Date: Friday, February 7, 2025

1. Introduction

This retrospective focused on evaluating Sprint 1, with an emphasis on improving meeting efficiency, communication, and collaboration. The team discussed challenges with multiple bot notetakers, adherence to meeting agendas, and the effectiveness of client meetings. Key insights and action items were established for future improvements.

2. What Went Well

• Collaboration & Teamwork:
  • Strong teamwork and recognition through the "You Rock" icebreaker.
  • Effective collaboration between Design, Research, and PM teams.
  • Vocal participation and engagement in meetings.
• Meeting Efficiency & Agendas:
  • Meeting agendas were useful for time management (noted by Yihyoung).
  • Structured sprint planning contributed to better alignment.
  • The organized calendar managed by Spencer helped with scheduling.
• Process & Documentation Improvements:
  • The PM team’s refined working agreement was well-received and considered a potential template for other teams.
  • Positive feedback on the recent demo and design review process.
  • The Conference Room is developing an overview of the project charter detailing each member’s role for better clarity.

3. What Didn’t Go Well

• Meeting Challenges & Note-Taking Issues:
  • Too many bot notetakers led to confusion and excessive notifications.
  • A notetaker bot made decisions on behalf of participants, creating concern.
  • Agreement to limit notetaking bots to one per meeting.
• Client Meeting Effectiveness & Preparation:
  • The recent PRD meeting lacked clear expectations and preparation.
  • Communication was suboptimal, with unclear roles and contributions.
  • Rachel suggested mini-meetings before client calls to ensure alignment.
• Time Management & Meeting Structure:
  • Some meetings ran over due to lack of adherence to agendas.
  • Suggested implementing time limits for agenda items.
  • Need for a facilitator to keep discussions on track.
  • Gelon proposed a "parking lot" for off-topic discussions.
• Cross-Team Communication & Strategy:
  • Challenges in maintaining clear and efficient communication.
  • Need for better coordination among scrum leaders before sprint planning.
  • Some team members expressed difficulty keeping up with multiple communication channels.

4. Action Items

• Meeting & Note-Taking Adjustments:
  • Amir: Limit notetaking bots to one per meeting to avoid confusion.
  • Alexi: Rotate facilitators for meetings to improve engagement and time management.
  • Alexi: Implement a "parking lot" system for off-topic discussions.
• Improving Meeting Structure & Efficiency:
  • Alexi and Danni: Set time limits for agenda items to ensure meetings stay on track.
  • Rachel: Ensure mini-prep meetings before client calls to align team expectations.
  • Spencer: Have a designated facilitator for meetings to keep discussions focused.
• Communication & Coordination Enhancements:
  • Amir Panahi will share the All Hands meeting link with the team for better coordination.
  • Spencer Fong will facilitate the next icebreaker to maintain team engagement.
  • Conference Room will finalize the project charter overview to clarify each team member’s role.
  • Use the PM team’s working agreement as a template for other teams (Amir Panahi).
• Sprint Planning & Roadmap Alignment:
  • Scrum leaders will prepare actionable items before the next sprint planning (Alexi King & Strategy team).
  • Phillip Lee will review the project roadmap to ensure alignment with team objectives.