Agile Retrospectives (Exam D – Question 12)
1. Introduction
In Agile ways of working, teams regularly hold retrospectives to improve how they work.
ISTQB questions often test whether you understand retrospectives as a continuous improvement practice rather than a blame session or planning meeting.
애자일에서는 반복(iteration)마다 회고(Retrospective)를 진행하여 업무 방식과 협업을 개선합니다.
ISTQB에서는 회고를 “비난”이나 “다음 계획”이 아니라 지속적 개선 활동으로 이해하는지 자주 묻습니다.
2. Practice Question
❓ Question
Which of the following BEST describes retrospectives?
- a) Retrospectives allow team members to identify other team members who did not fully contribute to achieving quality as required by the whole team approach
- b) Retrospectives give testers an opportunity to identify activities that were successful so that these are retained when potential improvements are made in the future
- c) Retrospectives are where agile team members are allowed to voice their concerns about management and customers in a blameless environment
- d) Retrospectives give agile team members a forum where they focus on discussing the plan and technical decisions for the next iteration
✅ Correct Answer: b)
3. Explanation
✔ b) Identify what worked and retain it — Correct
A retrospective is typically held at the end of an iteration.
The team discusses:
- What went well and should be continued
- What did not go well and should be improved
- Concrete actions to improve effectiveness and efficiency
So, identifying successful activities and keeping them while improving weak areas is exactly what retrospectives are for.
회고는 보통 반복(스프린트) 마지막에 진행합니다.
- 잘된 점(계속 유지할 것)
- 개선할 점(무엇을 어떻게 바꿀지)
- 다음 반복에서 실행할 구체적인 개선 액션
즉, “무엇이 잘 되었는지 유지하고 무엇을 개선할지 정하는 것”이 회고의 핵심입니다.
❌ a) Identify who did not contribute — Incorrect
Retrospectives are designed to build learning and collaboration.
Calling out individuals harms trust and teamwork and does not support the whole team approach.
회고는 팀워크와 학습을 강화하기 위한 자리입니다.
특정 개인을 지목해 비난하는 방식은 신뢰를 해치고 전체 팀 접근법에도 맞지 않습니다.
❌ c) A place to complain about management and customers — Incorrect
Retrospectives are not “complaint sessions.”
Their goal is process improvement and actionable changes. Also, notes or outcomes may be visible to stakeholders, so the focus should remain professional and constructive.
회고는 감정적으로 불만을 털어놓는 자리가 아니라 프로세스 개선을 위한 자리입니다.
회고 결과는 공유될 수 있으므로 건설적이고 실행 가능한 개선에 집중해야 합니다.
❌ d) Planning and technical decisions for the next iteration — Incorrect
Iteration planning is typically held at the start of the next iteration.
Retrospectives focus on what happened in the current iteration and how to improve going forward, not on detailed planning decisions.
다음 반복의 계획과 기술적 의사결정은 보통 반복 시작 시점의 Iteration Planning에서 다룹니다.
회고는 “이번 반복에서 무엇이 있었고 어떻게 개선할지”에 집중합니다.
4. Summary Table
| Option | Main Idea | Best Description? | 요약 |
|---|---|---|---|
| a | Identify individuals who did not contribute | ✖ No | 비난 유도 |
| b | Keep what worked, improve what didn’t | ✔ Yes | 지속적 개선 |
| c | Complaints about management/customers | ✖ No | 불만 표출 X |
| d | Next iteration planning/tech decisions | ✖ No | 계획 회의 아님 |
5. Final Takeaway
For the ISTQB exam, remember:
A retrospective is a continuous improvement meeting: keep what works, improve what doesn’t, and agree on actions.
시험 대비 핵심 문장입니다.
회고는 지속적 개선을 위한 회의로, 잘된 점은 유지하고 부족한 점은 개선 액션으로 연결한다.
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