name: retrospective
description: Conduct structured post-sprint retrospectives for continuous improvement and learning harvest. Use after major releases, significant milestones, or when projects feel stuck. Trigger phrases: 'do a retrospective', 'what did we learn', 'reflect on this release', 'harvest the learnings', 'what went well and what was hard'.
Retrospective Skill
Version: 1.0
Created: 2026-02-04
Author: Manus AI
Purpose: To provide a structured, repeatable process for conducting sprint retrospectives, harvesting learnings, and feeding them back into our collaborative practice.
I. The Philosophy of the Harvest
A retrospective is not a post-mortem. It is not about blame or judgment. It is a harvest. After a season of hard work, we pause to gather the fruits of our labor—not just the features we shipped, but the wisdom we gained in the process. It is a practice of gratitude, honesty, and a commitment to continuous learning.
This skill turns the informal act of looking back into a formal ritual, ensuring that the valuable lessons from each sprint are not lost, but are instead integrated into our shared memory and future workflows.
II. When to Use This Skill
- After a major release: (e.g., after Dojo Genesis v0.0.25 is fully shipped)
- After a significant milestone: (e.g., after completing a major refactor)
- When a project feels stuck or has encountered significant friction.
- At regular intervals (e.g., monthly) to maintain a cadence of reflection.
III. The Retrospective Workflow
Step 1: Initiate the Retrospective
When a trigger event occurs, state the intention to conduct a retrospective. Frame it as a positive and necessary part of the workflow.
Example: "Now that v0.0.25 is shipped, let's conduct a retrospective to harvest the learnings from this sprint. I'll use the Retrospective skill to guide us."
Step 2: Create the Retrospective Document
Create a new markdown file in the relevant project's docs/retrospectives/ directory (e.g., /home/ubuntu/dojo-genesis/docs/retrospectives/v0.0.25_retrospective.md). Use the template provided in Section IV of this skill.
Step 3: Answer the Three Core Questions
Collaboratively, answer the three core questions of the retrospective. This should be a brainstorming phase. Capture all thoughts without judgment.
- What went well? (What should we amplify?)
- What was hard? (What were the sources of friction or difficulty?)
- What would we do differently next time? (What are the concrete, actionable changes we can make?)
Step 4: Synthesize and Extract Learnings
Analyze the answers to the three questions and synthesize them into key themes and actionable insights. This is the most critical step.
- Identify Patterns: Look for recurring themes across the different answers.
- Distill Actionable Insights: For each theme, identify a concrete action that can be taken to improve the workflow.
- Create Seeds for the Memory Garden: If a lesson is particularly profound or reusable, distill it into a Dojo Seed.
Step 5: Commit and Share
Commit the completed retrospective document to the repository. Share the key findings and action items to ensure they are integrated into the next sprint's planning.
IV. Retrospective Document Template
# Retrospective: [Sprint/Release Name]
**Date:** [Date]
**Participants:** [e.g., Cruz, Manus]
**Context:** A reflection on the [Sprint/Release Name] sprint, which focused on [brief description of the sprint's goals].
---
## 1. The Three Core Questions
### What Went Well?
- *[Observation 1]*
- *[Observation 2]*
- *[Observation 3]*
### What Was Hard?
- *[Friction Point 1]*
- *[Friction Point 2]*
- *[Friction Point 3]*
### What Would We Do Differently Next Time?
- *[Actionable Suggestion 1]*
- *[Actionable Suggestion 2]*
- *[Actionable Suggestion 3]*
---
## 2. Key Themes & Insights
| Theme | Analysis | Action Item |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| **[Theme 1]** | [A summary of the observations related to this theme.] | [A concrete action to be taken in the next sprint.] |
| **[Theme 2]** | [A summary of the observations related to this theme.] | [A concrete action to be taken in the next sprint.] |
| **[Theme 3]** | [A summary of the observations related to this theme.] | [A concrete action to be taken in the next sprint.] |
---
## 3. Seeds for the Memory Garden
- **Seed:** [Seed Name] — *Why it matters:* [Explanation] — *Revisit trigger:* [When to remember this lesson]
---
## 4. Closing
[A brief closing statement summarizing the key takeaway from the retrospective and expressing gratitude for the practice.]
V. Best Practices
- Be Honest and Gentle: The goal is learning, not blame.
- Focus on Process, Not People: Analyze the workflow, not the individuals.
- Be Specific and Concrete: Avoid vague statements. Use specific examples.
- End with Action: Every retrospective should result in at least one concrete action item for the next sprint.
- Keep it Lightweight: The process should feel energizing, not burdensome.
