PMO Standard | How to Perform a Project Retrospective

We do not learn from experience, we learn from reflecting on experience. - John Dewey

​A project retrospective is a process recommended during the project closure for post-project review. It's a dedicated time for the project team and stakeholders to discuss what went well, what didn't and any lessons learned to improve in the future. 

The meeting should be scheduled right after the project's completion. During the retrospective meeting, the discussion needs to focus on what went well, what didn't and any lessons learned to improve in the future. The project manager can start by reminding everyone of the purpose and benefits of the project. Requesting business users to demonstrate the result is usually robust and motivating. Then, demand the project team to look backward and contemplate the events leading to the outcome. The team can identify the significant events and analyze the events' root causes. The review should further revisit the risks and issues which can be used to update the organization's risk register for future guidance. Going through the project plan, where the significant events are recorded and highlighted at the beginning of the meeting, usually is effective. With this preparation, the discussion can then focus on what worked well and what didn't and look for improvements to help the team do better in the future. An example plan is: 

• Explain the format (5 Min) 
• Recap the Project (10 Min) 
• Team Discussion (40 Min) 
• Wrap Up (5 min) 

Running a retrospective successfully-the facilitator needs make sure participants are actively engaged to help the team stay honest, open to sharing opinions, and focus on the facts. ​

​Using the @kanban board in a Quip document has been proven effective in facilitating the discussion, where the team members can easily add new cards for feedback, vote for the result, or add thoughts using the comments. ​​

​"Nobody looks at the feedback! " You would avoid this impression for your project management practice. It's essential to add the feedback review to your retrospective process, where the project manager and development managers sit down to review the feedback and decide the necessary follow-ups. Send an email to the team to update the review result. With this, the team is more motivated to participate next time, and the retrospective efforts can lead to a real impact.

References 

1. https://www.funretrospectives.com ​- designed activities for retrospectives. 
2. www.retrium.com - software for online engagement 
3. How to Lead a Successful Project Retrospective Meeting (2019 Update)