Mad Sad Glad vs Start Stop Continue: Ch...

Two popular retrospective techniques that teams often consider are “Mad Sad Glad” and “Start Stop Continue.” Both methods aim to gather feedback and insights from team members, but they approach the process differently. In this article, we’ll dive deep into these two techniques, compare their strengths and weaknesses, and help you decide which one might be the best fit for your team.

Mad Sad Glad: Embracing Emotions

The Mad Sad Glad retrospective technique focuses on emotions and feelings experienced during the sprint or project. It encourages team members to express their thoughts and experiences in three categories:

Mad: What frustrated or angered team members?
Sad: What disappointed or upset team members?
Glad: What made team members happy or satisfied?

This approach taps into the emotional aspect of teamwork, allowing participants to share their personal experiences and feelings openly. By acknowledging emotions, teams can address underlying issues that might not surface in more traditional retrospectives.

Pros of Mad Sad Glad:

Encourages emotional intelligence and empathy
Helps identify hidden issues affecting team morale
Promotes open and honest communication
Can lead to stronger team bonds and understanding

Cons of Mad Sad Glad:

May be uncomfortable for team members not used to expressing emotions
Can potentially lead to conflicts if not facilitated properly
Might not always result in actionable items

Start Stop Continue: Action-Oriented Reflection

The Start Stop Continue retrospective technique takes a more action-oriented approach. It focuses on identifying specific behaviors and practices that the team should adopt, discontinue, or maintain. The three categories are:

Start: What new practices or behaviors should the team begin implementing?
Stop: What current practices or behaviors are hindering progress and should be discontinued?
Continue: What existing practices or behaviors are working well and should be maintained?

This method is straightforward and results-driven, making it easier for teams to come up with concrete action items for improvement.

Pros of Start Stop Continue:

Highly actionable and practical
Easy to understand and implement
Focuses on specific behaviors and practices
Can lead to quick improvements in team processes

Cons of Start Stop Continue:

May not address underlying emotional issues
Can become repetitive if used too frequently
Might miss nuanced improvements that don’t fit neatly into the three categories

Choosing the Right Technique for Your Team

When deciding between Mad Sad Glad and Start Stop Continue, consider the following factors:

Team Culture and Comfort Level

If your team is open to discussing emotions and has a strong sense of psychological safety, Mad Sad Glad might be an excellent choice. It can help build empathy and address underlying issues that affect team dynamics.

On the other hand, if your team prefers a more straightforward, action-oriented approach or is not comfortable sharing emotions openly, Start Stop Continue might be a better fit.

Current Team Challenges

Consider the challenges your team is currently facing. If there are issues related to team morale, communication, or interpersonal relationships, Mad Sad Glad could be more effective in addressing these concerns.

If your team is primarily focused on improving processes, workflows, or specific practices, Start Stop Continue might yield more immediate, tangible results.

Retrospective Goals

Think about what you want to achieve with your retrospectives. If your primary goal is to improve team cohesion and address emotional aspects of teamwork, Mad Sad Glad is an excellent choice.

If you’re looking for quick, actionable improvements in your team’s processes and practices, Start Stop Continue might be more suitable.

Frequency of Retrospectives

Consider how often you conduct retrospectives. If you have frequent retrospectives (e.g., after every sprint), alternating between the two techniques can provide a good balance of emotional reflection and action-oriented improvement.

Team Maturity

The maturity of your team can also influence which technique is more appropriate. Newer teams or those still building trust might benefit from the structure of Start Stop Continue, while more established teams could gain insights from the emotional exploration of Mad Sad Glad.

Implementing Mad Sad Glad

If you decide to use the Mad Sad Glad technique, here are some tips for a successful retrospective:

Set the stage: Explain the purpose of the retrospective and emphasize the importance of honest, respectful communication.
Provide examples: Give examples for each category to help team members understand what kind of feedback is expected.
Use a mix of individual and group activities: Start with individual reflection, then move to group discussions to encourage participation from all team members.
Facilitate carefully: Be prepared to manage potential conflicts or emotional discussions sensitively.
Look for patterns: Identify recurring themes in the Mad, Sad, and Glad categories to uncover systemic issues.
Create action items: While the focus is on emotions, make sure to derive actionable improvements from the discussions.

Implementing Start Stop Continue

If you opt for the Start Stop Continue technique, consider these tips:

Clarify the categories: Ensure everyone understands what each category represents and provide examples if necessary.
Encourage specificity: Ask team members to be as specific as possible when suggesting items for each category.
Prioritize: After gathering all suggestions, prioritize the items in each category to focus on the most important improvements.
Set SMART goals: For the selected items, create Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound (SMART) goals.
Assign ownership: Ensure each action item has a clear owner responsible for implementation.
Follow up: In the next retrospective, review the progress of previously identified action items.

Combining the Best of Both Worlds

While Mad Sad Glad and Start Stop Continue are distinct techniques, you can also consider combining elements of both to create a hybrid approach that works for your team. For example:

Start with Mad Sad Glad to uncover emotional aspects and team dynamics.
Use the insights gained to inform a Start Stop Continue session, focusing on actionable improvements.
Incorporate a “Feelings” or “Mood” check-in at the beginning of your Start Stop Continue retrospectives.
Add an “Emotions” column to your Start Stop Continue board to capture the emotional impact of each item.

By experimenting with different approaches and tailoring them to your team’s needs, you can create a retrospective process that effectively addresses both emotional and practical aspects of team improvement.

Conclusion

Both Mad Sad Glad and Start Stop Continue are valuable retrospective techniques that can help teams improve their performance and collaboration. The choice between them depends on your team’s culture, current challenges, and goals for the retrospective process.

Mad Sad Glad excels at addressing emotional aspects and building team empathy, while Start Stop Continue provides a straightforward, action-oriented approach to improvement. By understanding the strengths and weaknesses of each technique, you can choose the most appropriate method for your team or even combine elements of both to create a customized retrospective experience.