There is no such thing as a perfect agile team. In agile, there is always a chance to improve. For example, professional athletes must practice in order to keep their skills in top shape. Agile teams also need to do the same thing. They need to exercise, just like professional athletes, but they do it via the sprint retrospective instead. We will discuss what a sprint retrospect is, when it takes place, why it is needed, who attends and how it should be conducted.
The sprint retrospective is “an opportunity for the scrum team to reflect on the past sprint's activities, including team dynamics, processes, tools and culture” (Moreira, 2013). The sprint retrospective occurs at the end of the sprint cycle. It involves the team inspecting itself to be better each time because it helps decent teams become awesome and awesome teams to stay awesome.
The main reason for the sprint retrospective is to maintain true agility because it is not achievable without it. The team's problem areas are usually exposed by analyzing the sprint backlog's burn-down report. Sometimes the issues were too small to have a significant enough impact to be seen in the report. When that happens, the team members themselves have to bring new items to the table. Unfortunately “this is a practice that some teams skip which is unacceptable, because self-organization requires the frequent reflection provided by the retrospective” (Sutherland).
The perceptions on who should attend the sprint retrospective can vary. According to Mario Moreira only the scrum master and the team members should attend. Other sources say to invite whoever is interested in attending. Moreira frowns on too many attendees in the sprint retrospective because it should be a place where the “team members must believe they can discuss problems knowing that anything said will stay in the room” (Moreira, 2013).
So what happens in the sprint retrospective you ask? First, the meeting is usually scheduled for an hour. The beginning of that hour can start a number of ways. For example, there is an ad-hoc method that has team members shout out, not literally, items that they feel deserve attention. Another way to start the meeting is to have the scrum master go around the table and ask each team member if they have any new points to bring up. Either way the voting on what to discuss takes place after everyone has spoken up about new items. Remember, unless this was the first sprint there should be items from the previous sprint retrospective too. Those items are also up for a vote to discuss this time around.
Once the team has chosen the items to discuss the meeting shifts into the heart of the exercise. Most teams use a start-stop-continue cadence when reflecting on each item. For example, each team member gives a statement like; I will stop doing x, start doing y, and continue doing z.
In conclusion, the sprint retrospective is a very important part of the sprint process. As simple as it is to implement, it can be very powerful and should not be skipped. “When done well, retrospectives are often the most beneficial ceremony a team practices. When done poorly, retrospectives can be wasteful and grueling to attend” (Microsoft, 2012).
References
Ambler, S. W., & Holitza, M. (2012). Agile For Dummies IBM Limited Edition. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Microsoft. (2012, July 1). Microsoft Developer Network. Retrieved from Effective Sprint Retrospectives: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/jj620912.aspx
Moreira, M. (2013, July 15). Agile Adoption Roadmap. Retrieved from What happens in the Retrospective stays in the Retrospective! : http://cmforagile.blogspot.com/2013/07/what-happens-in-retrospective-stays-in.html
Software, M. G. (2014, 7 13). Topics in Scrum. Retrieved from Sprint Retrospective: http://www.mountaingoatsoftware.com/agile/scrum/sprint-retrospective
Sutherland, J. (n.d.). Scrum Handbook.
Agile Image
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_YcmTnoiWR4/UeSBNUClBFI/AAAAAAAAAK4/urclDPS-SEI/s1600/What+happens+in+the+Retro.png
Stat-stop-continue Image
http://www.glassbeadconsulting.com/what-will-you-stop-start-and-continue-in-2013/

There is no such thing as a perfect agile team.¹ In agile, there is always a chance to improve. For example, professional athletes must practice in order to keep their skills in top shape. Agile teams also need to do the same thing. They need to exercise, just like professional athletes, but they do it via the sprint retrospective instead. We will discuss what a sprint retrospect is, when it takes place, why it is needed, who attends and how it should be conducted.
The sprint retrospective is “an opportunity for the scrum team to reflect on the past sprint's activities, including team dynamics, processes, tools and culture” (Moreira, 2013). The sprint retrospective occurs at the end of the sprint cycle. It involves the team inspecting itself to be better each time because it helps decent teams become awesome and awesome teams to stay awesome.
The main reason for the sprint retrospective is to maintain true agility because it is not achievable without it. The team's problem areas are usually exposed by analyzing the sprint backlog's burn-down report. Sometimes the issues were too small to have a significant enough impact to be seen in the report. When that happens, the team members themselves have to bring new items to the table. Unfortunately “this is a practice that some teams skip which is unacceptable, because self-organization requires the frequent reflection provided by the retrospective” (Sutherland).
The perceptions on who should attend the sprint retrospective can vary. According to Mario Moreira only the scrum master and the team members should attend. Other sources say to invite whoever is interested in attending. Moreira frowns on too many attendees in the sprint retrospective because it should be a place where the “team members must believe they can discuss problems knowing that anything said will stay in the room” (Moreira, 2013).
So what happens in the sprint retrospective you ask? First, the meeting is usually scheduled for an hour. The beginning of that hour can start a number of ways. For example, there is an ad-hoc method that has team members shout out, not literally, items that they feel deserve attention. Another way to start the meeting is to have the scrum master go around the table and ask each team member if they have any new points to bring up. Either way the voting on what to discuss takes place after everyone has spoken up about new items. Remember, unless this was the first sprint there should be items from the previous sprint retrospective too. Those items are also up for a vote to discuss this time around.
Once the team has chosen the items to discuss the meeting shifts into the heart of the exercise. Most teams use a start-stop-continue cadence when reflecting on each item. For example, each team member gives a statement like; I will stop doing x, start doing y, and continue doing z.
In conclusion, the sprint retrospective is a very important part of the sprint process. As simple as it is to implement, it can be very powerful and should not be skipped. “When done well, retrospectives are often the most beneficial ceremony a team practices. When done poorly, retrospectives can be wasteful and grueling to attend” (Microsoft, 2012).
References
Ambler, S. W., & Holitza, M. (2012). Agile For Dummies IBM Limited Edition. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Microsoft. (2012, July 1). Microsoft Developer Network. Retrieved from Effective Sprint Retrospectives: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/jj620912.aspx
Moreira, M. (2013, July 15). Agile Adoption Roadmap. Retrieved from What happens in the Retrospective stays in the Retrospective! : http://cmforagile.blogspot.com/2013/07/what-happens-in-retrospective-stays-in.html
Software, M. G. (2014, 7 13). Topics in Scrum. Retrieved from Sprint Retrospective: http://www.mountaingoatsoftware.com/agile/scrum/sprint-retrospective
Sutherland, J. (n.d.). Scrum Handbook.
Agile Image
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_YcmTnoiWR4/UeSBNUClBFI/AAAAAAAAAK4/urclDPS-SEI/s1600/What+happens+in+the+Retro.png
Stat-stop-continue Image
http://www.glassbeadconsulting.com/what-will-you-stop-start-and-continue-in-2013/

• ¹Is this part of the essay your introduction? In your introduction, you should capture the reader's interest, provide background information about your topic, and present your thesis sentence. Look in the Writer's Handbook for ways to improve your introduction.

There is no such thing as a perfect agile team. In agile, there is always a chance to improve.¹ For example, professional athletes must practice in order to keep their skills in top shape.² Agile teams also need to do the same thing.² They need to exercise, just like professional athletes, but they do it via the sprint retrospective instead. We will discuss what a sprint retrospect is, when it takes place, why it is needed, who attends and how it should be conducted.
The sprint retrospective is “an opportunity for the scrum team to reflect on the past sprint's activities, including team dynamics, processes, tools and culture” (Moreira, 2013). The sprint retrospective occurs at the end of the sprint cycle. It involves the team inspecting itself to be better each time because it helps decent teams become awesome and awesome teams to stay awesome.
The main reason for the sprint retrospective is to maintain true agility because it is not achievable without it. The team's problem areas are usually exposed by analyzing the sprint backlog's burn-down report. Sometimes the issues were too small to have a significant enough impact to be seen in the report. When that happens, the team members themselves have to bring new items to the table. Unfortunately “this is a practice that some teams skip which is unacceptable, because self-organization requires the frequent reflection provided by the retrospective” (Sutherland).
The perceptions on who should attend the sprint retrospective can vary. According to Mario Moreira only the scrum master and the team members should attend. Other sources say to invite whoever is interested in attending. Moreira frowns on too many attendees in the sprint retrospective because it should be a place where the “team members must believe they can discuss problems knowing that anything said will stay in the room” (Moreira, 2013).
So what happens in the sprint retrospective you ask? First, the meeting is usually scheduled for an hour. The beginning of that hour can start a number of ways. For example, there is an ad-hoc method that has team members shout out, not literally, items that they feel deserve attention. Another way to start the meeting is to have the scrum master go around the table and ask each team member if they have any new points to bring up. Either way the voting on what to discuss takes place after everyone has spoken up about new items. Remember, unless this was the first sprint there should be items from the previous sprint retrospective too. Those items are also up for a vote to discuss this time around.
Once the team has chosen the items to discuss the meeting shifts into the heart of the exercise. Most teams use a start-stop-continue cadence when reflecting on each item. For example, each team member gives a statement like; I will stop doing x, start doing y, and continue doing z.
In conclusion, the sprint retrospective is a very important part of the sprint process. As simple as it is to implement, it can be very powerful and should not be skipped. “When done well, retrospectives are often the most beneficial ceremony a team practices. When done poorly, retrospectives can be wasteful and grueling to attend” (Microsoft, 2012).
References
Ambler, S. W., & Holitza, M. (2012). Agile For Dummies IBM Limited Edition. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Microsoft. (2012, July 1). Microsoft Developer Network. Retrieved from Effective Sprint Retrospectives: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/jj620912.aspx
Moreira, M. (2013, July 15). Agile Adoption Roadmap. Retrieved from What happens in the Retrospective stays in the Retrospective! : http://cmforagile.blogspot.com/2013/07/what-happens-in-retrospective-stays-in.html
Software, M. G. (2014, 7 13). Topics in Scrum. Retrieved from Sprint Retrospective: http://www.mountaingoatsoftware.com/agile/scrum/sprint-retrospective
Sutherland, J. (n.d.). Scrum Handbook.
Agile Image
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_YcmTnoiWR4/UeSBNUClBFI/AAAAAAAAAK4/urclDPS-SEI/s1600/What+happens+in+the+Retro.png
Stat-stop-continue Image
http://www.glassbeadconsulting.com/what-will-you-stop-start-and-continue-in-2013/

• ¹Is this part of the essay your thesis? The purpose of a thesis is to organize, predict, control, and define your essay. Look in the Writer's Handbook for ways to improve your thesis.
• ²Is this sentence really a part of your thesis? Remember that a thesis controls the whole content of your essay. You need to strengthen this thesis so that you clearly state the main point you will be making. Look in the Writer's Handbook for tips on doing this.

There is no such thing as a perfect agile team. In agile, there is always a chance to improve. For example, professional athletes must practice in order to keep their skills in top shape. Agile teams also need to do the same thing. They need to exercise, just like professional athletes, but they do it via the sprint retrospective instead. We will discuss what a sprint retrospect is, when it takes place, why it is needed, who attends and how it should be conducted.
The sprint retrospective is “an opportunity for the scrum team to reflect on the past sprint's activities, including team dynamics, processes, tools and culture” (Moreira, 2013).¹ The sprint retrospective occurs at the end of the sprint cycle. It involves the team inspecting itself to be better each time because it helps decent teams become awesome and awesome teams to stay awesome.
The main reason for the sprint retrospective is to maintain true agility because it is not achievable without it.¹ The team's problem areas are usually exposed by analyzing the sprint backlog's burn-down report. Sometimes the issues were too small to have a significant enough impact to be seen in the report. When that happens, the team members themselves have to bring new items to the table. Unfortunately “this is a practice that some teams skip which is unacceptable, because self-organization requires the frequent reflection provided by the retrospective” (Sutherland).
The perceptions on who should attend the sprint retrospective can vary.¹ According to Mario Moreira only the scrum master and the team members should attend. Other sources say to invite whoever is interested in attending. Moreira frowns on too many attendees in the sprint retrospective because it should be a place where the “team members must believe they can discuss problems knowing that anything said will stay in the room” (Moreira, 2013).
So what happens in the sprint retrospective you ask?¹ First, the meeting is usually scheduled for an hour. The beginning of that hour can start a number of ways. For example, there is an ad-hoc method that has team members shout out, not literally, items that they feel deserve attention. Another way to start the meeting is to have the scrum master go around the table and ask each team member if they have any new points to bring up. Either way the voting on what to discuss takes place after everyone has spoken up about new items. Remember, unless this was the first sprint there should be items from the previous sprint retrospective too. Those items are also up for a vote to discuss this time around.
Once the team has chosen the items to discuss the meeting shifts into the heart of the exercise.¹ Most teams use a start-stop-continue cadence when reflecting on each item. For example, each team member gives a statement like; I will stop doing x, start doing y, and continue doing z.
In conclusion, the sprint retrospective is a very important part of the sprint process.¹ As simple as it is to implement, it can be very powerful and should not be skipped. “When done well, retrospectives are often the most beneficial ceremony a team practices. When done poorly, retrospectives can be wasteful and grueling to attend” (Microsoft, 2012).
References
Ambler, S. W., & Holitza, M. (2012). Agile For Dummies IBM Limited Edition. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Microsoft. (2012, July 1). Microsoft Developer Network. Retrieved from Effective Sprint Retrospectives: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/jj620912.aspx
Moreira, M. (2013, July 15). Agile Adoption Roadmap. Retrieved from What happens in the Retrospective stays in the Retrospective! : http://cmforagile.blogspot.com/2013/07/what-happens-in-retrospective-stays-in.html
Software, M. G. (2014, 7 13). Topics in Scrum. Retrieved from Sprint Retrospective: http://www.mountaingoatsoftware.com/agile/scrum/sprint-retrospective
Sutherland, J. (n.d.). Scrum Handbook.
Agile Image
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_YcmTnoiWR4/UeSBNUClBFI/AAAAAAAAAK4/urclDPS-SEI/s1600/What+happens+in+the+Retro.png
Stat-stop-continue Image
http://www.glassbeadconsulting.com/what-will-you-stop-start-and-continue-in-2013/

• ¹Criterion has identified three or more main ideas in your essay. Do these ideas support the thesis statement of your essay? Do you use examples, explanations, and details to support and extend your main ideas? Does everything connect back to your thesis statement? Look in the Writer's Handbook for ways to develop main ideas.

There is no such thing as a perfect agile team. In agile, there is always a chance to improve. For example, professional athletes must practice in order to keep their skills in top shape. Agile teams also need to do the same thing. They need to exercise, just like professional athletes, but they do it via the sprint retrospective instead.¹ We will discuss what a sprint retrospect is, when it takes place, why it is needed, who attends and how it should be conducted.
¹ The sprint retrospective is “an opportunity for the scrum team to reflect on the past sprint's activities, including team dynamics, processes, tools and culture” (Moreira, 2013). The sprint retrospective occurs at the end of the sprint cycle.¹ It involves the team inspecting itself to be better each time because it helps decent teams become awesome and awesome teams to stay awesome.
¹ The main reason for the sprint retrospective is to maintain true agility because it is not achievable without it. The team's problem areas are usually exposed by analyzing the sprint backlog's burn-down report.² Sometimes the issues were too small to have a significant enough impact to be seen in the report.² When that happens, the team members themselves have to bring new items to the table.² Unfortunately “this is a practice that some teams skip which is unacceptable, because self-organization requires the frequent reflection provided by the retrospective” (Sutherland).
² The perceptions on who should attend the sprint retrospective can vary. According to Mario Moreira only the scrum master and the team members should attend.² Other sources say to invite whoever is interested in attending.² Moreira frowns on too many attendees in the sprint retrospective because it should be a place where the “team members must believe they can discuss problems knowing that anything said will stay in the room” (Moreira, 2013).²
So what happens in the sprint retrospective you ask? First, the meeting is usually scheduled for an hour.² The beginning of that hour can start a number of ways.² For example, there is an ad-hoc method that has team members shout out, not literally, items that they feel deserve attention.² Another way to start the meeting is to have the scrum master go around the table and ask each team member if they have any new points to bring up.² Either way the voting on what to discuss takes place after everyone has spoken up about new items.² Remember, unless this was the first sprint there should be items from the previous sprint retrospective too.² Those items are also up for a vote to discuss this time around.
² Once the team has chosen the items to discuss the meeting shifts into the heart of the exercise. Most teams use a start-stop-continue cadence when reflecting on each item.² For example, each team member gives a statement like; I will stop doing x, start doing y, and continue doing z.²
In conclusion, the sprint retrospective is a very important part of the sprint process. As simple as it is to implement, it can be very powerful and should not be skipped.² “When done well, retrospectives are often the most beneficial ceremony a team practices.² When done poorly, retrospectives can be wasteful and grueling to attend” (Microsoft, 2012).²
References
Ambler, S. W., & Holitza, M. (2012). Agile For Dummies IBM Limited Edition. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Microsoft. (2012, July 1). Microsoft Developer Network. Retrieved from Effective Sprint Retrospectives: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/jj620912.aspx
Moreira, M. (2013, July 15). Agile Adoption Roadmap. Retrieved from What happens in the Retrospective stays in the Retrospective! : http://cmforagile.blogspot.com/2013/07/what-happens-in-retrospective-stays-in.html
Software, M. G. (2014, 7 13). Topics in Scrum. Retrieved from Sprint Retrospective: http://www.mountaingoatsoftware.com/agile/scrum/sprint-retrospective
Sutherland, J. (n.d.). Scrum Handbook.
Agile Image
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_YcmTnoiWR4/UeSBNUClBFI/AAAAAAAAAK4/urclDPS-SEI/s1600/What+happens+in+the+Retro.png
Stat-stop-continue Image
http://www.glassbeadconsulting.com/what-will-you-stop-start-and-continue-in-2013/

• ¹Criterion has identified only two sentences to support your topic sentence. Try to include one more sentence in this paragraph. Use examples, explanations, and details to support and extend your main ideas. Look in the Writer's Handbook for ways to develop supporting ideas.
• ²Criterion has identified three or more supporting ideas in this paragraph. Do these ideas support the topic sentence of your paragraph? Use examples, explanations, and details to support and extend your main ideas. Look in the Writer's Handbook for ways to develop supporting ideas.

There is no such thing as a perfect agile team. In agile, there is always a chance to improve. For example, professional athletes must practice in order to keep their skills in top shape. Agile teams also need to do the same thing. They need to exercise, just like professional athletes, but they do it via the sprint retrospective instead. We will discuss what a sprint retrospect is, when it takes place, why it is needed, who attends and how it should be conducted.
The sprint retrospective is “an opportunity for the scrum team to reflect on the past sprint's activities, including team dynamics, processes, tools and culture” (Moreira, 2013). The sprint retrospective occurs at the end of the sprint cycle. It involves the team inspecting itself to be better each time because it helps decent teams become awesome and awesome teams to stay awesome.
The main reason for the sprint retrospective is to maintain true agility because it is not achievable without it. The team's problem areas are usually exposed by analyzing the sprint backlog's burn-down report. Sometimes the issues were too small to have a significant enough impact to be seen in the report. When that happens, the team members themselves have to bring new items to the table. Unfortunately “this is a practice that some teams skip which is unacceptable, because self-organization requires the frequent reflection provided by the retrospective” (Sutherland).
The perceptions on who should attend the sprint retrospective can vary. According to Mario Moreira only the scrum master and the team members should attend. Other sources say to invite whoever is interested in attending. Moreira frowns on too many attendees in the sprint retrospective because it should be a place where the “team members must believe they can discuss problems knowing that anything said will stay in the room” (Moreira, 2013).
So what happens in the sprint retrospective you ask? First, the meeting is usually scheduled for an hour. The beginning of that hour can start a number of ways. For example, there is an ad-hoc method that has team members shout out, not literally, items that they feel deserve attention. Another way to start the meeting is to have the scrum master go around the table and ask each team member if they have any new points to bring up. Either way the voting on what to discuss takes place after everyone has spoken up about new items. Remember, unless this was the first sprint there should be items from the previous sprint retrospective too. Those items are also up for a vote to discuss this time around.
Once the team has chosen the items to discuss the meeting shifts into the heart of the exercise. Most teams use a start-stop-continue cadence when reflecting on each item. For example, each team member gives a statement like; I will stop doing x, start doing y, and continue doing z.
In conclusion, the sprint retrospective is a very important part of the sprint process. As simple as it is to implement, it can be very powerful and should not be skipped. “When done well, retrospectives are often the most beneficial ceremony a team practices. When done poorly, retrospectives can be wasteful and grueling to attend” (Microsoft, 2012).
References
Ambler, S. W., & Holitza, M. (2012).¹ Agile For Dummies IBM Limited Edition.¹ Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
¹ Microsoft.¹ (2012, July 1).¹ Microsoft Developer Network.¹ Retrieved from Effective Sprint Retrospectives: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/jj620912.aspx
Moreira, M. (2013, July 15).¹ Agile Adoption Roadmap.¹ Retrieved from What happens in the Retrospective stays in the Retrospective!¹ : http://cmforagile.blogspot.com/2013/07/what-happens-in-retrospective-stays-in.html
Software, M. G. (2014, 7 13).¹ Topics in Scrum.¹ Retrieved from Sprint Retrospective: http://www.mountaingoatsoftware.com/agile/scrum/sprint-retrospective
Sutherland, J. (n.d.).¹ Scrum Handbook.¹
Agile Image
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_YcmTnoiWR4/UeSBNUClBFI/AAAAAAAAAK4/urclDPS-SEI/s1600/What+happens+in+the+Retro.png
Stat-stop-continue Image
http://www.glassbeadconsulting.com/what-will-you-stop-start-and-continue-in-2013/

• ¹Is this part of the essay your conclusion? A conclusion reminds the reader about your thesis, stresses the importance of the ideas you have developed, and leaves the reader with thought-provoking ideas. The Writer's Handbook can provide ideas for improving your conclusion.

There is no such thing as a perfect agile team. In agile, there is always a chance to improve. For example¹, professional athletes must practice in order to keep their skills in top shape. Agile teams also need to do the same thing. They need to exercise, just like professional athletes, but they do it via the sprint retrospective instead. We will discuss what a sprint retrospect is, when it takes place, why it is needed, who attends and how it should be conducted.
The sprint retrospective is “an opportunity for the scrum team to reflect on the past sprint's activities, including team dynamics, processes, tools and culture” (Moreira, 2013). The sprint retrospective occurs at the end of the sprint cycle. It involves the team inspecting itself to be better each time because it helps decent teams become awesome and awesome teams to stay awesome.
The main reason for the sprint retrospective is to maintain true agility because it is not achievable without it. The team's problem areas are usually exposed by analyzing the sprint backlog's burn-down report. Sometimes the issues were too small to have a significant enough impact to be seen in the report. When¹ that happens, the team members themselves have to bring new items to the table. Unfortunately¹ “this is a practice that some teams skip which is unacceptable, because self-organization requires the frequent reflection provided by the retrospective” (Sutherland).
The perceptions on who should attend the sprint retrospective can vary. According to¹ Mario Moreira only the scrum master and the team members should attend. Other sources say to invite whoever is interested in attending. Moreira frowns on too many attendees in the sprint retrospective because it should be a place where the “team members must believe they can discuss problems knowing that anything said will stay in the room” (Moreira, 2013).
So¹ what happens in the sprint retrospective you ask? First¹, the meeting is usually scheduled for an hour. The beginning of that hour can start a number of ways. For example¹, there is an ad-hoc method that has team members shout out, not literally, items that they feel deserve attention. Another way¹ to start the meeting is to have the scrum master go around the table and ask each team member if they have any new points to bring up. Either way the voting on what to discuss takes place after everyone has spoken up about new items. Remember, unless this was the first sprint there should be items from the previous sprint retrospective too. Those items are also up for a vote to discuss this time around.
Once the team has chosen the items to discuss the meeting shifts into the heart of the exercise. Most teams use a start-stop-continue cadence when reflecting on each item. For example¹, each team member gives a statement like; I will stop doing x, start doing y, and continue doing z.
In conclusion¹, the sprint retrospective is a very important part of the sprint process. As simple as it is to implement, it can be very powerful and should not be skipped. “When¹ done well, retrospectives are often the most beneficial ceremony a team practices. When¹ done poorly, retrospectives can be wasteful and grueling to attend” (Microsoft, 2012).
References
Ambler, S. W., & Holitza, M. (2012). Agile For Dummies IBM Limited Edition. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Microsoft. (2012, July 1). Microsoft Developer Network. Retrieved from Effective Sprint Retrospectives: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/jj620912.aspx
Moreira, M. (2013, July 15). Agile Adoption Roadmap. Retrieved from What happens in the Retrospective stays in the Retrospective! : http://cmforagile.blogspot.com/2013/07/what-happens-in-retrospective-stays-in.html
Software, M. G. (2014, 7 13). Topics in Scrum. Retrieved from Sprint Retrospective: http://www.mountaingoatsoftware.com/agile/scrum/sprint-retrospective
Sutherland, J. (n.d.). Scrum Handbook.
Agile Image
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_YcmTnoiWR4/UeSBNUClBFI/AAAAAAAAAK4/urclDPS-SEI/s1600/What+happens+in+the+Retro.png
Stat-stop-continue Image
http://www.glassbeadconsulting.com/what-will-you-stop-start-and-continue-in-2013/

• ¹These are the transition words and phrases you have used in your essay. Check the Writer's Handbook to see if you have used each word or phrase correctly.

There is no such thing as a perfect agile team. In agile, there is always a chance to improve. For example, professional athletes must practice in order to keep their skills in top shape. Agile teams also need to do the same thing. They need to exercise, just like professional athletes, but they do it via the sprint retrospective instead. We will discuss what a sprint retrospect is, when it takes place, why it is needed, who attends and how it should be conducted.
The sprint retrospective is “an opportunity for the scrum team to reflect on the past sprint's activities, including team dynamics, processes, tools and culture” (Moreira, 2013). The sprint retrospective occurs at the end of the sprint cycle. It involves the team inspecting itself to be better each time because it helps decent teams become awesome and awesome teams to stay awesome.
The main reason for the sprint retrospective is to maintain true agility because it is not achievable without it. The team's problem areas are usually exposed by analyzing the sprint backlog's burn-down report. Sometimes the issues were too small to have a significant enough impact to be seen in the report. When that happens, the team members themselves have to bring new items to the table. Unfortunately “this is a practice that some teams skip which is unacceptable, because self-organization requires the frequent reflection provided by the retrospective” (Sutherland).
The perceptions on who should attend the sprint retrospective can vary. According to Mario Moreira only the scrum master and the team members should attend. Other sources say to invite whoever is interested in attending. Moreira frowns on too many attendees in the sprint retrospective because it should be a place where the “team members must believe they can discuss problems knowing that anything said will stay in the room” (Moreira, 2013).
So what happens in the sprint retrospective you ask? First, the meeting is usually scheduled for an hour. The beginning of that hour can start a number of ways. For example, there is an ad-hoc method that has team members shout out, not literally, items that they feel deserve attention. Another way to start the meeting is to have the scrum master go around the table and ask each team member if they have any new points to bring up. Either way the voting on what to discuss takes place after everyone has spoken up about new items. Remember, unless this was the first sprint there should be items from the previous sprint retrospective too. Those items are also up for a vote to discuss this time around.
Once the team has chosen the items to discuss the meeting shifts into the heart of the exercise. Most teams use a start-stop-continue cadence when reflecting on each item. For example, each team member gives a statement like; I will stop doing x, start doing y, and continue doing z.
In conclusion, the sprint retrospective is a very important part of the sprint process. As simple as it is to implement, it can be very powerful and should not be skipped. “When done well, retrospectives are often the most beneficial ceremony a team practices. When done poorly, retrospectives can be wasteful and grueling to attend” (Microsoft, 2012).
References
Ambler, S. W., & Holitza, M. (2012). Agile For Dummies IBM Limited Edition. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Microsoft. (2012, July 1). Microsoft Developer Network. Retrieved from Effective Sprint Retrospectives: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/jj620912.aspx
Moreira, M. (2013, July 15). Agile Adoption Roadmap. Retrieved from What happens in the Retrospective stays in the Retrospective! : http://cmforagile.blogspot.com/2013/07/what-happens-in-retrospective-stays-in.html
Software, M. G. (2014, 7 13). Topics in Scrum. Retrieved from Sprint Retrospective: http://www.mountaingoatsoftware.com/agile/scrum/sprint-retrospective
Sutherland, J. (n.d.). Scrum Handbook.
Agile Image
¹ http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_YcmTnoiWR4/UeSBNUClBFI/AAAAAAAAAK4/urclDPS-SEI/s1600/What+happens+in+the+Retro.png
¹ Stat-stop-continue Image
¹ http://www.glassbeadconsulting.com/what-will-you-stop-start-and-continue-in-2013/

• ¹Is this material a title, class name, section number, opening, closing, signature, or name? This material does not seem to be part of your essay.

There is no such thing as a perfect agile team. In agile, there is always a chance to improve. For example, professional athletes must practice in order to keep their skills in top shape. Agile teams also need to do the same thing. They need to exercise, just like professional athletes, but they do it via the sprint retrospective instead. We will discuss what a sprint retrospect is, when it takes place, why it is needed, who attends and how it should be conducted.
The sprint retrospective is “an opportunity for the scrum team to reflect on the past sprint's activities, including team dynamics, processes, tools and culture” (Moreira, 2013). The sprint retrospective occurs at the end of the sprint cycle. It involves the team inspecting itself to be better each time because it helps decent teams become awesome and awesome teams to stay awesome.
The main reason for the sprint retrospective is to maintain true agility because it is not achievable without it. The team's problem areas are usually exposed by analyzing the sprint backlog's burn-down report. Sometimes the issues were too small to have a significant enough impact to be seen in the report. When that happens, the team members themselves have to bring new items to the table. Unfortunately “this is a practice that some teams skip which is unacceptable, because self-organization requires the frequent reflection provided by the retrospective” (Sutherland).
The perceptions on who should attend the sprint retrospective can vary. According to Mario Moreira only the scrum master and the team members should attend. Other sources say to invite whoever is interested in attending. Moreira frowns on too many attendees in the sprint retrospective because it should be a place where the “team members must believe they can discuss problems knowing that anything said will stay in the room” (Moreira, 2013).
So what happens in the sprint retrospective you ask? First, the meeting is usually scheduled for an hour. The beginning of that hour can start a number of ways. For example, there is an ad-hoc method that has team members shout out, not literally, items that they feel deserve attention. Another way to start the meeting is to have the scrum master go around the table and ask each team member if they have any new points to bring up. Either way the voting on what to discuss takes place after everyone has spoken up about new items. Remember, unless this was the first sprint there should be items from the previous sprint retrospective too. Those items are also up for a vote to discuss this time around.
Once the team has chosen the items to discuss the meeting shifts into the heart of the exercise. Most teams use a start-stop-continue cadence when reflecting on each item. For example, each team member gives a statement like; I will stop doing x, start doing y, and continue doing z.
In conclusion, the sprint retrospective is a very important part of the sprint process. As simple as it is to implement, it can be very powerful and should not be skipped. “When done well, retrospectives are often the most beneficial ceremony a team practices. When done poorly, retrospectives can be wasteful and grueling to attend” (Microsoft, 2012).
References
Ambler, S. W., & Holitza, M. (2012). Agile For Dummies IBM Limited Edition.¹ Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Microsoft.¹ (2012, July 1).¹ Microsoft Developer Network.¹ Retrieved from Effective Sprint Retrospectives: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/jj620912.aspx
Moreira, M. (2013, July 15). Agile Adoption Roadmap.¹ Retrieved from What happens in the Retrospective stays in the Retrospective! : http://cmforagile.blogspot.com/2013/07/what-happens-in-retrospective-stays-in.html
Software, M. G. (2014, 7 13). Topics in Scrum.¹ Retrieved from Sprint Retrospective: http://www.mountaingoatsoftware.com/agile/scrum/sprint-retrospective
Sutherland, J. (n.d.). Scrum Handbook.
Agile Image
¹ http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_YcmTnoiWR4/UeSBNUClBFI/AAAAAAAAAK4/urclDPS-SEI/s1600/What+happens+in+the+Retro.png
¹ Stat-stop-continue Image
¹ http://www.glassbeadconsulting.com/what-will-you-stop-start-and-continue-in-2013/

• ¹This sentence may be a fragment. Proofread the sentence to be sure that it has at least one independent clause with a complete subject and predicate.

There is no such thing as a perfect agile team. In agile, there is always a chance to improve. For example, professional athletes must practice in order to keep their skills in top shape. Agile teams also need to do the same thing. They need to exercise, just like professional athletes, but they do it via the sprint retrospective instead. We will discuss what a sprint retrospect is, when it takes place, why it is needed, who attends and how it should be conducted.
The sprint retrospective is “an opportunity for the scrum team to reflect on the past sprint's activities, including team dynamics, processes, tools and culture” (Moreira, 2013). The sprint retrospective occurs at the end of the sprint cycle. It involves the team inspecting itself to be better each time because it helps decent teams become awesome and awesome teams to stay awesome.
The main reason for the sprint retrospective is to maintain true agility because it is not achievable without it. The team's problem areas are usually exposed by analyzing the sprint backlog's burn-down report. Sometimes the issues were too small to have a significant enough impact to be seen in the report. When that happens, the team members themselves have to bring new items to the table. Unfortunately “this is a practice that some teams skip which is unacceptable, because self-organization requires the frequent reflection provided by the retrospective” (Sutherland).
The perceptions on who should attend the sprint retrospective can vary. According to Mario Moreira only the scrum master and the team members should attend. Other sources say to invite whoever is interested in attending. Moreira frowns on too many attendees in the sprint retrospective because it should be a place where the “team members must believe they can discuss problems knowing that anything said will stay in the room” (Moreira, 2013).
So what happens in the sprint retrospective you ask? First, the meeting is usually scheduled for an hour. The beginning of that hour can start a number of ways. For example, there is an ad-hoc method that has team members shout out, not literally, items that they feel deserve attention. Another way to start the meeting is to have the scrum master go around the table and ask each team member if they have any new points to bring up. Either way the voting on what to discuss takes place after everyone has spoken up about new items. Remember, unless this was the first sprint there should be items from the previous sprint retrospective too. Those items are also up for a vote to discuss this time around.
Once the team has chosen the items to discuss the meeting shifts into the heart of the exercise. Most teams use a start-stop-continue cadence when reflecting on each item. For example, each team member gives a statement like; I will stop doing x, start doing y, and continue doing z.
In conclusion, the sprint retrospective is a very important part of the sprint process. As simple as it is to implement, it can be very powerful and should not be skipped. “When done well, retrospectives are often the most beneficial ceremony a team practices. When done poorly, retrospectives can be wasteful and grueling to attend” (Microsoft, 2012).
References
Ambler, S. W., & Holitza, M. (2012). Agile For Dummies IBM Limited Edition. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Microsoft. (2012, July 1). Microsoft Developer Network. Retrieved from Effective Sprint Retrospectives: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/jj620912.aspx
Moreira, M. (2013, July 15). Agile Adoption Roadmap. Retrieved from What happens in the Retrospective stays in the¹ Retrospective! : http://cmforagile.blogspot.com/2013/07/what-happens-in-retrospective-stays-in.html
Software, M. G. (2014, 7 13). Topics in Scrum. Retrieved from Sprint Retrospective: http://www.mountaingoatsoftware.com/agile/scrum/sprint-retrospective
Sutherland, J. (n.d.). Scrum Handbook.
Agile Image
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_YcmTnoiWR4/UeSBNUClBFI/AAAAAAAAAK4/urclDPS-SEI/s1600/What+happens+in+the+Retro.png
Stat-stop-continue Image
http://www.glassbeadconsulting.com/what-will-you-stop-start-and-continue-in-2013/

• ¹You may need to remove this article.

There is no such thing as a perfect agile team. In agile, there is always a chance to improve. For example, professional athletes must practice in order to keep their skills in top shape. Agile teams also need to do the same thing. They need to exercise, just like professional athletes, but they do it via the sprint retrospective instead. We will discuss what a sprint retrospect is, when it takes place, why it is needed, who attends and how it should be conducted.
The sprint retrospective is “an opportunity for the scrum team to reflect on the past sprint's activities, including team dynamics, processes, tools and culture” (Moreira, 2013). The sprint retrospective occurs at the end of the sprint cycle. It involves the team inspecting itself to be better each time because it helps decent teams become awesome and awesome teams to stay awesome.
The main reason for the sprint retrospective is to maintain true agility because it is not achievable without it. The team's problem areas are usually exposed by analyzing the sprint backlog's burn-down report. Sometimes the issues were too small to have a significant enough impact to be seen in the report. When that happens, the team members themselves have to bring new items to the table. Unfortunately “this is a practice that some teams skip which is unacceptable, because self-organization requires the frequent reflection provided by the retrospective” (Sutherland).
The perceptions on who should attend the sprint retrospective can vary. According to Mario Moreira only the scrum master and the team members should attend. Other sources say to invite whoever is interested in attending. Moreira frowns on too many attendees in the sprint retrospective because it should be a place where the “team members must believe they can discuss problems knowing that anything said will stay in the room” (Moreira, 2013).
So what happens in the sprint retrospective you ask? First, the meeting is usually scheduled for an hour. The beginning of that hour can start a number of ways. For example, there is an ad-hoc method that has team members shout out, not literally, items that they feel deserve attention. Another way to start the meeting is to have the scrum master go around the table and ask each team member if they have any new points to bring up. Either way the voting on what to discuss takes place after everyone has spoken up about new items. Remember, unless this was the first sprint there should be items from the previous sprint retrospective too. Those items are also up for a vote to discuss this time around.
Once the team has chosen the items to discuss the meeting shifts into the heart of the exercise. Most teams use a start-stop-continue cadence when reflecting on each item. For example, each team member gives a statement like; I will stop doing x, start doing y, and continue doing z.
In conclusion, the sprint retrospective is a very important part of the sprint process. As simple as it is to implement, it can be very powerful and should not be skipped. “When done well, retrospectives are often the most beneficial ceremony a team practices. When done poorly, retrospectives can be wasteful and grueling to attend” (Microsoft, 2012).
References
Ambler, S. W., & Holitza¹, M. (2012). Agile For Dummies IBM Limited Edition. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Microsoft. (2012, July 1). Microsoft Developer Network. Retrieved from Effective Sprint Retrospectives: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/jj620912.aspx
Moreira, M. (2013, July 15). Agile Adoption Roadmap. Retrieved from What happens in the Retrospective stays in the Retrospective! : http://cmforagile.blogspot.com/2013/07/what-happens-in-retrospective-stays-in.html
Software, M. G. (2014, 7 13). Topics in Scrum. Retrieved from Sprint Retrospective: http://www.mountaingoatsoftware.com/agile/scrum/sprint-retrospective
Sutherland, J. (n.d.). Scrum Handbook.
Agile Image
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_YcmTnoiWR4/UeSBNUClBFI/AAAAAAAAAK4/urclDPS-SEI/s1600/What+happens+in+the+Retro.png
¹ Stat-stop-continue Image
http://www.glassbeadconsulting.com/what-will-you-stop-start-and-continue-in-2013/

• ¹This word is misspelled. Use a dictionary or spellchecker when you proofread your work.

There is no such thing as a perfect agile team. In agile, there is always a chance to improve. For example, professional athletes must practice in order to keep their skills in top shape. Agile teams also need to do the same thing. They need to exercise, just like professional athletes, but they do it via the sprint retrospective instead. We will discuss what a sprint retrospect is, when it takes place, why it is needed, who attends and how it should be conducted.
The sprint retrospective is “an opportunity for the scrum team to reflect on the past sprint's activities, including team dynamics, processes, tools and culture” (Moreira, 2013). The sprint retrospective occurs at the end of the sprint cycle. It involves the team inspecting itself to be better each time because it helps decent teams become awesome and awesome teams to stay awesome.
The main reason for the sprint retrospective is to maintain true agility because it is not achievable without it. The team's problem areas are usually exposed by analyzing the sprint backlog's burn-down report. Sometimes the issues were too small to have a significant enough impact to be seen in the report. When that happens, the team members themselves have to bring new items to the table. Unfortunately “this is a practice that some teams skip which is unacceptable, because self-organization requires the frequent reflection provided by the retrospective” (Sutherland).
The perceptions on who should attend the sprint retrospective can vary. According to Mario Moreira only the scrum master and the team members should attend. Other sources say to invite whoever is interested in attending. Moreira frowns on too many attendees in the sprint retrospective because it should be a place where the “team members must believe they can discuss problems knowing that anything said will stay in the room” (Moreira, 2013).
So what happens in the sprint retrospective you ask? First, the meeting is usually scheduled for an hour. The beginning of that hour can start a number of ways. For example, there is an ad-hoc method that has team members shout out, not literally, items that they feel deserve attention. Another way to start the meeting is to have the scrum master go around the table and ask each team member if they have any new points to bring up. Either way the voting on what to discuss takes place after everyone has spoken up about new items. Remember, unless this was the first sprint there should be items from the previous sprint retrospective too. Those items are also up for a vote to discuss this time around.
Once the team has chosen the items to discuss the meeting shifts into the heart of the exercise. Most teams use a start-stop-continue cadence when reflecting on each item. For example, each team member gives a statement like; I will stop doing x, start doing y, and continue doing z.
In conclusion, the sprint retrospective is a very important part of the sprint process. As simple as it is to implement, it can be very powerful and should not be skipped. “When done well, retrospectives are often the most beneficial ceremony a team practices. When done poorly, retrospectives can be wasteful and grueling to attend” (Microsoft, 2012).
References
Ambler, S. W., & Holitza, M. (2012). Agile For Dummies IBM Limited Edition. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Microsoft. (2012, July 1).¹ Microsoft Developer Network. Retrieved from Effective Sprint Retrospectives: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/jj620912.aspx
Moreira, M. (2013, July 15). Agile Adoption Roadmap. Retrieved from What happens in the Retrospective stays in the Retrospective! : http://cmforagile.blogspot.com/2013/07/what-happens-in-retrospective-stays-in.html
Software, M. G. (2014, 7 13).¹ Topics in Scrum. Retrieved from Sprint Retrospective: http://www.mountaingoatsoftware.com/agile/scrum/sprint-retrospective
Sutherland, J. (n.d.). Scrum Handbook.
Agile Image
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_YcmTnoiWR4/UeSBNUClBFI/AAAAAAAAAK4/urclDPS-SEI/s1600/What+happens+in+the+Retro.png
Stat-stop-continue Image
http://www.glassbeadconsulting.com/what-will-you-stop-start-and-continue-in-2013/

• ¹Remember to capitalize the first word of each sentence.

There is no such thing as a perfect agile team. In agile, there is always a chance to improve. For example, professional athletes must practice in order to keep their skills in top shape. Agile teams also need to do the same thing. They need to exercise, just like professional athletes, but they do it via the sprint retrospective instead. We will discuss what a sprint retrospect is, when it takes place, why it is needed, who attends and how it should be conducted.
The sprint retrospective is “an opportunity for the scrum team to reflect on the past sprint's activities, including team dynamics, processes, tools and culture” (Moreira, 2013). The sprint retrospective occurs at the end of the sprint cycle. It involves the team inspecting itself to be better each time because it helps decent teams become awesome and awesome teams to stay awesome.
The main reason for the sprint retrospective is to maintain true agility because it is not achievable without it. The team's problem areas are usually exposed by analyzing the sprint backlog's burn-down report. Sometimes the issues were too small to have a significant enough impact to be seen in the report. When that happens, the team members themselves have to bring new items to the table. Unfortunately¹ “this is a practice that some teams skip which is unacceptable, because self-organization requires the frequent reflection provided by the retrospective” (Sutherland).
The perceptions on who should attend the sprint retrospective can vary. According to Mario Moreira only the scrum master and the team members should attend. Other sources say to invite whoever is interested in attending. Moreira frowns on too many attendees in the sprint retrospective because it should be a place where the “team members must believe they can discuss problems knowing that anything said will stay in the room” (Moreira, 2013).
So what happens in the sprint retrospective you ask? First, the meeting is usually scheduled for an hour. The beginning of that hour can start a number of ways. For example, there is an ad-hoc method that has team members shout out, not literally, items that they feel deserve attention. Another way to start the meeting is to have the scrum master go around the table and ask each team member if they have any new points to bring up. Either way the voting on what to discuss takes place after everyone has spoken up about new items. Remember, unless this was the first sprint there should be items from the previous sprint retrospective too. Those items are also up for a vote to discuss this time around.
Once the team has chosen the items to discuss the meeting shifts into the heart of the exercise. Most teams use a start-stop-continue cadence when reflecting on each item. For example, each team member gives a statement like; I will stop doing x, start doing y, and continue doing z.
In conclusion, the sprint retrospective is a very important part of the sprint process. As simple as it is to implement, it can be very powerful and should not be skipped. “When done well, retrospectives are often the most beneficial ceremony a team practices. When done poorly, retrospectives can be wasteful and grueling to attend” (Microsoft, 2012).
References
Ambler, S. W., & Holitza, M. (2012). Agile For Dummies IBM Limited Edition. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Microsoft. (2012, July 1). Microsoft Developer Network. Retrieved from Effective Sprint Retrospectives: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/jj620912.aspx
Moreira, M. (2013, July 15). Agile Adoption Roadmap. Retrieved from What happens in the Retrospective stays in the Retrospective! : http://cmforagile.blogspot.com/2013/07/what-happens-in-retrospective-stays-in.html
Software, M. G. (2014, 7 13). Topics in Scrum. Retrieved from Sprint Retrospective: http://www.mountaingoatsoftware.com/agile/scrum/sprint-retrospective
Sutherland, J. (n.d.). Scrum Handbook.
Agile Image
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_YcmTnoiWR4/UeSBNUClBFI/AAAAAAAAAK4/urclDPS-SEI/s1600/What+happens+in+the+Retro.png
Stat-stop-continue Image
http://www.glassbeadconsulting.com/what-will-you-stop-start-and-continue-in-2013/

• ¹You may need to place a comma after this word.

There is no such thing as a perfect agile team. In agile, there is always a chance to improve. For example, professional athletes must practice in order to keep their skills in top shape. Agile teams also need to do the same thing. They need to exercise, just like professional athletes, but they do it via the sprint retrospective instead. We will discuss what a sprint retrospect is, when it takes place, why it is needed, who attends and how it should be conducted.
The sprint retrospective is “an opportunity for the scrum team to reflect on the past sprint's activities, including team dynamics, processes, tools and culture” (Moreira, 2013). The sprint retrospective occurs at the end of the sprint cycle. It involves the team inspecting itself to be better each time because it helps decent teams become awesome and awesome teams to stay awesome.
The main reason for the sprint retrospective is to maintain true agility because it is not achievable without it. The team's problem areas are usually exposed by analyzing the sprint backlog's burn-down report. Sometimes the issues were too small to have a significant enough impact to be seen in the report. When that happens, the team members themselves have to bring new items to the table. Unfortunately “this is a practice that some teams skip which is unacceptable, ¹because self-organization requires the frequent reflection provided by the retrospective” (Sutherland).
The perceptions on who should attend the sprint retrospective can vary. According to Mario Moreira only the scrum master and the team members should attend. Other sources say to invite whoever is interested in attending. Moreira frowns on too many attendees in the sprint retrospective because it should be a place where the “team members must believe they can discuss problems knowing that anything said will stay in the room” (Moreira, 2013).
So what happens in the sprint retrospective you ask? First, the meeting is usually scheduled for an hour. The beginning of that hour can start a number of ways. For example, there is an ad-hoc method that has team members shout out, not literally, items that they feel deserve attention. Another way to start the meeting is to have the scrum master go around the table and ask each team member if they have any new points to bring up. Either way the voting on what to discuss takes place after everyone has spoken up about new items. Remember, unless this was the first sprint there should be items from the previous sprint retrospective too. Those items are also up for a vote to discuss this time around.
Once the team has chosen the items to discuss the meeting shifts into the heart of the exercise. Most teams use a start-stop-continue cadence when reflecting on each item. For example, each team member gives a statement like; I will stop doing x, start doing y, and continue doing z.
In conclusion, the sprint retrospective is a very important part of the sprint process. As simple as it is to implement, it can be very powerful and should not be skipped. “When done well, retrospectives are often the most beneficial ceremony a team practices. When done poorly, retrospectives can be wasteful and grueling to attend” (Microsoft, 2012).
References
Ambler, S. W., & Holitza, M. (2012). Agile For Dummies IBM Limited Edition. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Microsoft. (2012, July 1). Microsoft Developer Network. Retrieved from Effective Sprint Retrospectives: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/jj620912.aspx
Moreira, M. (2013, July 15). Agile Adoption Roadmap. Retrieved from What happens in the Retrospective stays in the Retrospective! : http://cmforagile.blogspot.com/2013/07/what-happens-in-retrospective-stays-in.html
Software, M. G. (2014, 7 13). Topics in Scrum. Retrieved from Sprint Retrospective: http://www.mountaingoatsoftware.com/agile/scrum/sprint-retrospective
Sutherland, J. (n.d.). Scrum Handbook.
Agile Image
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_YcmTnoiWR4/UeSBNUClBFI/AAAAAAAAAK4/urclDPS-SEI/s1600/What+happens+in+the+Retro.png
Stat-stop-continue Image
http://www.glassbeadconsulting.com/what-will-you-stop-start-and-continue-in-2013/

• ¹You may need to remove this comma.

There is no such thing as a perfect agile team¹. In agile, there is always a chance to improve. For example, professional athletes must practice in order to keep their skills in top shape. Agile teams¹ also need to do the same thing. They need to exercise, just like professional athletes, but they do it via the sprint¹ retrospective instead. We will discuss what a sprint¹ retrospect is, when it takes place, why it is needed, who attends and how it should be conducted.
The sprint¹ retrospective is “an opportunity for the scrum team¹ to reflect on the past sprint's¹ activities, including team¹ dynamics, processes, tools and culture” (Moreira, 2013). The sprint¹ retrospective occurs at the end of the sprint¹ cycle. It involves the team¹ inspecting itself to be better each time because it helps decent teams¹ become awesome and awesome teams¹ to stay awesome.
The main reason for the sprint¹ retrospective is to maintain true agility because it is not achievable without it. The team's¹ problem areas are usually exposed by analyzing the sprint¹ backlog's burn-down report. Sometimes the issues were too small to have a significant enough impact to be seen in the report. When that happens, the team¹ members themselves have to bring new items to the table. Unfortunately “this is a practice that some teams¹ skip which is unacceptable, because self-organization requires the frequent reflection provided by the retrospective” (Sutherland).
The perceptions on who should attend the sprint¹ retrospective can vary. According to Mario Moreira only the scrum master and the team¹ members should attend. Other sources say to invite whoever is interested in attending. Moreira frowns on too many attendees in the sprint¹ retrospective because it should be a place where the “team¹ members must believe they can discuss problems knowing that anything said will stay in the room” (Moreira, 2013).
So what happens in the sprint¹ retrospective you ask? First, the meeting is usually scheduled for an hour. The beginning of that hour can start a number of ways. For example, there is an ad-hoc method that has team¹ members shout out, not literally, items that they feel deserve attention. Another way to start the meeting is to have the scrum master go around the table and ask each team¹ member if they have any new points to bring up. Either way the voting on what to discuss takes place after everyone has spoken up about new items. Remember, unless this was the first sprint¹ there should be items from the previous sprint¹ retrospective too. Those items are also up for a vote to discuss this time around.
Once the team¹ has chosen the items to discuss the meeting shifts into the heart of the exercise. Most teams¹ use a start-stop-continue cadence when reflecting on each item. For example, each team¹ member gives a statement like; I will stop doing x, start doing y, and continue doing z.
In conclusion, the sprint¹ retrospective is a very important part of the sprint¹ process. As simple as it is to implement, it can be very powerful and should not be skipped. “When done well, retrospectives are often the most beneficial ceremony a team¹ practices. When done poorly, retrospectives can be wasteful and grueling to attend” (Microsoft, 2012).
References
Ambler, S. W., & Holitza, M. (2012). Agile For Dummies IBM Limited Edition. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Microsoft. (2012, July 1). Microsoft Developer Network. Retrieved from Effective Sprint¹ Retrospectives: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/jj620912.aspx
Moreira, M. (2013, July 15). Agile Adoption Roadmap. Retrieved from What happens in the Retrospective stays in the Retrospective! : http://cmforagile.blogspot.com/2013/07/what-happens-in-retrospective-stays-in.html
Software, M. G. (2014, 7 13). Topics in Scrum. Retrieved from Sprint¹ Retrospective: http://www.mountaingoatsoftware.com/agile/scrum/sprint-retrospective
Sutherland, J. (n.d.). Scrum Handbook.
Agile Image
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_YcmTnoiWR4/UeSBNUClBFI/AAAAAAAAAK4/urclDPS-SEI/s1600/What+happens+in+the+Retro.png
Stat-stop-continue Image
http://www.glassbeadconsulting.com/what-will-you-stop-start-and-continue-in-2013/

• ¹You have repeated these words several times in your essay. Your essay will be stronger if you vary your word choice and substitute some other words instead. Ask your instructor for advice.

There is no such thing as a perfect agile team. In agile, there is always a chance to improve. For example, professional athletes must practice in order to keep their skills in top shape. Agile teams also need to do the same thing. They need to exercise, just like professional athletes, but they do it via the sprint retrospective instead. We will discuss what a sprint retrospect is, when it takes place, why it is needed, who attends and how it should be conducted.
The sprint retrospective is “an opportunity for the scrum team to reflect on the past sprint's activities, including team dynamics, processes, tools and culture” (Moreira, 2013). The sprint retrospective occurs at the end of the sprint cycle. It involves the team inspecting itself to be better each time because it helps decent teams become awesome and awesome teams to stay awesome.
The main reason for the sprint retrospective is to maintain true agility because it is not achievable without it. The team's problem areas are usually exposed by analyzing the sprint backlog's burn-down report. Sometimes the issues were too small to have a significant enough impact to be seen in the report. When that happens, the team members themselves have to bring new items to the table. Unfortunately “this is a practice that some teams skip which is unacceptable, because self-organization requires the frequent reflection provided by the retrospective” (Sutherland).
The perceptions on who should attend the sprint retrospective can vary. According to Mario Moreira only the scrum master and the team members should attend. Other sources say to invite whoever is interested in attending. Moreira frowns on too many attendees in the sprint retrospective because it should be a place where the “team members must believe they can discuss problems knowing that anything said will stay in the room” (Moreira, 2013).
So what happens in the sprint retrospective you ask? First, the meeting is usually scheduled for an hour. The beginning of that hour can start a number of ways. For example, there is an ad-hoc method that has team members shout out, not literally, items that they feel deserve attention. Another way to start the meeting is to have the scrum master go around the table and ask each team member if they have any new points to bring up. Either way the voting on what to discuss takes place after everyone has spoken up about new items. Remember, unless this was the first sprint there should be items from the previous sprint retrospective too. Those items are also up for a vote to discuss this time around.
Once the team has chosen the items to discuss the meeting shifts into the heart of the exercise. Most teams use a start-stop-continue cadence when reflecting on each item. For example, each team member gives a statement like; I will stop doing x, start doing y, and continue doing z.
In conclusion, the sprint retrospective is a very important part of the sprint process. As simple as it is to implement, it can be very powerful and should not be skipped. “When done well, retrospectives are often the most beneficial ceremony a team practices. When done poorly, retrospectives can be wasteful and grueling to attend” (Microsoft, 2012).
References
Ambler, S. W., & Holitza, M. (2012).¹ Agile For Dummies IBM Limited Edition.¹ Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
¹ Microsoft.¹ (2012, July 1).¹ Microsoft Developer Network.¹ Retrieved from Effective Sprint Retrospectives: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/jj620912.aspx
Moreira, M. (2013, July 15). Agile Adoption Roadmap.¹ Retrieved from What happens in the Retrospective stays in the Retrospective! : http://cmforagile.blogspot.com/2013/07/what-happens-in-retrospective-stays-in.html
Software, M. G. (2014, 7 13).¹ Topics in Scrum.¹ Retrieved from Sprint Retrospective: http://www.mountaingoatsoftware.com/agile/scrum/sprint-retrospective
Sutherland, J. (n.d.). Scrum Handbook.¹
Agile Image
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Stat-stop-continue Image
http://www.glassbeadconsulting.com/what-will-you-stop-start-and-continue-in-2013/

• ¹You have many short sentences in this essay. You can often improve your sentence structure by combining sentences.

There is no such thing as a perfect agile team. In agile, there is always a chance to improve. For example, professional athletes must practice in order to keep their skills in top shape. Agile teams also need to do the same thing. They need to exercise, just like professional athletes, but they do it via the sprint retrospective instead. We will discuss what a sprint retrospect is, when it takes place, why it is needed, who attends and how it should be conducted.
The sprint retrospective is “an opportunity for the scrum team to reflect on the past sprint's activities, including team dynamics, processes, tools and culture” (Moreira, 2013). The sprint retrospective occurs at the end of the sprint cycle. It involves the team inspecting itself to be better each time because it helps decent teams become awesome and awesome teams to stay awesome.
The main reason for the sprint retrospective is to maintain true agility because it is not achievable without it. The team's problem areas are usually exposed by analyzing the sprint backlog's burn-down report.¹ Sometimes the issues were too small to have a significant enough impact to be seen in the report. When that happens, the team members themselves have to bring new items to the table. Unfortunately “this is a practice that some teams skip which is unacceptable, because self-organization requires the frequent reflection provided by the retrospective” (Sutherland).
The perceptions on who should attend the sprint retrospective can vary. According to Mario Moreira only the scrum master and the team members should attend. Other sources say to invite whoever is interested in attending. Moreira frowns on too many attendees in the sprint retrospective because it should be a place where the “team members must believe they can discuss problems knowing that anything said will stay in the room” (Moreira, 2013).
So what happens in the sprint retrospective you ask? First, the meeting is usually scheduled for an hour. The beginning of that hour can start a number of ways. For example, there is an ad-hoc method that has team members shout out, not literally, items that they feel deserve attention. Another way to start the meeting is to have the scrum master go around the table and ask each team member if they have any new points to bring up. Either way the voting on what to discuss takes place after everyone has spoken up about new items. Remember, unless this was the first sprint there should be items from the previous sprint retrospective too. Those items are also up for a vote to discuss this time around.
Once the team has chosen the items to discuss the meeting shifts into the heart of the exercise. Most teams use a start-stop-continue cadence when reflecting on each item. For example, each team member gives a statement like; I will stop doing x, start doing y, and continue doing z.
In conclusion, the sprint retrospective is a very important part of the sprint process. As simple as it is to implement, it can be very powerful and should not be skipped. “When done well, retrospectives are often the most beneficial ceremony a team practices. When done poorly, retrospectives can be wasteful and grueling to attend” (Microsoft, 2012).
References
Ambler, S. W., & Holitza, M. (2012). Agile For Dummies IBM Limited Edition. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Microsoft. (2012, July 1). Microsoft Developer Network. Retrieved from Effective Sprint Retrospectives: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/jj620912.aspx
Moreira, M. (2013, July 15). Agile Adoption Roadmap. Retrieved from What happens in the Retrospective stays in the Retrospective! : http://cmforagile.blogspot.com/2013/07/what-happens-in-retrospective-stays-in.html
Software, M. G. (2014, 7 13). Topics in Scrum. Retrieved from Sprint Retrospective: http://www.mountaingoatsoftware.com/agile/scrum/sprint-retrospective
Sutherland, J. (n.d.). Scrum Handbook.
Agile Image
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_YcmTnoiWR4/UeSBNUClBFI/AAAAAAAAAK4/urclDPS-SEI/s1600/What+happens+in+the+Retro.png
Stat-stop-continue Image
http://www.glassbeadconsulting.com/what-will-you-stop-start-and-continue-in-2013/

• ¹You have used the passive voice in this sentence. Depending upon what you wish to emphasize in the sentence, you may want to revise it using the active voice.