# A retrospective that actually changes something

> A process map exported from forks.world (https://forks.world). Author: Brian. Source: https://forks.world/p/cmv0kq5gq002wjv06e0leprcp
> It describes who does what, in what order, and with which technology. Read the plain-language sections first; the JSON at the end is the exact, complete data.

## Summary

- 13 steps across 1 layer
- Persona: Facilitator, The team
- Technology / systems: The action board

## Pain points

Where this process hurts, worst first:

- **At the next retro: was the action done?** (A retrospective that actually changes something; painful): Retros fail when the actions are never checked

## How to read this file

- A process is made of **layers**. The main layer is the top level; any step of kind `subprocess` opens a detail layer with its own lanes and steps.
- **Lanes** are either persona (people/roles) or technology (systems). Each step belongs to one lane; `using` lists tools a person uses for that step.
- Step kinds: `start`, `task`, `decision` (its arrows carry the answer as a label), `subprocess`, `end`.

## A retrospective that actually changes something

Lanes:
- Facilitator: person / role (id `facil`)
- The team: person / role (id `team`)
- The action board: technology / system (id `board`)

Steps, in the order they run:

1. **Set the stage: a safe space and one hour** [start; Facilitator; id `r1`]
   - then Gather the data: what happened this sprint?
2. **Gather the data: what happened this sprint?** [task; The team; id `r2`]
   - then What went well?
3. **What went well?** [task; The team; id `r3`]
   - then What did not?
4. **What did not?** [task; The team; id `r4`]
   - then Group the themes and vote on one
5. **Group the themes and vote on one** [task; The team; id `r5`]
   - then Ask why, and find the root cause
6. **Ask why, and find the root cause** [task; The team; id `r6`]
   - then Pick one concrete action with an owner and a date
7. **Pick one concrete action with an owner and a date** [task; The team; id `r7`]
   - then Put it on the board
8. **Put it on the board** [task; The action board; id `r8`]
   - then At the next retro: was the action done?
9. **At the next retro: was the action done?** [decision; Facilitator; id `r9`] ⚠ PAIN POINT (painful): Retros fail when the actions are never checked
   - if "Yes" go to Did it help?; if "No" go to Why not? A smaller action, or more support
10. **Did it help?** [decision; The team; id `r10`]
   - if "Yes" go to Keep it as a habit; if "No" go to Try something else
11. **Keep it as a habit** [end; The team; id `r12`]
12. **Try something else** [task; The team; id `r13`]
   - then Pick one concrete action with an owner and a date
13. **Why not? A smaller action, or more support** [task; The team; id `r11`]
   - then Pick one concrete action with an owner and a date

```mermaid
flowchart LR
  subgraph l_facil["Facilitator"]
    n_r1(["Set the stage: a safe space and one hour"])
    n_r9{"At the next retro: was the action done?"}
  end
  subgraph l_team["The team"]
    n_r2["Gather the data: what happened this sprint?"]
    n_r3["What went well?"]
    n_r4["What did not?"]
    n_r5["Group the themes and vote on one"]
    n_r6["Ask why, and find the root cause"]
    n_r7["Pick one concrete action with an owner and a date"]
    n_r11["Why not? A smaller action, or more support"]
    n_r10{"Did it help?"}
    n_r13["Try something else"]
    n_r12(["Keep it as a habit"])
  end
  subgraph l_board["The action board"]
    n_r8["Put it on the board"]
  end
  n_r1 --> n_r2
  n_r2 --> n_r3
  n_r3 --> n_r4
  n_r4 --> n_r5
  n_r5 --> n_r6
  n_r6 --> n_r7
  n_r7 --> n_r8
  n_r8 --> n_r9
  n_r9 -->|"Yes"| n_r10
  n_r9 -->|"No"| n_r11
  n_r11 --> n_r7
  n_r10 -->|"Yes"| n_r12
  n_r10 -->|"No"| n_r13
  n_r13 --> n_r7
```

## Full data (JSON)

```json
{
  "title": "A retrospective that actually changes something",
  "maps": {
    "m_root": {
      "id": "m_root",
      "lanes": [
        {
          "id": "facil",
          "name": "Facilitator",
          "type": "person"
        },
        {
          "id": "team",
          "name": "The team",
          "type": "person"
        },
        {
          "id": "board",
          "name": "The action board",
          "type": "system"
        }
      ],
      "steps": [
        {
          "id": "r1",
          "kind": "start",
          "lane": "facil",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "r2"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Set the stage: a safe space and one hour"
        },
        {
          "id": "r2",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "team",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "r3"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Gather the data: what happened this sprint?"
        },
        {
          "id": "r3",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "team",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "r4"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "What went well?"
        },
        {
          "id": "r4",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "team",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "r5"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "What did not?"
        },
        {
          "id": "r5",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "team",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "r6"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Group the themes and vote on one"
        },
        {
          "id": "r6",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "team",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "r7"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Ask why, and find the root cause"
        },
        {
          "id": "r7",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "team",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "r8"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Pick one concrete action with an owner and a date"
        },
        {
          "id": "r8",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "board",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "r9"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Put it on the board"
        },
        {
          "id": "r9",
          "kind": "decision",
          "lane": "facil",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "r10",
              "label": "Yes"
            },
            {
              "to": "r11",
              "label": "No"
            }
          ],
          "pain": {
            "note": "Retros fail when the actions are never checked",
            "level": 2
          },
          "uses": [],
          "label": "At the next retro: was the action done?"
        },
        {
          "id": "r11",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "team",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "r7"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Why not? A smaller action, or more support"
        },
        {
          "id": "r10",
          "kind": "decision",
          "lane": "team",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "r12",
              "label": "Yes"
            },
            {
              "to": "r13",
              "label": "No"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Did it help?"
        },
        {
          "id": "r13",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "team",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "r7"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Try something else"
        },
        {
          "id": "r12",
          "kind": "end",
          "lane": "team",
          "next": [],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Keep it as a habit"
        }
      ],
      "title": "A retrospective that actually changes something",
      "parent": null
    }
  }
}
```