Look back
Rose, thorn, bud
Sort observations into roses (what's good), thorns (what's painful) and buds (what has promise), using colour to see the pattern.
- Time20 to 40 minutes
- People2 to 12 people
- Steps4
What it's for
Use it to review anything: a project, a prototype, a day of research, a customer interview. Buds are what make it more than a list of pros and cons, because they capture the ideas and potential that people often don't mention.
The colours make the board readable at a glance: a wall of thorns tells you something before anyone speaks.
How to run it
Write roses4 min
What's working or positive?
Write thorns4 min
What's painful or not working?
Write buds4 min
What has promise or could grow?
Discuss and vote12 min3 votes each
Read them out, group them and vote on what to act on.
Tips
- One observation can be both a thorn and a bud. Write it twice.
- Buds become the agenda for what to try next.
Where it comes from
Part of the LUMA System of human-centred design methods, published by the LUMA Institute in Innovating for People (2012).
Pairs well with
Mad, sad, glad
A retrospective that starts with feelings: what made people angry, what disappointed them, and what made them happy.
Start, stop, continue
A retrospective in three columns: what to start doing, what to stop, and what to keep, which leads straight to changes.
4Ls retrospective
A retrospective in four quadrants: what people liked, learned, lacked and longed for, which balances facts and wishes.