Retrospective Formats & Anti-Patterns Flashcards
7 cards from real CST practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Retrospective Formats & Anti-Patterns flashcards as text
A team's retrospective consistently ends without any agreed improvement action. What is the most likely systemic cause?
Answer: The team lacks psychological safety to commit to changes
Without psychological safety, team members avoid committing to changes that might imply criticism of past behavior, leaving retrospectives action-free.
Which retrospective format asks each participant to write one word that describes the Sprint before any discussion begins?
Answer: One Word Retrospective
The One Word Retrospective is a lightweight opener that surfaces diverse emotional snapshots quickly before deeper structured discussion.
The 'ESVP' check-in activity at the start of a retrospective asks participants to self-identify as which four types?
Answer: Explorer, Shopper, Vacationer, Prisoner
ESVP stands for Explorer, Shopper, Vacationer, and Prisoner — archetypes that reveal participants' engagement levels and help the facilitator adapt the session.
Which scenario best illustrates the 'groundhog day' retrospective anti-pattern?
Answer: The same problems appear on the retrospective board Sprint after Sprint with no resolution
The 'groundhog day' anti-pattern describes a cycle where the same issues recur each Sprint because root causes are never genuinely addressed.
When should a Scrum Master consider using a structured root cause analysis technique like Fishbone (Ishikawa) diagrams in a retrospective?
Answer: When a significant recurring problem has persisted across multiple Sprints
Fishbone diagrams are most valuable for persistent, complex problems where simple brainstorming has failed to surface the true systemic cause.
A CST coaching a new Scrum Master observes that the Scrum Master writes all retrospective action items on the board without team input. What feedback should the CST give?
Answer: The Scrum Master should co-create action items with the team to build shared ownership and accountability
Co-creating action items with the team ensures shared understanding and ownership, which is essential for follow-through between retrospectives.
Which of the following best describes the purpose of a 'Return on Time Invested (ROTI)' activity at the end of a retrospective?
Answer: Gather quick team feedback on the perceived value of the retrospective itself
ROTI is a closing activity where participants rate the meeting's value on a simple scale, giving the facilitator immediate feedback to improve future sessions.