Applying the ORID Method to Conduct Effective Scrum Retrospectives

Background

The retrospective is a key Scrum ceremony that bridges sprints, and the ORID technique (Objective‑Reflective‑Interpretive‑Decisional) is introduced as an effective way to focus discussion.

Preparation

Physical materials are prepared: pens for each participant, four‑color sticky notes, and a large A1 sheet of whiteboard paper divided into four concentric circles.

Round 1 – “I see / I hear” (Objective)

Participants spend three minutes writing objective observations from the last sprint on sticky notes, then share them one by one, ensuring only facts are presented without judgment.

Round 2 – “I feel” (Reflective)

Team members express personal emotions about the sprint using prompts like “I am happy because…”, “I am sad because…”, fostering empathy and emotional awareness.

Round 3 – “I think” (Interpretive)

Based on the previous facts and feelings, participants propose improvement ideas starting with “I think…”, and the facilitator records promising suggestions on the board.

Round 4 – “I decide” (Decisional)

The group votes on the top three improvement items, each member receiving three votes, resulting in three prioritized actions: standardizing release version management, scheduling meetings in the morning, and communicating priorities with the design team.

Post‑meeting

After the one‑and‑half‑hour session, the facilitator documents the agreed actions, acceptance criteria, and related images on the team’s shared site, ensuring the retrospective outcomes are tracked in the next sprint.