Squad Health Check (Spotify)

The Squad Health Check is an assessment tool that allows a team to discuss and evaluate its state across several essential dimensions such as delivery, fun, and learning. It promotes collaboration by providing a space for open and constructive dialogue, and encourages continuous improvement by identifying priority areas for development. This method helps to strengthen trust and engagement within the team.

Walkthrough

1. 1

   Introduction

   10 min

   The facilitator begins by explaining the objective of the Squad Health Check: to collectively assess the health of the team across several key dimensions. They present the dimensions that will be evaluated, such as delivery, fun, learning, etc. The facilitator emphasises the importance of transparency and honesty in this exercise, and reminds everyone that the goal is to identify areas for improvement.

   Tip — Use a visual or a board to present the dimensions to facilitate understanding.

2. 2

   Presentation of Dimensions

   15 min

   The facilitator presents each dimension in detail, explaining what it means and why it is important. For each dimension, they ask participants to reflect on their personal feelings and experiences within the team. This ensures that everyone fully understands each aspect to be evaluated.

   Tip — Encourage questions to clarify the dimensions and foster engagement from the start.

3. 3

   Individual Assessment

   15 min

   Each participant receives a set of coloured cards (green, yellow, red) to express their feelings about each dimension. The facilitator asks everyone to take a moment to reflect individually and choose the card that best represents their opinion for each dimension. This allows for sincere and personal feedback without external influence.

   Tip — Ensure that everyone has a space to reflect quietly, without pressure.

4. 4

   Collective Discussion

   30 min

   Once the individual assessments are complete, the facilitator invites participants to share their choices and explain the reasons behind their evaluations. This discussion highlights the differences and similarities in viewpoints. The facilitator ensures that each participant has the opportunity to express themselves and encourages respectful and constructive dialogue.

   Tip — Use a board to note the key points from each discussion, as this helps to visualise trends and consensus.

5. 5

   Identification of Improvement Areas

   20 min

   After the discussion, the facilitator guides the team to identify the dimensions that require the most attention. Together, they prioritise the areas for improvement and discuss possible actions to implement. The goal is to leave the workshop with a concrete action plan and clear responsibilities.

   Tip — Limit the areas for improvement to 2 or 3 to ensure the feasibility of actions.

Variants

• Use post-its instead of cards for a more nuanced evaluation.
• Conduct the exercise online using a polling tool for distributed teams.
• Add a customised dimension based on the specific context of the team.