How The University of Wollongong Used TeamRetro as an Agile Training Tool

The University of Wollongong (UOW) is known for its commitment to excellence in education, research, and innovation. With a focus on equipping students with practical skills and real-world experience, UOW integrates innovative technologies and evidence-based practices to elevate student learning and foster real-world problem-solving skills.

One such initiative involved integrating TeamRetro, an agile retrospective tool, to help students improve collaboration and address group challenges early in their projects.

Dr. Sie, a senior lecturer at UOW, shared how TeamRetro has supported his teaching practices. His work focuses on the practical application of Generative AI and large language models (LLMs), with a particular interest in tackling challenges like scalability, reliability, cost-efficiency, and security in AI deployment. He also supervises capstone group projects, guiding students as they collaborate on real-world solutions and gain hands-on experience.

Here’s his story…

Before using TeamRetro, Dr. Sie observed a recurring issue in group projects: students were unfamiliar with reflecting on their group process. This lack of structured reflection meant group challenges only became apparent at critical moments—usually when assignment deadlines loomed or after submission reviews.

By the time these challenges surfaced, resolving them became difficult, often affecting group performance and outcomes. Dr. Sie realized the need for a tool to help students reflect and address issues earlier in their group work.

Dr. Sie was already familiar with TeamRetro from his previous role, where it had proven highly effective for the teams he supervised. Confident in its value, he decided to introduce the tool to his students at UOW.

“I thought it could work for students as well, and it gave them an opportunity to utilize a tool that is widely used in the industry,” Dr. Sie explained. By incorporating TeamRetro, he provided students with a practical learning experience while helping them adopt a reflective mindset essential for collaboration and problem-solving.

“We used TeamRetro on a large scale at my previous employer and it worked great for the teams that I supervised. I thought it could work for students as well, and it gave them an opportunity to utilise a tool that was being used in industry..”

Dr. Sie adopted an agile approach in supervising group projects, incorporating TeamRetro’s group retrospectives to help students reflect on their progress and processes. The retrospectives encouraged open discussions and action-oriented thinking, allowing students to identify challenges and solutions early in the session.

“By using TeamRetro, students were able to reflect on group processes and identify actions early, helping them solve group challenges quickly.”

Starting early allows teams to uncover insights and set a strong foundation for collaboration and continuous improvement.

Dr. Sie shared a practical tip for those facilitating retrospectives: “Run retrospectives as quickly as possible after you form a new team or group, so you can quickly identify opportunities to improve the team process.”

By using TeamRetro, students at UOW achieved several significant outcomes:

Early Problem Identification: TeamRetro helped students reflect on their group dynamics and identify potential challenges early.

Collaborative Problem-Solving: Students worked together to define clear actions for improvement, fostering teamwork and accountability.

Self directing groups: Dr. Sie found that students became more self-sufficient in resolving group challenges, reducing the need for his direct intervention.

Real-World Experience: Students gained exposure to industry tools and practices, preparing them for future careers.

The feedback from students was positive, with many noting how helpful the tool was in improving their group process and collaboration.

The University of Wollongong’s experience with TeamRetro demonstrates how agile retrospectives can transform group collaboration in an educational setting. By introducing TeamRetro, Dr. Sie provided students with a structured approach to reflection, enabling them to solve challenges early and improve their overall experience in group projects.

For educators and team leaders looking to enhance group dynamics and promote continuous improvement, TeamRetro offers a practical, user-friendly solution that delivers meaningful results.

Try TeamRetro today and see how it can empower your team to reflect, adapt, and grow.