Subject: Retrospective Prime Directive
From: "Saved by Windows Internet Explorer 8"
Date: Thu, 14 Apr 2011 15:34:58 -0400

The Retrospective Prime Directive

The prime directive
says:

One of the most obvious fears people have when first
trying a retrospective is that the ritual will become a negative gripe
session, interspersed with blame and counter blame.

Clearly such an event will not contribute to much learning.

The key to a constructive successful ritual is assuring that all the
participants adhere to the Retrospective Prime Directive.

Regardless of what
we discover, we understand and truly believe that everyone did the best
job they could, given what they knew at the time, their skills and
abilities, the resources available, and the situation at
hand.

At the end of a project everyone knows so much more.
Naturally we will discover decisions and actions we wish we could do over.
This is wisdom to be celebrated, not judgement used to embarrass.

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