The Sprint Retrospective

The final step in completing a sprint within the Agile process is the Sprint Retrospective.  The Retrospective marks the completion of the sprint and clears the way for the next sprint to begin.

Typically, the event is led by the by Scrum Master and attendance is required for all team members and the Product Owner.  If the sprint was a month in length, then the meeting is about two-three hours in length.  If the sprint was a shorter, one-to-two week in length, then the meeting is about an hour in length.

Sprint Review vs. Retrospective

First thing’s first, let’s clear up the difference between a Sprint Review and a Sprint Retrospective.  The Sprint Review, if you’ll recall from our previous blog, is conducted once all items in the sprint have been completed, but is held before the sprint is considered closed.  The Product Owner is in attendance is gives approval that all items have been completed based on the intended requirements.  Any items not considered ‘complete’ or ‘approved’ will either cause the sprint to be extended or will be put into the next, upcoming sprint.

The Sprint Retrospective, on the other hand, marks the completion of the sprint and is held after the Sprint Review.  During this event, the focus isn’t on the accuracy or completion of the tasks within the sprint, but rather on the performance of the team during the sprint.

Recommended Further Reading

The following materials may assist you in order to get the most out of this course: