attempts, similar to sprints.

The game proceeds as follows:

First, each participant places their character on one of the designated squares.
Then, participants have one minute to devise a strategy and estimate the number of Dragon Balls they think they can pass in one minute.
Based on the feedback from the first sprint, participants can improve their strategy and refine the initial estimate. The second sprint can then begin.

Step 4: Collection of Wishes

Step 4 first invites each participant to indicate the biggest problem they would like to see resolved in their daily work.

Then, participants are asked to explain what would concretely change if their wish were granted.

Finally, participants must define actions that would help the team get closer to their wish.

Step 5: Selection of Improvement Actions

First, participants must position each action expressed in Step 4 together along a horizontal axis ranging from least to most difficult.

Then, through dot voting, participants are invited to select the most relevant actions to address. Each participant has two votes that they can allocate freely. The two or three actions that receive the most votes are selected.

Finally, participants must assign an owner for each of the selected actions.

Step 6: Evaluation of the Retrospective Ceremony

During Step 6, participants are invited to evaluate the retrospective ceremony itself using "senzus." The more senzus placed in the bag, the better the overall evaluation. Do not hesitate to ask participants how the retrospective could be improved for the next time.