How frequently should a team conduct a retrospective?

A team should conduct a retrospective after every Sprint because this practice is at the core of Agile methodologies, particularly Scrum. The primary goal of a retrospective is to reflect on the past Sprint, allowing the team to assess their work, identify strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities for improvement. By doing this regularly, the team can make incremental adjustments to their processes and collaboration methods, fostering continuous improvement.

Holding retrospectives after every Sprint ensures that lessons are fresh and relevant, allowing for immediate feedback and adjustments, which leads to increased team efficiency and effectiveness over time. This regular check-in helps maintain momentum in team dynamics and keeps everyone aligned on goals, fostering a culture of open communication and learning.

In contrast, conducting a retrospective once a quarter or only at the end of a project can lead to missed opportunities for timely improvements. Waiting too long to reflect on experiences can dilute the effectiveness of the feedback since the context may not be as clear. Additionally, having retrospectives "as needed" could result in inconsistencies in team reflection and growth, potentially leading to unresolved issues carrying over from one Sprint to the next.