Atlassian suggest quite a useful process for team check-ins which they call a “health monitor”.¹

I’m not a big fan of the nomenclature, but the process itself makes a lot of sense and feels like it could be a good occasional replacement for the traditional end-of-sprint retrospective.²

In terms of tooling, one of the many SaaS tools which provide a ‘collaborative whiteboard’ e.g. Miro, could be used to allow individuals to vote and provide feedback.

Step 1: vote and feedback

For the following:

• Team Cohesion: We have the mutual trust and respect necessary to be an effective team for healthy collaboration. We have a strong sense of connectedness between members
• Balanced Team: We have a well-rounded team with the right mix of skills, experience and perspectives. Each member contributes meaningfully and responsibilities are distributed effectively
• Encouraging Difference: We embrace diverse viewpoints and create a safe space for open discussions. We recognise that different perspectives strengthen our team and lead to better outcomes
• Shared Understanding: We have a clear and common understanding of our goals, roles and expectations. Our communication ensures alignment and minimises misunderstandings
• Value and Metrics: We define success through measurable outcomes that reflect our impact. We regularly assess our progress and ensure our work delivers real value
• Suitable Ways of Working: We adapt our processes and tools to fit our needs, ensuring efficiency and effectiveness. Our ways of working support collaboration and continuous delivery
• Engagement and Support: We foster an environment where everyone feels heard, valued and supported. We actively engage with each other and provide the help needed to succeed
• Continuous Improvement: We are committed to learning and evolving as a team. We regularly reflect on our work, identify areas for growth and take action to improve

Vote on the above, on an individual basis, which can be non-attributed

• Reading the statement, where do you feel the team is at? Do you agree, disagree or somewhere in the middle?
  • Options are: agree, not sure, disagree

After voting, provide feedback on an individual basis, which would be attributed

• What specific feedback would you like to share? What caused you to vote the way you did?

Step 2: brainstorm

Brainstorm on three items from the above, using the feedback from the previous step.

Criteria around which to choose could be: the ones people disagree with; those with disparity across the three options; or even consider solidly green ones, considering how we might maintain those in the green.

• What is the problem?
  • Summarise the feedback into a problem statement
• What does success look like in 1 month?
  • If this attribute was in a great state, how would it benefit the team? Brainstorm what success could look like if the problem is resolved
• What actions could we take to reach that outcome?
  • Brainstorm potential solutions to the problem. Identify the ideal solution to the problem to experiment with
• What action will we take NOW?
  • Identify one action to take leaving the session. Ensure there is an owner for that action and a due date