Our team was entering a period of bug sprints so it was an opportunity to have some fun with our usual sprint format. This time round the agile board was modelled as a Dungeons and Dragons dungeon, printed out to size needed to fit post-it notes on.
The team members created characters for themselves on post-it notes. The current task or bug being worked on was drawn as a 'monster' on the board.
This approach hopefully provides a strong tangible connection between what their characters were doing on the board and what they say during standup.
Retrospective
The following were planned as the activities for the retrospective.
A heroic tale
As a team, recount the events of the sprint and draw a quick and simple comic strip of the
team’s adventure using the characters and monsters from the dungeon.
Example:
Retcon?
Retcon or ‘retroactive continuity’ is the process of changing a story after it has been written, rewriting the past.
Is there any part of the story you would write differently?
Create post-it notes for two columns “Repeat” and “Avoid”. Place each suggestion into the appropriate column and discuss how the team should respond to them.
Convert the actions into treasure chests (repeat) and traps and hazards (avoid) and place them on the dungeon; to claim if we achieve the change being suggested or if we fall into the same trap again.
Split the Party?
Decide how best to handle the performance testing (model as a Dragon?)
- Should we concentrate the entire team for a short duration?
- Should we dedicate one person full time to the task?
Discuss and decide on a course of action.
Level Up!
Ask each member of the team “what they would like to learn or achieve for next sprint?”
