Roleplay Scenario
Scenario Overview
After the last sprint retrospective, you noticed some feedback was a bit too broad to act on effectively. Comments like "We should communicate better" or "We need to improve efficiency" came up. Your task is to lead a follow-up session to clarify this feedback and turn it into specific, actionable items that the team can implement in the upcoming sprint.
Roles & Setup
Role A – Scrum Master (You)
You’re facilitating the follow-up meeting and want to help the team derive meaningful action items from the vague feedback.
Your goal: Guide the team in articulating clear, actionable improvements.
Role B – Team Member
You provided some of the vague feedback during the retro.
Your goal: Help clarify your feedback and contribute to developing actionable solutions.
Role C – Team Member (Optional)
You’re observing and may have additional feedback to contribute.
Your goal: Provide insights and help refine action items.
Suggested Openers
Scrum Master:
- “Thanks for joining. I noticed some feedback from our last retro could use more clarity. Let’s see if we can turn these into specific actions for the next sprint.”
- “I’d like us to revisit the feedback from our retro. How can we break down ‘better communication’ into specific actions?”
Team Member:
- “Sure, I mentioned we need better communication. Maybe starting with more regular check-ins could help?”
- “When I said we need to be more efficient, I was thinking about how we handle our code reviews.”
Sample Roleplay in Action
Scrum Master:
“Thanks for coming together. In our last retro, we noted areas for improvement, like ‘better communication.’ Let’s figure out what specific actions we can take to fix this.”
Team Member:
“I think having a brief daily check-in could help us stay aligned and address any blockers sooner.”
Scrum Master:
“That’s a great start. How would you structure these check-ins to keep them short and effective?”
Team Member:
“We could aim for 10-minute standups focused only on blockers and critical updates.”
Scrum Master:
“Perfect. Let’s try implementing daily 10-minute standups next sprint. Now, regarding efficiency, what specific areas should we focus on?”
Team Member:
“Our code reviews sometimes delay progress. We could aim for reviewers to give feedback within 48 hours, using a checklist to ensure thoroughness.”
Scrum Master:
“Good idea. Let’s create a draft checklist for reviews and set the 48-hour feedback goal. We’ll review its effectiveness in the next retro.”
Team Member:
“I’ll start drafting the checklist and get feedback from the team.”
Scrum Master:
“Great. I’ll document these action items and share them with the team. Let’s revisit their impact at the end of the next sprint.”
Post-Scenario Tools
Curveball Mode (Optional)
Introduce one of these mid-roleplay to test adaptability:
- A team member disagrees with the proposed action, suggesting a different approach.
- New, unexpected feedback emerges during the discussion.
- The team struggles to reach consensus on what action to take.
Reflection Checklist
As the Scrum Master:
- Did you guide the discussion toward clarity and specificity?
- Did you ensure everyone’s voice was heard?
- Did you document clear, actionable steps?
As a Team Member:
- Did you provide specific examples to clarify feedback?
- Did you collaborate constructively with others?
- Did you stay open to different perspectives?
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Settling for vague actions instead of specifics
- Allowing one voice to dominate the discussion
- Failing to revisit action items to assess their impact
Pro Tip
Encourage team members to break down broad feedback into specific, achievable actions. This not only makes improvements more tangible but also increases accountability and engagement.