From 571ece7a71636a58a214e8a898a961c01f1f86ec Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Morgan Joyce Date: Fri, 1 Aug 2025 12:56:12 -0500 Subject: [PATCH] feat(procedures): formalize post-PR mini retro with comprehensive questions Transform 3-line stub into comprehensive retro procedure with: - Agent-led collaborative process - Detailed retro questions covering all aspects - Formatting overhead and tool boundary checks - Principle tension analysis - Personality-driven focus (Jonah, Brent, etc.) Update /retro command to inject full procedure alongside principle. Closes #1102 Principle: systems-stewardship --- .claude/command-templates/retro.md | 6 +- knowledge/procedures/post-pr-mini-retro.md | 71 +++++++++++++++++++++- 2 files changed, 73 insertions(+), 4 deletions(-) diff --git a/.claude/command-templates/retro.md b/.claude/command-templates/retro.md index 377c71d2..86bb134e 100644 --- a/.claude/command-templates/retro.md +++ b/.claude/command-templates/retro.md @@ -1,10 +1,10 @@ --- name: retro -description: Mine gleanings through continuous improvement principle +description: Mine gleanings through collaborative post-PR mini retro --- Timeout - let's retro this context and wring out the gleanings. -{{ INJECT:principles/continuous-improvement.md }} +{{ INJECT:procedures/post-pr-mini-retro.md }} -You drive - I'll support with observations when you ask. \ No newline at end of file +{{ INJECT:principles/continuous-improvement.md }} \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/knowledge/procedures/post-pr-mini-retro.md b/knowledge/procedures/post-pr-mini-retro.md index e1114035..c20cd28f 100644 --- a/knowledge/procedures/post-pr-mini-retro.md +++ b/knowledge/procedures/post-pr-mini-retro.md @@ -1,3 +1,72 @@ # Post-PR Mini Retro -Conduct mini retrospectives after PRs to capture learnings. See [Continuous Improvement](../principles/continuous-improvement.md) for the underlying principle. \ No newline at end of file +After submitting a pull request for feature-related workflows, conduct a mini retro focused on systems improvement. This supports the Snowball Method by capturing learnings and dedicating 20% of time to systems improvement. + +**Wring out the towel**: Extract every drop of learning from each experience - the insights that seem obvious in hindsight are often the most valuable to document. **Never let a crisis go to waste**: Each failure or unexpected challenge becomes raw material for stronger systems and procedures. + +## IMPORTANT: Agent-Led Collaborative Process + +**The agent drives the retro while actively inviting human participation:** + +1. **Agent creates a retro plan**: Think through the implementation, identify key moments, and structure the discussion +2. **Agent invites human in**: Present your plan and explicitly invite the human to participate +3. **Agent leads with substance**: Share your genuine reflections, tensions observed, and questions you have +4. **Human adds perspective**: The human provides input where they have insights or corrections +5. **Collaborative discussion**: Both parties explore insights together +6. **Human confirms completion**: The human explicitly confirms when the retro is complete + +The agent should: +- Start with something like: "I've been reflecting on our implementation. Here's my retro plan... [plan]. Let's work through this together." +- Share real observations and questions, not just run through a checklist +- Be specific about decision points and tensions noticed +- Genuinely seek the human's perspective on key moments + +## Retro Questions + +**What worked well?** +- Which documented procedures were followed successfully? +- What felt smooth and efficient in the workflow? + +**What didn't work as expected?** +- Which procedures were unclear or incomplete? +- Where did manual course corrections become necessary? +- What assumptions or approaches needed adjustment? + +**Procedure adherence:** +- Which defined procedures were used as documented? +- Which procedures were improvised or done with uncertainty? +- Where did the human need to steer or provide manual input? + +**Systems improvement opportunities:** +- What procedures need updating or clarification? +- What new procedures should be documented? +- What tools or workflows could be enhanced? + +**Formatting overhead check:** +- Did any requirements feel like unnecessary cognitive load or "formatting overhead"? +- Were there moments where precision requirements (line counts, exact formatting, etc.) made tasks harder than needed? +- What formatting or precision requirements could be relaxed to reduce friction? +- Permission to flag when working harder/longer than necessary due to overly specific constraints + +**Tool boundary clarity:** +- Were there moments of uncertainty about which tool to use for a task? +- Which tool descriptions or boundaries could be clearer? +- Which tools needed example usage, edge cases, or input format requirements to be more obvious? +- What tool definitions felt like they needed "prompt engineering attention" to be clearer? + +**Principle tensions:** +- Which principles came into tension during decision points? +- Which principle did you lean on when there was conflict, and why? +- How did choosing one principle over another create tension or trade-offs? +- What decisions required balancing competing principles? + +## Personality-Driven Focus + +The `/retro` command will select an appropriate consultant personality based on PR context: +- **Jonah**: When dealing with constraints, bottlenecks, or competing priorities +- **Brent**: When heroic interventions occurred or knowledge gaps were exposed +- Future personalities can be added to `.claude/personalities/` as needed + +This ensures each retro has a specific lens while maintaining a single, unified command. + +This retro helps identify the 20% of systems work that enables the 80% of feature work to flow more smoothly. \ No newline at end of file