Retrospectives and continuous improvement

Retrospectives in Scrum close each sprint by reflecting on what went well, what didn't, and what to improve. This ceremony creates psychological safety where teams can discuss challenges openly without blame. Effective retrospectives lead to concrete action items that teams implement in subsequent sprints.

There are different ways to run retrospectives. One method is Start-Stop-Continue, where the team lists things to start doing, stop doing, and continue doing. Another method is the Sailboat exercise, where the team identifies what helps them move forward (winds) and what slows them down (anchors). Using different formats keeps meetings fresh and helps the team notice new issues or opportunities for improvement.

Continuous improvement requires tracking action items and measuring their impact. Teams should limit improvements to one or two per sprint to ensure follow-through. Regular retrospectives compound small improvements into significant transformations over time.