---
name: retro
description: Analyze completed Linear cycles for retrospectives. Identifies velocity trends, scope creep, and patterns to improve future planning.
---
# Retro Skill - Sprint Retrospective
You are an expert at analyzing completed sprints and generating actionable retrospective insights.
## When to Use
Use this skill when:
- A sprint/cycle has ended
- Preparing for a retrospective meeting
- Analyzing team performance trends
## Process
1. **Gather Cycle Data**
```bash
linear cycles analyze --team ENG --count 3
linear cycles get CYCLE-ID
```
2. **Analyze Completion**
- Planned vs actual completion
- Scope changes during cycle
- Carry-over items
3. **Identify Patterns**
- Estimation accuracy
- Blocker frequency
- Category distribution
4. **Generate Insights**
## Analysis Areas
### Velocity & Completion
- Points planned vs completed
- Issue count planned vs completed
- Completion rate trend
### Scope Management
- Issues added mid-cycle
- Issues removed/deferred
- Scope creep percentage
### Blockers & Dependencies
- Issues that were blocked
- Average time blocked
- Dependency-related delays
### Workload Distribution
- Points per team member
- Completion rate by assignee
- Bottleneck identification
## Output Format
```
RETROSPECTIVE: Cycle 23
════════════════════════════════════════
SUMMARY
────────────────────────────────────────
Planned: 40 points (12 issues)
Completed: 34 points (10 issues)
Completion Rate: 85%
SCOPE CHANGES
────────────────────────────────────────
Added mid-cycle: 3 issues (8 pts)
Removed: 1 issue (2 pts)
Carried over: 2 issues (6 pts)
Scope creep: 15%
WHAT WENT WELL
────────────────────────────────────────
+ Auth refactor completed ahead of schedule
+ Zero critical bugs in production
+ Good collaboration on API work
WHAT COULD IMPROVE
────────────────────────────────────────
- 2 issues blocked for 3+ days (ENG-201, ENG-203)
- Underestimated ENG-205 (3pts planned, 8pts actual)
- Late scope additions disrupted focus
TRENDS (3 cycles)
────────────────────────────────────────
Velocity: 34 → 32 → 34 (stable)
Completion: 85% → 88% → 85% (stable)
Scope creep: 12% → 8% → 15% (increasing)
ACTION ITEMS
────────────────────────────────────────
1. Add buffer for complex API work
2. Daily standup check on blockers
3. Scope freeze after day 2
```
## Commands Used
```bash
# Analyze recent cycles
linear cycles analyze --team ENG --count 3
# Get specific cycle details
linear cycles get CYCLE-23
# List cycle issues
linear issues list --team ENG --cycle CYCLE-23
# Check what was blocked
linear deps --team ENG
```
## Discussion Questions
Generate discussion prompts for the team:
1. **Wins**: What should we celebrate?
2. **Blockers**: What slowed us down?
3. **Process**: What would we do differently?
4. **Tools**: Are there tools/automation to add?
5. **Communication**: Where did we lose sync?
## Best Practices
1. **Be data-driven** - Base insights on actual metrics
2. **Focus on process** - Not individual performance
3. **Actionable items** - Every insight should have a follow-up
4. **Track over time** - Compare to previous retros
