Your stakeholders are disengaged from Agile retrospectives. How can you reignite their participation?

Ever feel like your Agile retrospectives are as exciting as watching paint dry? Yep, been there. Here's the thing: engagement doesn’t happen by accident — it takes effort. I’ve tried everything from pizza bribes (effective but not sustainable) to letting team members lead the sessions (way more fun for everyone). The key? Keep it fresh. Change up the format. Throw in a curveball question. Make people laugh. And for the love of all things sticky notes, don't turn it into a lecture. Remember: people engage when they feel heard, not just when they’re asked to speak. 🙌 What’s worked for you? 🧐

In my last position as a Journey Owner of an agile team, I noticed that not all stakeholders were equally dedicated during reviews and ceremonies. It was relatively easy to mobilize the disengaged ones because agile teams often create and test solutions in areas that should be responsible for delivering them. By connecting the agile team with the responsible areas, we facilitated exchanges and encouraged future OKRs to focus on disengaged or under-structured areas. This approach increased the agile team’s relevance, and all areas naturally became involved. Ultimately, everyone wants to be part of a successful project.

Reigniting Stakeholder Participation in Agile Retrospectives To re-engage stakeholders in Agile retrospectives: 💬 Clarify the Value: Show how retrospectives drive continuous improvement and impact project success directly. 🛠 Invite Collaboration: Involve stakeholders in setting agendas and encourage open feedback to create a sense of ownership. 🎯 Focus on Actionable Outcomes: Highlight how suggestions lead to real changes, keeping the process meaningful. 📊 Visualize Progress: Use clear data or reports to demonstrate progress from previous retrospectives, reinforcing their importance. Reinvigorating participation starts with making retrospectives feel impactful! #Agile #StakeholderEngagement #ContinuousImprovement

Para aumentar a participação nas retrospectivas ágeis na área de engenharia, podemos utilizar algumas "ferramentas": Diversificar a Facilitação: Envolva diferentes membros da equipe e partes interessadas na condução das reuniões. Usar Formatos Interativos: Introduza dinâmicas e gamificação para tornar as sessões mais envolventes e motivadoras. Tive a oportunidade em uma das minhas experiencias profissionais na qual toda sexta feira era realizado um café da manha com todos os departamentos, aproximando os colaboradores, havendo assim uma troca de experiencia entendimento de tarefas globais com comunicação mais assertiva e visão de que todos vestem a mesma camisa da empresa

it's crucial to emphasize the value of retrospectives by demonstrating how they directly impact project outcomes and team success. Engage stakeholders by aligning their goals with the team's objectives, showing tangible improvements from past retrospectives. Encourage open dialogue, and ensure action items are followed up on to build trust in the process. Additionally, consider varying the format to keep discussions fresh and relevant.