npm - siesa-agents - Versions diffs - 2.1.40 → 2.1.41 - Mend

siesa-agents 2.1.40 → 2.1.41

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package/bmad/bmm/workflows/4-implementation/retrospective/instructions.md CHANGED Viewed

@@ -1,1443 +1,1443 @@
-# Retrospective - Epic Completion Review Instructions
-<critical>The workflow execution engine is governed by: {project-root}/_bmad/core/tasks/workflow.xml</critical>
-<critical>You MUST have already loaded and processed: {project-root}/_bmad/bmm/workflows/4-implementation/retrospective/workflow.yaml</critical>
-<critical>Communicate all responses in {communication_language} and language MUST be tailored to {user_skill_level}</critical>
-<critical>Generate all documents in {document_output_language}</critical>
-<critical>⚠️ ABSOLUTELY NO TIME ESTIMATES - NEVER mention hours, days, weeks, months, or ANY time-based predictions. AI has fundamentally changed development speed - what once took teams weeks/months can now be done by one person in hours. DO NOT give ANY time estimates whatsoever.</critical>
-<critical>
-  DOCUMENT OUTPUT: Retrospective analysis. Concise insights, lessons learned, action items. User skill level ({user_skill_level}) affects conversation style ONLY, not retrospective content.
-FACILITATION NOTES:
-- Scrum Master facilitates this retrospective
-- Psychological safety is paramount - NO BLAME
-- Focus on systems, processes, and learning
-- Everyone contributes with specific examples preferred
-- Action items must be achievable with clear ownership
-- Two-part format: (1) Epic Review + (2) Next Epic Preparation
-PARTY MODE PROTOCOL:
-- ALL agent dialogue MUST use format: "Name (Role): dialogue"
-- Example: Bob (Scrum Master): "Let's begin..."
-- Example: {user_name} (Project Lead): [User responds]
-- Create natural back-and-forth with user actively participating
-- Show disagreements, diverse perspectives, authentic team dynamics
-  </critical>
-<workflow>
-<step n="1" goal="Epic Discovery - Find Completed Epic with Priority Logic">
-<action>Explain to {user_name} the epic discovery process using natural dialogue</action>
-<output>
-Bob (Scrum Master): "Welcome to the retrospective, {user_name}. Let me help you identify which epic we just completed. I'll check sprint-status first, but you're the ultimate authority on what we're reviewing today."
-</output>
-<action>PRIORITY 1: Check {sprint_status_file} first</action>
-<action>Load the FULL file: {sprint_status_file}</action>
-<action>Read ALL development_status entries</action>
-<action>Find the highest epic number with at least one story marked "done"</action>
-<action>Extract epic number from keys like "epic-X-retrospective" or story keys like "X-Y-story-name"</action>
-<action>Set {{detected_epic}} = highest epic number found with completed stories</action>
-<check if="{{detected_epic}} found">
-  <action>Present finding to user with context</action>
-  <output>
-Bob (Scrum Master): "Based on {sprint_status_file}, it looks like Epic {{detected_epic}} was recently completed. Is that the epic you want to review today, {user_name}?"
-  </output>
-<action>WAIT for {user_name} to confirm or correct</action>
-  <check if="{user_name} confirms">
-    <action>Set {{epic_number}} = {{detected_epic}}</action>
-  </check>
-  <check if="{user_name} provides different epic number">
-    <action>Set {{epic_number}} = user-provided number</action>
-    <output>
-Bob (Scrum Master): "Got it, we're reviewing Epic {{epic_number}}. Let me gather that information."
-    </output>
-  </check>
-</check>
-<check if="{{detected_epic}} NOT found in sprint-status">
-  <action>PRIORITY 2: Ask user directly</action>
-  <output>
-Bob (Scrum Master): "I'm having trouble detecting the completed epic from {sprint_status_file}. {user_name}, which epic number did you just complete?"
-  </output>
-<action>WAIT for {user_name} to provide epic number</action>
-<action>Set {{epic_number}} = user-provided number</action>
-</check>
-<check if="{{epic_number}} still not determined">
-  <action>PRIORITY 3: Fallback to stories folder</action>
-<action>Scan {story_directory} for highest numbered story files</action>
-<action>Extract epic numbers from story filenames (pattern: epic-X-Y-story-name.md)</action>
-<action>Set {{detected_epic}} = highest epic number found</action>
-  <output>
-Bob (Scrum Master): "I found stories for Epic {{detected_epic}} in the stories folder. Is that the epic we're reviewing, {user_name}?"
-  </output>
-<action>WAIT for {user_name} to confirm or correct</action>
-<action>Set {{epic_number}} = confirmed number</action>
-</check>
-<action>Once {{epic_number}} is determined, verify epic completion status</action>
-<action>Find all stories for epic {{epic_number}} in {sprint_status_file}:
-- Look for keys starting with "{{epic_number}}-" (e.g., "1-1-", "1-2-", etc.)
-- Exclude epic key itself ("epic-{{epic_number}}")
-- Exclude retrospective key ("epic-{{epic_number}}-retrospective")
-  </action>
-<action>Count total stories found for this epic</action>
-<action>Count stories with status = "done"</action>
-<action>Collect list of pending story keys (status != "done")</action>
-<action>Determine if complete: true if all stories are done, false otherwise</action>
-<check if="epic is not complete">
-  <output>
-Alice (Product Owner): "Wait, Bob - I'm seeing that Epic {{epic_number}} isn't actually complete yet."
-Bob (Scrum Master): "Let me check... you're right, Alice."
-**Epic Status:**
-- Total Stories: {{total_stories}}
-- Completed (Done): {{done_stories}}
-- Pending: {{pending_count}}
-**Pending Stories:**
-{{pending_story_list}}
-Bob (Scrum Master): "{user_name}, we typically run retrospectives after all stories are done. What would you like to do?"
-**Options:**
-1. Complete remaining stories before running retrospective (recommended)
-2. Continue with partial retrospective (not ideal, but possible)
-3. Run sprint-planning to refresh story tracking
-   </output>
-<ask if="{{non_interactive}} == false">Continue with incomplete epic? (yes/no)</ask>
-  <check if="user says no">
-    <output>
-Bob (Scrum Master): "Smart call, {user_name}. Let's finish those stories first and then have a proper retrospective."
-    </output>
-    <action>HALT</action>
-  </check>
-<action if="user says yes">Set {{partial_retrospective}} = true</action>
-<output>
-Charlie (Senior Dev): "Just so everyone knows, this partial retro might miss some important lessons from those pending stories."
-Bob (Scrum Master): "Good point, Charlie. {user_name}, we'll document what we can now, but we may want to revisit after everything's done."
-</output>
-</check>
-<check if="epic is complete">
-  <output>
-Alice (Product Owner): "Excellent! All {{done_stories}} stories are marked done."
-Bob (Scrum Master): "Perfect. Epic {{epic_number}} is complete and ready for retrospective, {user_name}."
-</output>
-</check>
-</step>
-<step n="0.5" goal="Discover and load project documents">
-  <invoke-protocol name="discover_inputs" />
-  <note>After discovery, these content variables are available: {epics_content} (selective load for this epic), {architecture_content}, {prd_content}, {document_project_content}</note>
-</step>
-<step n="2" goal="Deep Story Analysis - Extract Lessons from Implementation">
-<output>
-Bob (Scrum Master): "Before we start the team discussion, let me review all the story records to surface key themes. This'll help us have a richer conversation."
-Charlie (Senior Dev): "Good idea - those dev notes always have gold in them."
-</output>
-<action>For each story in epic {{epic_number}}, read the complete story file from {story_directory}/{{epic_number}}-{{story_num}}-\*.md</action>
-<action>Extract and analyze from each story:</action>
-**Dev Notes and Struggles:**
-- Look for sections like "## Dev Notes", "## Implementation Notes", "## Challenges", "## Development Log"
-- Identify where developers struggled or made mistakes
-- Note unexpected complexity or gotchas discovered
-- Record technical decisions that didn't work out as planned
-- Track where estimates were way off (too high or too low)
-**Review Feedback Patterns:**
-- Look for "## Review", "## Code Review", "## SM Review", "## Scrum Master Review" sections
-- Identify recurring feedback themes across stories
-- Note which types of issues came up repeatedly
-- Track quality concerns or architectural misalignments
-- Document praise or exemplary work called out in reviews
-**Lessons Learned:**
-- Look for "## Lessons Learned", "## Retrospective Notes", "## Takeaways" sections within stories
-- Extract explicit lessons documented during development
-- Identify "aha moments" or breakthroughs
-- Note what would be done differently
-- Track successful experiments or approaches
-**Technical Debt Incurred:**
-- Look for "## Technical Debt", "## TODO", "## Known Issues", "## Future Work" sections
-- Document shortcuts taken and why
-- Track debt items that affect next epic
-- Note severity and priority of debt items
-**Testing and Quality Insights:**
-- Look for "## Testing", "## QA Notes", "## Test Results" sections
-- Note testing challenges or surprises
-- Track bug patterns or regression issues
-- Document test coverage gaps
-<action>Synthesize patterns across all stories:</action>
-**Common Struggles:**
-- Identify issues that appeared in 2+ stories (e.g., "3 out of 5 stories had API authentication issues")
-- Note areas where team consistently struggled
-- Track where complexity was underestimated
-**Recurring Review Feedback:**
-- Identify feedback themes (e.g., "Error handling was flagged in every review")
-- Note quality patterns (positive and negative)
-- Track areas where team improved over the course of epic
-**Breakthrough Moments:**
-- Document key discoveries (e.g., "Story 3 discovered the caching pattern we used for rest of epic")
-- Note when team velocity improved dramatically
-- Track innovative solutions worth repeating
-**Velocity Patterns:**
-- Calculate average completion time per story
-- Note velocity trends (e.g., "First 2 stories took 3x longer than estimated")
-- Identify which types of stories went faster/slower
-**Team Collaboration Highlights:**
-- Note moments of excellent collaboration mentioned in stories
-- Track where pair programming or mob programming was effective
-- Document effective problem-solving sessions
-<action>Store this synthesis - these patterns will drive the retrospective discussion</action>
-<output>
-Bob (Scrum Master): "Okay, I've reviewed all {{total_stories}} story records. I found some really interesting patterns we should discuss."
-Dana (QA Engineer): "I'm curious what you found, Bob. I noticed some things in my testing too."
-Bob (Scrum Master): "We'll get to all of it. But first, let me load the previous epic's retro to see if we learned from last time."
-</output>
-</step>
-<step n="3" goal="Load and Integrate Previous Epic Retrospective">
-<action>Calculate previous epic number: {{prev_epic_num}} = {{epic_number}} - 1</action>
-<check if="{{prev_epic_num}} >= 1">
-  <action>Search for previous retrospective using pattern: {retrospectives_folder}/epic-{{prev_epic_num}}-retro-*.md</action>
-  <check if="previous retro found">
-    <output>
-Bob (Scrum Master): "I found our retrospective from Epic {{prev_epic_num}}. Let me see what we committed to back then..."
-    </output>
-    <action>Read the complete previous retrospective file</action>
-    <action>Extract key elements:</action>
-    - **Action items committed**: What did the team agree to improve?
-    - **Lessons learned**: What insights were captured?
-    - **Process improvements**: What changes were agreed upon?
-    - **Technical debt flagged**: What debt was documented?
-    - **Team agreements**: What commitments were made?
-    - **Preparation tasks**: What was needed for this epic?
-    <action>Cross-reference with current epic execution:</action>
-    **Action Item Follow-Through:**
-    - For each action item from Epic {{prev_epic_num}} retro, check if it was completed
-    - Look for evidence in current epic's story records
-    - Mark each action item: ✅ Completed, ⏳ In Progress, ❌ Not Addressed
-    **Lessons Applied:**
-    - For each lesson from Epic {{prev_epic_num}}, check if team applied it in Epic {{epic_number}}
-    - Look for evidence in dev notes, review feedback, or outcomes
-    - Document successes and missed opportunities
-    **Process Improvements Effectiveness:**
-    - For each process change agreed to in Epic {{prev_epic_num}}, assess if it helped
-    - Did the change improve velocity, quality, or team satisfaction?
-    - Should we keep, modify, or abandon the change?
-    **Technical Debt Status:**
-    - For each debt item from Epic {{prev_epic_num}}, check if it was addressed
-    - Did unaddressed debt cause problems in Epic {{epic_number}}?
-    - Did the debt grow or shrink?
-    <action>Prepare "continuity insights" for the retrospective discussion</action>
-    <action>Identify wins where previous lessons were applied successfully:</action>
-    - Document specific examples of applied learnings
-    - Note positive impact on Epic {{epic_number}} outcomes
-    - Celebrate team growth and improvement
-    <action>Identify missed opportunities where previous lessons were ignored:</action>
-    - Document where team repeated previous mistakes
-    - Note impact of not applying lessons (without blame)
-    - Explore barriers that prevented application
-    <output>
-Bob (Scrum Master): "Interesting... in Epic {{prev_epic_num}}'s retro, we committed to {{action_count}} action items."
-Alice (Product Owner): "How'd we do on those, Bob?"
-Bob (Scrum Master): "We completed {{completed_count}}, made progress on {{in_progress_count}}, but didn't address {{not_addressed_count}}."
-Charlie (Senior Dev): _looking concerned_ "Which ones didn't we address?"
-Bob (Scrum Master): "We'll discuss that in the retro. Some of them might explain challenges we had this epic."
-Elena (Junior Dev): "That's... actually pretty insightful."
-Bob (Scrum Master): "That's why we track this stuff. Pattern recognition helps us improve."
-</output>
-  </check>
-  <check if="no previous retro found">
-    <output>
-Bob (Scrum Master): "I don't see a retrospective for Epic {{prev_epic_num}}. Either we skipped it, or this is your first retro."
-Alice (Product Owner): "Probably our first one. Good time to start the habit!"
-</output>
-<action>Set {{first_retrospective}} = true</action>
-</check>
-</check>
-<check if="{{prev_epic_num}} < 1">
-  <output>
-Bob (Scrum Master): "This is Epic 1, so naturally there's no previous retro to reference. We're starting fresh!"
-Charlie (Senior Dev): "First epic, first retro. Let's make it count."
-</output>
-<action>Set {{first_retrospective}} = true</action>
-</check>
-</step>
-<step n="4" goal="Preview Next Epic with Change Detection">
-<action>Calculate next epic number: {{next_epic_num}} = {{epic_number}} + 1</action>
-<output>
-Bob (Scrum Master): "Before we dive into the discussion, let me take a quick look at Epic {{next_epic_num}} to understand what's coming."
-Alice (Product Owner): "Good thinking - helps us connect what we learned to what we're about to do."
-</output>
-<action>Attempt to load next epic using selective loading strategy:</action>
-**Try sharded first (more specific):**
-<action>Check if file exists: {planning_artifacts}/epic\*/epic-{{next_epic_num}}.md</action>
-<check if="sharded epic file found">
-  <action>Load {planning_artifacts}/*epic*/epic-{{next_epic_num}}.md</action>
-  <action>Set {{next_epic_source}} = "sharded"</action>
-</check>
-**Fallback to whole document:**
-<check if="sharded epic not found">
-<action>Check if file exists: {planning_artifacts}/epic\*.md</action>
-  <check if="whole epic file found">
-    <action>Load entire epics document</action>
-    <action>Extract Epic {{next_epic_num}} section</action>
-    <action>Set {{next_epic_source}} = "whole"</action>
-  </check>
-</check>
-<check if="next epic found">
-  <action>Analyze next epic for:</action>
-  - Epic title and objectives
-  - Planned stories and complexity estimates
-  - Dependencies on Epic {{epic_number}} work
-  - New technical requirements or capabilities needed
-  - Potential risks or unknowns
-  - Business goals and success criteria
-<action>Identify dependencies on completed work:</action>
-- What components from Epic {{epic_number}} does Epic {{next_epic_num}} rely on?
-- Are all prerequisites complete and stable?
-- Any incomplete work that creates blocking dependencies?
-<action>Note potential gaps or preparation needed:</action>
-- Technical setup required (infrastructure, tools, libraries)
-- Knowledge gaps to fill (research, training, spikes)
-- Refactoring needed before starting next epic
-- Documentation or specifications to create
-<action>Check for technical prerequisites:</action>
-- APIs or integrations that must be ready
-- Data migrations or schema changes needed
-- Testing infrastructure requirements
-- Deployment or environment setup
-  <output>
-Bob (Scrum Master): "Alright, I've reviewed Epic {{next_epic_num}}: '{{next_epic_title}}'"
-Alice (Product Owner): "What are we looking at?"
-Bob (Scrum Master): "{{next_epic_num}} stories planned, building on the {{dependency_description}} from Epic {{epic_number}}."
-Charlie (Senior Dev): "Dependencies concern me. Did we finish everything we need for that?"
-Bob (Scrum Master): "Good question - that's exactly what we need to explore in this retro."
-</output>
-<action>Set {{next_epic_exists}} = true</action>
-</check>
-<check if="next epic NOT found">
-  <output>
-Bob (Scrum Master): "Hmm, I don't see Epic {{next_epic_num}} defined yet."
-Alice (Product Owner): "We might be at the end of the roadmap, or we haven't planned that far ahead yet."
-Bob (Scrum Master): "No problem. We'll still do a thorough retro on Epic {{epic_number}}. The lessons will be valuable whenever we plan the next work."
-</output>
-<action>Set {{next_epic_exists}} = false</action>
-</check>
-</step>
-<step n="5" goal="Initialize Retrospective with Rich Context">
-<action>Load agent configurations from {agent_manifest}</action>
-<action>Identify which agents participated in Epic {{epic_number}} based on story records</action>
-<action>Ensure key roles present: Product Owner, Scrum Master (facilitating), Devs, Testing/QA, Architect</action>
-<output>
-Bob (Scrum Master): "Alright team, everyone's here. Let me set the stage for our retrospective."
-═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
-🔄 TEAM RETROSPECTIVE - Epic {{epic_number}}: {{epic_title}}
-═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
-Bob (Scrum Master): "Here's what we accomplished together."
-**EPIC {{epic_number}} SUMMARY:**
-Delivery Metrics:
-- Completed: {{completed_stories}}/{{total_stories}} stories ({{completion_percentage}}%)
-- Velocity: {{actual_points}} story points{{#if planned_points}} (planned: {{planned_points}}){{/if}}
-- Duration: {{actual_sprints}} sprints{{#if planned_sprints}} (planned: {{planned_sprints}}){{/if}}
-- Average velocity: {{points_per_sprint}} points/sprint
-Quality and Technical:
-- Blockers encountered: {{blocker_count}}
-- Technical debt items: {{debt_count}}
-- Test coverage: {{coverage_info}}
-- Production incidents: {{incident_count}}
-Business Outcomes:
-- Goals achieved: {{goals_met}}/{{total_goals}}
-- Success criteria: {{criteria_status}}
-- Stakeholder feedback: {{feedback_summary}}
-Alice (Product Owner): "Those numbers tell a good story. {{completion_percentage}}% completion is {{#if completion_percentage >= 90}}excellent{{else}}something we should discuss{{/if}}."
-Charlie (Senior Dev): "I'm more interested in that technical debt number - {{debt_count}} items is {{#if debt_count > 10}}concerning{{else}}manageable{{/if}}."
-Dana (QA Engineer): "{{incident_count}} production incidents - {{#if incident_count == 0}}clean epic!{{else}}we should talk about those{{/if}}."
-{{#if next_epic_exists}}
-═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
-**NEXT EPIC PREVIEW:** Epic {{next_epic_num}}: {{next_epic_title}}
-═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
-Dependencies on Epic {{epic_number}}:
-{{list_dependencies}}
-Preparation Needed:
-{{list_preparation_gaps}}
-Technical Prerequisites:
-{{list_technical_prereqs}}
-Bob (Scrum Master): "And here's what's coming next. Epic {{next_epic_num}} builds on what we just finished."
-Elena (Junior Dev): "Wow, that's a lot of dependencies on our work."
-Charlie (Senior Dev): "Which means we better make sure Epic {{epic_number}} is actually solid before moving on."
-{{/if}}
-═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
-Bob (Scrum Master): "Team assembled for this retrospective:"
-{{list_participating_agents}}
-Bob (Scrum Master): "{user_name}, you're joining us as Project Lead. Your perspective is crucial here."
-{user_name} (Project Lead): [Participating in the retrospective]
-Bob (Scrum Master): "Our focus today:"
-1. Learning from Epic {{epic_number}} execution
-   {{#if next_epic_exists}}2. Preparing for Epic {{next_epic_num}} success{{/if}}
-Bob (Scrum Master): "Ground rules: psychological safety first. No blame, no judgment. We focus on systems and processes, not individuals. Everyone's voice matters. Specific examples are better than generalizations."
-Alice (Product Owner): "And everything shared here stays in this room - unless we decide together to escalate something."
-Bob (Scrum Master): "Exactly. {user_name}, any questions before we dive in?"
-</output>
-<action>WAIT for {user_name} to respond or indicate readiness</action>
-</step>
-<step n="6" goal="Epic Review Discussion - What Went Well, What Didn't">
-<output>
-Bob (Scrum Master): "Let's start with the good stuff. What went well in Epic {{epic_number}}?"
-Bob (Scrum Master): _pauses, creating space_
-Alice (Product Owner): "I'll start. The user authentication flow we delivered exceeded my expectations. The UX is smooth, and early user feedback has been really positive."
-Charlie (Senior Dev): "I'll add to that - the caching strategy we implemented in Story {{breakthrough_story_num}} was a game-changer. We cut API calls by 60% and it set the pattern for the rest of the epic."
-Dana (QA Engineer): "From my side, testing went smoother than usual. The dev team's documentation was way better this epic - actually usable test plans!"
-Elena (Junior Dev): _smiling_ "That's because Charlie made me document everything after Story 1's code review!"
-Charlie (Senior Dev): _laughing_ "Tough love pays off."
-</output>
-<action>Bob (Scrum Master) naturally turns to {user_name} to engage them in the discussion</action>
-<output>
-Bob (Scrum Master): "{user_name}, what stood out to you as going well in this epic?"
-</output>
-<action>WAIT for {user_name} to respond - this is a KEY USER INTERACTION moment</action>
-<action>After {user_name} responds, have 1-2 team members react to or build on what {user_name} shared</action>
-<output>
-Alice (Product Owner): [Responds naturally to what {user_name} said, either agreeing, adding context, or offering a different perspective]
-Charlie (Senior Dev): [Builds on the discussion, perhaps adding technical details or connecting to specific stories]
-</output>
-<action>Continue facilitating natural dialogue, periodically bringing {user_name} back into the conversation</action>
-<action>After covering successes, guide the transition to challenges with care</action>
-<output>
-Bob (Scrum Master): "Okay, we've celebrated some real wins. Now let's talk about challenges - where did we struggle? What slowed us down?"
-Bob (Scrum Master): _creates safe space with tone and pacing_
-Elena (Junior Dev): _hesitates_ "Well... I really struggled with the database migrations in Story {{difficult_story_num}}. The documentation wasn't clear, and I had to redo it three times. Lost almost a full sprint on that story alone."
-Charlie (Senior Dev): _defensive_ "Hold on - I wrote those migration docs, and they were perfectly clear. The issue was that the requirements kept changing mid-story!"
-Alice (Product Owner): _frustrated_ "That's not fair, Charlie. We only clarified requirements once, and that was because the technical team didn't ask the right questions during planning!"
-Charlie (Senior Dev): _heat rising_ "We asked plenty of questions! You said the schema was finalized, then two days into development you wanted to add three new fields!"
-Bob (Scrum Master): _intervening calmly_ "Let's take a breath here. This is exactly the kind of thing we need to unpack."
-Bob (Scrum Master): "Elena, you spent almost a full sprint on Story {{difficult_story_num}}. Charlie, you're saying requirements changed. Alice, you feel the right questions weren't asked up front."
-Bob (Scrum Master): "{user_name}, you have visibility across the whole project. What's your take on this situation?"
-</output>
-<action>WAIT for {user_name} to respond and help facilitate the conflict resolution</action>
-<action>Use {user_name}'s response to guide the discussion toward systemic understanding rather than blame</action>
-<output>
-Bob (Scrum Master): [Synthesizes {user_name}'s input with what the team shared] "So it sounds like the core issue was {{root_cause_based_on_discussion}}, not any individual person's fault."
-Elena (Junior Dev): "That makes sense. If we'd had {{preventive_measure}}, I probably could have avoided those redos."
-Charlie (Senior Dev): _softening_ "Yeah, and I could have been clearer about assumptions in the docs. Sorry for getting defensive, Alice."
-Alice (Product Owner): "I appreciate that. I could've been more proactive about flagging the schema additions earlier, too."
-Bob (Scrum Master): "This is good. We're identifying systemic improvements, not assigning blame."
-</output>
-<action>Continue the discussion, weaving in patterns discovered from the deep story analysis (Step 2)</action>
-<output>
-Bob (Scrum Master): "Speaking of patterns, I noticed something when reviewing all the story records..."
-Bob (Scrum Master): "{{pattern_1_description}} - this showed up in {{pattern_1_count}} out of {{total_stories}} stories."
-Dana (QA Engineer): "Oh wow, I didn't realize it was that widespread."
-Bob (Scrum Master): "Yeah. And there's more - {{pattern_2_description}} came up in almost every code review."
-Charlie (Senior Dev): "That's... actually embarrassing. We should've caught that pattern earlier."
-Bob (Scrum Master): "No shame, Charlie. Now we know, and we can improve. {user_name}, did you notice these patterns during the epic?"
-</output>
-<action>WAIT for {user_name} to share their observations</action>
-<action>Continue the retrospective discussion, creating moments where:</action>
-- Team members ask {user_name} questions directly
-- {user_name}'s input shifts the discussion direction
-- Disagreements arise naturally and get resolved
-- Quieter team members are invited to contribute
-- Specific stories are referenced with real examples
-- Emotions are authentic (frustration, pride, concern, hope)
-<check if="previous retrospective exists">
-  <output>
-Bob (Scrum Master): "Before we move on, I want to circle back to Epic {{prev_epic_num}}'s retrospective."
-Bob (Scrum Master): "We made some commitments in that retro. Let's see how we did."
-Bob (Scrum Master): "Action item 1: {{prev_action_1}}. Status: {{prev_action_1_status}}"
-Alice (Product Owner): {{#if prev_action_1_status == "completed"}}"We nailed that one!"{{else}}"We... didn't do that one."{{/if}}
-Charlie (Senior Dev): {{#if prev_action_1_status == "completed"}}"And it helped! I noticed {{evidence_of_impact}}"{{else}}"Yeah, and I think that's why we had {{consequence_of_not_doing_it}} this epic."{{/if}}
-Bob (Scrum Master): "Action item 2: {{prev_action_2}}. Status: {{prev_action_2_status}}"
-Dana (QA Engineer): {{#if prev_action_2_status == "completed"}}"This one made testing so much easier this time."{{else}}"If we'd done this, I think testing would've gone faster."{{/if}}
-Bob (Scrum Master): "{user_name}, looking at what we committed to last time and what we actually did - what's your reaction?"
-</output>
-<action>WAIT for {user_name} to respond</action>
-<action>Use the previous retro follow-through as a learning moment about commitment and accountability</action>
-</check>
-<output>
-Bob (Scrum Master): "Alright, we've covered a lot of ground. Let me summarize what I'm hearing..."
-Bob (Scrum Master): "**Successes:**"
-{{list_success_themes}}
-Bob (Scrum Master): "**Challenges:**"
-{{list_challenge_themes}}
-Bob (Scrum Master): "**Key Insights:**"
-{{list_insight_themes}}
-Bob (Scrum Master): "Does that capture it? Anyone have something important we missed?"
-</output>
-<action>Allow team members to add any final thoughts on the epic review</action>
-<action>Ensure {user_name} has opportunity to add their perspective</action>
-</step>
-<step n="7" goal="Next Epic Preparation Discussion - Interactive and Collaborative">
-<check if="{{next_epic_exists}} == false">
-  <output>
-Bob (Scrum Master): "Normally we'd discuss preparing for the next epic, but since Epic {{next_epic_num}} isn't defined yet, let's skip to action items."
-  </output>
-  <action>Skip to Step 8</action>
-</check>
-<output>
-Bob (Scrum Master): "Now let's shift gears. Epic {{next_epic_num}} is coming up: '{{next_epic_title}}'"
-Bob (Scrum Master): "The question is: are we ready? What do we need to prepare?"
-Alice (Product Owner): "From my perspective, we need to make sure {{dependency_concern_1}} from Epic {{epic_number}} is solid before we start building on it."
-Charlie (Senior Dev): _concerned_ "I'm worried about {{technical_concern_1}}. We have {{technical_debt_item}} from this epic that'll blow up if we don't address it before Epic {{next_epic_num}}."
-Dana (QA Engineer): "And I need {{testing_infrastructure_need}} in place, or we're going to have the same testing bottleneck we had in Story {{bottleneck_story_num}}."
-Elena (Junior Dev): "I'm less worried about infrastructure and more about knowledge. I don't understand {{knowledge_gap}} well enough to work on Epic {{next_epic_num}}'s stories."
-Bob (Scrum Master): "{user_name}, the team is surfacing some real concerns here. What's your sense of our readiness?"
-</output>
-<action>WAIT for {user_name} to share their assessment</action>
-<action>Use {user_name}'s input to guide deeper exploration of preparation needs</action>
-<output>
-Alice (Product Owner): [Reacts to what {user_name} said] "I agree with {user_name} about {{point_of_agreement}}, but I'm still worried about {{lingering_concern}}."
-Charlie (Senior Dev): "Here's what I think we need technically before Epic {{next_epic_num}} can start..."
-Charlie (Senior Dev): "1. {{tech_prep_item_1}} - estimated {{hours_1}} hours"
-Charlie (Senior Dev): "2. {{tech_prep_item_2}} - estimated {{hours_2}} hours"
-Charlie (Senior Dev): "3. {{tech_prep_item_3}} - estimated {{hours_3}} hours"
-Elena (Junior Dev): "That's like {{total_hours}} hours! That's a full sprint of prep work!"
-Charlie (Senior Dev): "Exactly. We can't just jump into Epic {{next_epic_num}} on Monday."
-Alice (Product Owner): _frustrated_ "But we have stakeholder pressure to keep shipping features. They're not going to be happy about a 'prep sprint.'"
-Bob (Scrum Master): "Let's think about this differently. What happens if we DON'T do this prep work?"
-Dana (QA Engineer): "We'll hit blockers in the middle of Epic {{next_epic_num}}, velocity will tank, and we'll ship late anyway."
-Charlie (Senior Dev): "Worse - we'll ship something built on top of {{technical_concern_1}}, and it'll be fragile."
-Bob (Scrum Master): "{user_name}, you're balancing stakeholder pressure against technical reality. How do you want to handle this?"
-</output>
-<action>WAIT for {user_name} to provide direction on preparation approach</action>
-<action>Create space for debate and disagreement about priorities</action>
-<output>
-Alice (Product Owner): [Potentially disagrees with {user_name}'s approach] "I hear what you're saying, {user_name}, but from a business perspective, {{business_concern}}."
-Charlie (Senior Dev): [Potentially supports or challenges Alice's point] "The business perspective is valid, but {{technical_counter_argument}}."
-Bob (Scrum Master): "We have healthy tension here between business needs and technical reality. That's good - it means we're being honest."
-Bob (Scrum Master): "Let's explore a middle ground. Charlie, which of your prep items are absolutely critical vs. nice-to-have?"
-Charlie (Senior Dev): "{{critical_prep_item_1}} and {{critical_prep_item_2}} are non-negotiable. {{nice_to_have_prep_item}} can wait."
-Alice (Product Owner): "And can any of the critical prep happen in parallel with starting Epic {{next_epic_num}}?"
-Charlie (Senior Dev): _thinking_ "Maybe. If we tackle {{first_critical_item}} before the epic starts, we could do {{second_critical_item}} during the first sprint."
-Dana (QA Engineer): "But that means Story 1 of Epic {{next_epic_num}} can't depend on {{second_critical_item}}."
-Alice (Product Owner): _looking at epic plan_ "Actually, Stories 1 and 2 are about {{independent_work}}, so they don't depend on it. We could make that work."
-Bob (Scrum Master): "{user_name}, the team is finding a workable compromise here. Does this approach make sense to you?"
-</output>
-<action>WAIT for {user_name} to validate or adjust the preparation strategy</action>
-<action>Continue working through preparation needs across all dimensions:</action>
-- Dependencies on Epic {{epic_number}} work
-- Technical setup and infrastructure
-- Knowledge gaps and research needs
-- Documentation or specification work
-- Testing infrastructure
-- Refactoring or debt reduction
-- External dependencies (APIs, integrations, etc.)
-<action>For each preparation area, facilitate team discussion that:</action>
-- Identifies specific needs with concrete examples
-- Estimates effort realistically based on Epic {{epic_number}} experience
-- Assigns ownership to specific agents
-- Determines criticality and timing
-- Surfaces risks of NOT doing the preparation
-- Explores parallel work opportunities
-- Brings {user_name} in for key decisions
-<output>
-Bob (Scrum Master): "I'm hearing a clear picture of what we need before Epic {{next_epic_num}}. Let me summarize..."
-**CRITICAL PREPARATION (Must complete before epic starts):**
-{{list_critical_prep_items_with_owners_and_estimates}}
-**PARALLEL PREPARATION (Can happen during early stories):**
-{{list_parallel_prep_items_with_owners_and_estimates}}
-**NICE-TO-HAVE PREPARATION (Would help but not blocking):**
-{{list_nice_to_have_prep_items}}
-Bob (Scrum Master): "Total critical prep effort: {{critical_hours}} hours ({{critical_days}} days)"
-Alice (Product Owner): "That's manageable. We can communicate that to stakeholders."
-Bob (Scrum Master): "{user_name}, does this preparation plan work for you?"
-</output>
-<action>WAIT for {user_name} final validation of preparation plan</action>
-</step>
-<step n="8" goal="Synthesize Action Items with Significant Change Detection">
-<output>
-Bob (Scrum Master): "Let's capture concrete action items from everything we've discussed."
-Bob (Scrum Master): "I want specific, achievable actions with clear owners. Not vague aspirations."
-</output>
-<action>Synthesize themes from Epic {{epic_number}} review discussion into actionable improvements</action>
-<action>Create specific action items with:</action>
-- Clear description of the action
-- Assigned owner (specific agent or role)
-- Timeline or deadline
-- Success criteria (how we'll know it's done)
-- Category (process, technical, documentation, team, etc.)
-<action>Ensure action items are SMART:</action>
-- Specific: Clear and unambiguous
-- Measurable: Can verify completion
-- Achievable: Realistic given constraints
-- Relevant: Addresses real issues from retro
-- Time-bound: Has clear deadline
-<output>
-Bob (Scrum Master): "Based on our discussion, here are the action items I'm proposing..."
-═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
-📝 EPIC {{epic_number}} ACTION ITEMS:
-═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
-**Process Improvements:**
-1. {{action_item_1}}
-   Owner: {{agent_1}}
-   Deadline: {{timeline_1}}
-   Success criteria: {{criteria_1}}
-2. {{action_item_2}}
-   Owner: {{agent_2}}
-   Deadline: {{timeline_2}}
-   Success criteria: {{criteria_2}}
-Charlie (Senior Dev): "I can own action item 1, but {{timeline_1}} is tight. Can we push it to {{alternative_timeline}}?"
-Bob (Scrum Master): "What do others think? Does that timing still work?"
-Alice (Product Owner): "{{alternative_timeline}} works for me, as long as it's done before Epic {{next_epic_num}} starts."
-Bob (Scrum Master): "Agreed. Updated to {{alternative_timeline}}."
-**Technical Debt:**
-1. {{debt_item_1}}
-   Owner: {{agent_3}}
-   Priority: {{priority_1}}
-   Estimated effort: {{effort_1}}
-2. {{debt_item_2}}
-   Owner: {{agent_4}}
-   Priority: {{priority_2}}
-   Estimated effort: {{effort_2}}
-Dana (QA Engineer): "For debt item 1, can we prioritize that as high? It caused testing issues in three different stories."
-Charlie (Senior Dev): "I marked it medium because {{reasoning}}, but I hear your point."
-Bob (Scrum Master): "{user_name}, this is a priority call. Testing impact vs. {{reasoning}} - how do you want to prioritize it?"
-</output>
-<action>WAIT for {user_name} to help resolve priority discussions</action>
-<output>
-**Documentation:**
-1. {{doc_need_1}}
-   Owner: {{agent_5}}
-   Deadline: {{timeline_3}}
-2. {{doc_need_2}}
-   Owner: {{agent_6}}
-   Deadline: {{timeline_4}}
-**Team Agreements:**
-- {{agreement_1}}
-- {{agreement_2}}
-- {{agreement_3}}
-Bob (Scrum Master): "These agreements are how we're committing to work differently going forward."
-Elena (Junior Dev): "I like agreement 2 - that would've saved me on Story {{difficult_story_num}}."
-═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
-🚀 EPIC {{next_epic_num}} PREPARATION TASKS:
-═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
-**Technical Setup:**
-[ ] {{setup_task_1}}
-Owner: {{owner_1}}
-Estimated: {{est_1}}
-[ ] {{setup_task_2}}
-Owner: {{owner_2}}
-Estimated: {{est_2}}
-**Knowledge Development:**
-[ ] {{research_task_1}}
-Owner: {{owner_3}}
-Estimated: {{est_3}}
-**Cleanup/Refactoring:**
-[ ] {{refactor_task_1}}
-Owner: {{owner_4}}
-Estimated: {{est_4}}
-**Total Estimated Effort:** {{total_hours}} hours ({{total_days}} days)
-═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
-⚠️ CRITICAL PATH:
-═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
-**Blockers to Resolve Before Epic {{next_epic_num}}:**
-1. {{critical_item_1}}
-   Owner: {{critical_owner_1}}
-   Must complete by: {{critical_deadline_1}}
-2. {{critical_item_2}}
-   Owner: {{critical_owner_2}}
-   Must complete by: {{critical_deadline_2}}
-   </output>
-<action>CRITICAL ANALYSIS - Detect if discoveries require epic updates</action>
-<action>Check if any of the following are true based on retrospective discussion:</action>
-- Architectural assumptions from planning proven wrong during Epic {{epic_number}}
-- Major scope changes or descoping occurred that affects next epic
-- Technical approach needs fundamental change for Epic {{next_epic_num}}
-- Dependencies discovered that Epic {{next_epic_num}} doesn't account for
-- User needs significantly different than originally understood
-- Performance/scalability concerns that affect Epic {{next_epic_num}} design
-- Security or compliance issues discovered that change approach
-- Integration assumptions proven incorrect
-- Team capacity or skill gaps more severe than planned
-- Technical debt level unsustainable without intervention
-<check if="significant discoveries detected">
-  <output>
-═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
-🚨 SIGNIFICANT DISCOVERY ALERT 🚨
-═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
-Bob (Scrum Master): "{user_name}, we need to flag something important."
-Bob (Scrum Master): "During Epic {{epic_number}}, the team uncovered findings that may require updating the plan for Epic {{next_epic_num}}."
-**Significant Changes Identified:**
-1. {{significant_change_1}}
-   Impact: {{impact_description_1}}
-2. {{significant_change_2}}
-   Impact: {{impact_description_2}}
-{{#if significant_change_3}} 3. {{significant_change_3}}
-Impact: {{impact_description_3}}
-{{/if}}
-Charlie (Senior Dev): "Yeah, when we discovered {{technical_discovery}}, it fundamentally changed our understanding of {{affected_area}}."
-Alice (Product Owner): "And from a product perspective, {{product_discovery}} means Epic {{next_epic_num}}'s stories are based on wrong assumptions."
-Dana (QA Engineer): "If we start Epic {{next_epic_num}} as-is, we're going to hit walls fast."
-**Impact on Epic {{next_epic_num}}:**
-The current plan for Epic {{next_epic_num}} assumes:
-- {{wrong_assumption_1}}
-- {{wrong_assumption_2}}
-But Epic {{epic_number}} revealed:
-- {{actual_reality_1}}
-- {{actual_reality_2}}
-This means Epic {{next_epic_num}} likely needs:
-{{list_likely_changes_needed}}
-**RECOMMENDED ACTIONS:**
-1. Review and update Epic {{next_epic_num}} definition based on new learnings
-2. Update affected stories in Epic {{next_epic_num}} to reflect reality
-3. Consider updating architecture or technical specifications if applicable
-4. Hold alignment session with Product Owner before starting Epic {{next_epic_num}}
-   {{#if prd_update_needed}}5. Update PRD sections affected by new understanding{{/if}}
-Bob (Scrum Master): "**Epic Update Required**: YES - Schedule epic planning review session"
-Bob (Scrum Master): "{user_name}, this is significant. We need to address this before committing to Epic {{next_epic_num}}'s current plan. How do you want to handle it?"
-</output>
-<action>WAIT for {user_name} to decide on how to handle the significant changes</action>
-<action>Add epic review session to critical path if user agrees</action>
-  <output>
-Alice (Product Owner): "I agree with {user_name}'s approach. Better to adjust the plan now than fail mid-epic."
-Charlie (Senior Dev): "This is why retrospectives matter. We caught this before it became a disaster."
-Bob (Scrum Master): "Adding to critical path: Epic {{next_epic_num}} planning review session before epic kickoff."
-</output>
-</check>
-<check if="no significant discoveries">
-  <output>
-Bob (Scrum Master): "Good news - nothing from Epic {{epic_number}} fundamentally changes our plan for Epic {{next_epic_num}}. The plan is still sound."
-Alice (Product Owner): "We learned a lot, but the direction is right."
-</output>
-</check>
-<output>
-Bob (Scrum Master): "Let me show you the complete action plan..."
-Bob (Scrum Master): "That's {{total_action_count}} action items, {{prep_task_count}} preparation tasks, and {{critical_count}} critical path items."
-Bob (Scrum Master): "Everyone clear on what they own?"
-</output>
-<action>Give each agent with assignments a moment to acknowledge their ownership</action>
-<action>Ensure {user_name} approves the complete action plan</action>
-</step>
-<step n="9" goal="Critical Readiness Exploration - Interactive Deep Dive">
-<output>
-Bob (Scrum Master): "Before we close, I want to do a final readiness check."
-Bob (Scrum Master): "Epic {{epic_number}} is marked complete in sprint-status, but is it REALLY done?"
-Alice (Product Owner): "What do you mean, Bob?"
-Bob (Scrum Master): "I mean truly production-ready, stakeholders happy, no loose ends that'll bite us later."
-Bob (Scrum Master): "{user_name}, let's walk through this together."
-</output>
-<action>Explore testing and quality state through natural conversation</action>
-<output>
-Bob (Scrum Master): "{user_name}, tell me about the testing for Epic {{epic_number}}. What verification has been done?"
-</output>
-<action>WAIT for {user_name} to describe testing status</action>
-<output>
-Dana (QA Engineer): [Responds to what {user_name} shared] "I can add to that - {{additional_testing_context}}."
-Dana (QA Engineer): "But honestly, {{testing_concern_if_any}}."
-Bob (Scrum Master): "{user_name}, are you confident Epic {{epic_number}} is production-ready from a quality perspective?"
-</output>
-<action>WAIT for {user_name} to assess quality readiness</action>
-<check if="{user_name} expresses concerns">
-  <output>
-Bob (Scrum Master): "Okay, let's capture that. What specific testing is still needed?"
-Dana (QA Engineer): "I can handle {{testing_work_needed}}, estimated {{testing_hours}} hours."
-Bob (Scrum Master): "Adding to critical path: Complete {{testing_work_needed}} before Epic {{next_epic_num}}."
-</output>
-<action>Add testing completion to critical path</action>
-</check>
-<action>Explore deployment and release status</action>
-<output>
-Bob (Scrum Master): "{user_name}, what's the deployment status for Epic {{epic_number}}? Is it live in production, scheduled for deployment, or still pending?"
-</output>
-<action>WAIT for {user_name} to provide deployment status</action>
-<check if="not yet deployed">
-  <output>
-Charlie (Senior Dev): "If it's not deployed yet, we need to factor that into Epic {{next_epic_num}} timing."
-Bob (Scrum Master): "{user_name}, when is deployment planned? Does that timing work for starting Epic {{next_epic_num}}?"
-</output>
-<action>WAIT for {user_name} to clarify deployment timeline</action>
-<action>Add deployment milestone to critical path with agreed timeline</action>
-</check>
-<action>Explore stakeholder acceptance</action>
-<output>
-Bob (Scrum Master): "{user_name}, have stakeholders seen and accepted the Epic {{epic_number}} deliverables?"
-Alice (Product Owner): "This is important - I've seen 'done' epics get rejected by stakeholders and force rework."
-Bob (Scrum Master): "{user_name}, any feedback from stakeholders still pending?"
-</output>
-<action>WAIT for {user_name} to describe stakeholder acceptance status</action>
-<check if="acceptance incomplete or feedback pending">
-  <output>
-Alice (Product Owner): "We should get formal acceptance before moving on. Otherwise Epic {{next_epic_num}} might get interrupted by rework."
-Bob (Scrum Master): "{user_name}, how do you want to handle stakeholder acceptance? Should we make it a critical path item?"
-</output>
-<action>WAIT for {user_name} decision</action>
-<action>Add stakeholder acceptance to critical path if user agrees</action>
-</check>
-<action>Explore technical health and stability</action>
-<output>
-Bob (Scrum Master): "{user_name}, this is a gut-check question: How does the codebase feel after Epic {{epic_number}}?"
-Bob (Scrum Master): "Stable and maintainable? Or are there concerns lurking?"
-Charlie (Senior Dev): "Be honest, {user_name}. We've all shipped epics that felt... fragile."
-</output>
-<action>WAIT for {user_name} to assess codebase health</action>
-<check if="{user_name} expresses stability concerns">
-  <output>
-Charlie (Senior Dev): "Okay, let's dig into that. What's causing those concerns?"
-Charlie (Senior Dev): [Helps {user_name} articulate technical concerns]
-Bob (Scrum Master): "What would it take to address these concerns and feel confident about stability?"
-Charlie (Senior Dev): "I'd say we need {{stability_work_needed}}, roughly {{stability_hours}} hours."
-Bob (Scrum Master): "{user_name}, is addressing this stability work worth doing before Epic {{next_epic_num}}?"
-</output>
-<action>WAIT for {user_name} decision</action>
-<action>Add stability work to preparation sprint if user agrees</action>
-</check>
-<action>Explore unresolved blockers</action>
-<output>
-Bob (Scrum Master): "{user_name}, are there any unresolved blockers or technical issues from Epic {{epic_number}} that we're carrying forward?"
-Dana (QA Engineer): "Things that might create problems for Epic {{next_epic_num}} if we don't deal with them?"
-Bob (Scrum Master): "Nothing is off limits here. If there's a problem, we need to know."
-</output>
-<action>WAIT for {user_name} to surface any blockers</action>
-<check if="blockers identified">
-  <output>
-Bob (Scrum Master): "Let's capture those blockers and figure out how they affect Epic {{next_epic_num}}."
-Charlie (Senior Dev): "For {{blocker_1}}, if we leave it unresolved, it'll {{impact_description_1}}."
-Alice (Product Owner): "That sounds critical. We need to address that before moving forward."
-Bob (Scrum Master): "Agreed. Adding to critical path: Resolve {{blocker_1}} before Epic {{next_epic_num}} kickoff."
-Bob (Scrum Master): "Who owns that work?"
-</output>
-<action>Assign blocker resolution to appropriate agent</action>
-<action>Add to critical path with priority and deadline</action>
-</check>
-<action>Synthesize the readiness assessment</action>
-<output>
-Bob (Scrum Master): "Okay {user_name}, let me synthesize what we just uncovered..."
-**EPIC {{epic_number}} READINESS ASSESSMENT:**
-Testing & Quality: {{quality_status}}
-{{#if quality_concerns}}⚠️ Action needed: {{quality_action_needed}}{{/if}}
-Deployment: {{deployment_status}}
-{{#if deployment_pending}}⚠️ Scheduled for: {{deployment_date}}{{/if}}
-Stakeholder Acceptance: {{acceptance_status}}
-{{#if acceptance_incomplete}}⚠️ Action needed: {{acceptance_action_needed}}{{/if}}
-Technical Health: {{stability_status}}
-{{#if stability_concerns}}⚠️ Action needed: {{stability_action_needed}}{{/if}}
-Unresolved Blockers: {{blocker_status}}
-{{#if blockers_exist}}⚠️ Must resolve: {{blocker_list}}{{/if}}
-Bob (Scrum Master): "{user_name}, does this assessment match your understanding?"
-</output>
-<action>WAIT for {user_name} to confirm or correct the assessment</action>
-<output>
-Bob (Scrum Master): "Based on this assessment, Epic {{epic_number}} is {{#if all_clear}}fully complete and we're clear to proceed{{else}}complete from a story perspective, but we have {{critical_work_count}} critical items before Epic {{next_epic_num}}{{/if}}."
-Alice (Product Owner): "This level of thoroughness is why retrospectives are valuable."
-Charlie (Senior Dev): "Better to catch this now than three stories into the next epic."
-</output>
-</step>
-<step n="10" goal="Retrospective Closure with Celebration and Commitment">
-<output>
-Bob (Scrum Master): "We've covered a lot of ground today. Let me bring this retrospective to a close."
-═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
-✅ RETROSPECTIVE COMPLETE
-═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
-Bob (Scrum Master): "Epic {{epic_number}}: {{epic_title}} - REVIEWED"
-**Key Takeaways:**
-1. {{key_lesson_1}}
-2. {{key_lesson_2}}
-3. {{key_lesson_3}}
-   {{#if key_lesson_4}}4. {{key_lesson_4}}{{/if}}
-Alice (Product Owner): "That first takeaway is huge - {{impact_of_lesson_1}}."
-Charlie (Senior Dev): "And lesson 2 is something we can apply immediately."
-Bob (Scrum Master): "Commitments made today:"
-- Action Items: {{action_count}}
-- Preparation Tasks: {{prep_task_count}}
-- Critical Path Items: {{critical_count}}
-Dana (QA Engineer): "That's a lot of commitments. We need to actually follow through this time."
-Bob (Scrum Master): "Agreed. Which is why we'll review these action items in our next standup."
-═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
-🎯 NEXT STEPS:
-═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
-1. Execute Preparation Sprint (Est: {{prep_days}} days)
-2. Complete Critical Path items before Epic {{next_epic_num}}
-3. Review action items in next standup
-   {{#if epic_update_needed}}4. Hold Epic {{next_epic_num}} planning review session{{else}}4. Begin Epic {{next_epic_num}} planning when preparation complete{{/if}}
-Elena (Junior Dev): "{{prep_days}} days of prep work is significant, but necessary."
-Alice (Product Owner): "I'll communicate the timeline to stakeholders. They'll understand if we frame it as 'ensuring Epic {{next_epic_num}} success.'"
-═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
-Bob (Scrum Master): "Before we wrap, I want to take a moment to acknowledge the team."
-Bob (Scrum Master): "Epic {{epic_number}} delivered {{completed_stories}} stories with {{velocity_description}} velocity. We overcame {{blocker_count}} blockers. We learned a lot. That's real work by real people."
-Charlie (Senior Dev): "Hear, hear."
-Alice (Product Owner): "I'm proud of what we shipped."
-Dana (QA Engineer): "And I'm excited about Epic {{next_epic_num}} - especially now that we're prepared for it."
-Bob (Scrum Master): "{user_name}, any final thoughts before we close?"
-</output>
-<action>WAIT for {user_name} to share final reflections</action>
-<output>
-Bob (Scrum Master): [Acknowledges what {user_name} shared] "Thank you for that, {user_name}."
-Bob (Scrum Master): "Alright team - great work today. We learned a lot from Epic {{epic_number}}. Let's use these insights to make Epic {{next_epic_num}} even better."
-Bob (Scrum Master): "See you all when prep work is done. Meeting adjourned!"
-═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
-</output>
-<action>Prepare to save retrospective summary document</action>
-</step>
-<step n="11" goal="Save Retrospective and Update Sprint Status">
-<action>Ensure retrospectives folder exists: {retrospectives_folder}</action>
-<action>Create folder if it doesn't exist</action>
-<action>Generate comprehensive retrospective summary document including:</action>
-- Epic summary and metrics
-- Team participants
-- Successes and strengths identified
-- Challenges and growth areas
-- Key insights and learnings
-- Previous retro follow-through analysis (if applicable)
-- Next epic preview and dependencies
-- Action items with owners and timelines
-- Preparation tasks for next epic
-- Critical path items
-- Significant discoveries and epic update recommendations (if any)
-- Readiness assessment
-- Commitments and next steps
-<action>Format retrospective document as readable markdown with clear sections</action>
-<action>Set filename: {retrospectives_folder}/epic-{{epic_number}}-retro-{date}.md</action>
-<action>Save retrospective document</action>
-<output>
-✅ Retrospective document saved: {retrospectives_folder}/epic-{{epic_number}}-retro-{date}.md
-</output>
-<action>Update {sprint_status_file} to mark retrospective as completed</action>
-<action>Load the FULL file: {sprint_status_file}</action>
-<action>Find development_status key "epic-{{epic_number}}-retrospective"</action>
-<action>Verify current status (typically "optional" or "pending")</action>
-<action>Update development_status["epic-{{epic_number}}-retrospective"] = "done"</action>
-<action>Save file, preserving ALL comments and structure including STATUS DEFINITIONS</action>
-<check if="update successful">
-  <output>
-✅ Retrospective marked as completed in {sprint_status_file}
-Retrospective key: epic-{{epic_number}}-retrospective
-Status: {{previous_status}} → done
-</output>
-</check>
-<check if="retrospective key not found">
-  <output>
-⚠️ Could not update retrospective status: epic-{{epic_number}}-retrospective not found in {sprint_status_file}
-Retrospective document was saved successfully, but {sprint_status_file} may need manual update.
-</output>
-</check>
-</step>
-<step n="12" goal="Final Summary and Handoff">
-<output>
-**✅ Retrospective Complete, {user_name}!**
-**Epic Review:**
-- Epic {{epic_number}}: {{epic_title}} reviewed
-- Retrospective Status: completed
-- Retrospective saved: {retrospectives_folder}/epic-{{epic_number}}-retro-{date}.md
-**Commitments Made:**
-- Action Items: {{action_count}}
-- Preparation Tasks: {{prep_task_count}}
-- Critical Path Items: {{critical_count}}
-**Next Steps:**
-1. **Review retrospective summary**: {retrospectives_folder}/epic-{{epic_number}}-retro-{date}.md
-2. **Execute preparation sprint** (Est: {{prep_days}} days)
-   - Complete {{critical_count}} critical path items
-   - Execute {{prep_task_count}} preparation tasks
-   - Verify all action items are in progress
-3. **Review action items in next standup**
-   - Ensure ownership is clear
-   - Track progress on commitments
-   - Adjust timelines if needed
-{{#if epic_update_needed}} 4. **IMPORTANT: Schedule Epic {{next_epic_num}} planning review session**
-- Significant discoveries from Epic {{epic_number}} require epic updates
-- Review and update affected stories
-- Align team on revised approach
-- Do NOT start Epic {{next_epic_num}} until review is complete
-  {{else}}
-4. **Begin Epic {{next_epic_num}} when ready**
-   - Start creating stories with SM agent's `create-story`
-   - Epic will be marked as `in-progress` automatically when first story is created
-   - Ensure all critical path items are done first
-     {{/if}}
-**Team Performance:**
-Epic {{epic_number}} delivered {{completed_stories}} stories with {{velocity_summary}}. The retrospective surfaced {{insight_count}} key insights and {{significant_discovery_count}} significant discoveries. The team is well-positioned for Epic {{next_epic_num}} success.
-{{#if significant_discovery_count > 0}}
-⚠️ **REMINDER**: Epic update required before starting Epic {{next_epic_num}}
-{{/if}}
----
-Bob (Scrum Master): "Great session today, {user_name}. The team did excellent work."
-Alice (Product Owner): "See you at epic planning!"
-Charlie (Senior Dev): "Time to knock out that prep work."
-</output>
-</step>
-</workflow>
-<facilitation-guidelines>
-<guideline>PARTY MODE REQUIRED: All agent dialogue uses "Name (Role): dialogue" format</guideline>
-<guideline>Scrum Master maintains psychological safety throughout - no blame or judgment</guideline>
-<guideline>Focus on systems and processes, not individual performance</guideline>
-<guideline>Create authentic team dynamics: disagreements, diverse perspectives, emotions</guideline>
-<guideline>User ({user_name}) is active participant, not passive observer</guideline>
-<guideline>Encourage specific examples over general statements</guideline>
-<guideline>Balance celebration of wins with honest assessment of challenges</guideline>
-<guideline>Ensure every voice is heard - all agents contribute</guideline>
-<guideline>Action items must be specific, achievable, and owned</guideline>
-<guideline>Forward-looking mindset - how do we improve for next epic?</guideline>
-<guideline>Intent-based facilitation, not scripted phrases</guideline>
-<guideline>Deep story analysis provides rich material for discussion</guideline>
-<guideline>Previous retro integration creates accountability and continuity</guideline>
-<guideline>Significant change detection prevents epic misalignment</guideline>
-<guideline>Critical verification prevents starting next epic prematurely</guideline>
-<guideline>Document everything - retrospective insights are valuable for future reference</guideline>
-<guideline>Two-part structure ensures both reflection AND preparation</guideline>
-</facilitation-guidelines>
+# Retrospective - Epic Completion Review Instructions
+<critical>The workflow execution engine is governed by: {project-root}/_bmad/core/tasks/workflow.xml</critical>
+<critical>You MUST have already loaded and processed: {project-root}/_bmad/bmm/workflows/4-implementation/retrospective/workflow.yaml</critical>
+<critical>Communicate all responses in {communication_language} and language MUST be tailored to {user_skill_level}</critical>
+<critical>Generate all documents in {document_output_language}</critical>
+<critical>⚠️ ABSOLUTELY NO TIME ESTIMATES - NEVER mention hours, days, weeks, months, or ANY time-based predictions. AI has fundamentally changed development speed - what once took teams weeks/months can now be done by one person in hours. DO NOT give ANY time estimates whatsoever.</critical>
+<critical>
+  DOCUMENT OUTPUT: Retrospective analysis. Concise insights, lessons learned, action items. User skill level ({user_skill_level}) affects conversation style ONLY, not retrospective content.
+FACILITATION NOTES:
+- Scrum Master facilitates this retrospective
+- Psychological safety is paramount - NO BLAME
+- Focus on systems, processes, and learning
+- Everyone contributes with specific examples preferred
+- Action items must be achievable with clear ownership
+- Two-part format: (1) Epic Review + (2) Next Epic Preparation
+PARTY MODE PROTOCOL:
+- ALL agent dialogue MUST use format: "Name (Role): dialogue"
+- Example: Bob (Scrum Master): "Let's begin..."
+- Example: {user_name} (Project Lead): [User responds]
+- Create natural back-and-forth with user actively participating
+- Show disagreements, diverse perspectives, authentic team dynamics
+  </critical>
+<workflow>
+<step n="1" goal="Epic Discovery - Find Completed Epic with Priority Logic">
+<action>Explain to {user_name} the epic discovery process using natural dialogue</action>
+<output>
+Bob (Scrum Master): "Welcome to the retrospective, {user_name}. Let me help you identify which epic we just completed. I'll check sprint-status first, but you're the ultimate authority on what we're reviewing today."
+</output>
+<action>PRIORITY 1: Check {sprint_status_file} first</action>
+<action>Load the FULL file: {sprint_status_file}</action>
+<action>Read ALL development_status entries</action>
+<action>Find the highest epic number with at least one story marked "done"</action>
+<action>Extract epic number from keys like "epic-X-retrospective" or story keys like "X-Y-story-name"</action>
+<action>Set {{detected_epic}} = highest epic number found with completed stories</action>
+<check if="{{detected_epic}} found">
+  <action>Present finding to user with context</action>
+  <output>
+Bob (Scrum Master): "Based on {sprint_status_file}, it looks like Epic {{detected_epic}} was recently completed. Is that the epic you want to review today, {user_name}?"
+  </output>
+<action>WAIT for {user_name} to confirm or correct</action>
+  <check if="{user_name} confirms">
+    <action>Set {{epic_number}} = {{detected_epic}}</action>
+  </check>
+  <check if="{user_name} provides different epic number">
+    <action>Set {{epic_number}} = user-provided number</action>
+    <output>
+Bob (Scrum Master): "Got it, we're reviewing Epic {{epic_number}}. Let me gather that information."
+    </output>
+  </check>
+</check>
+<check if="{{detected_epic}} NOT found in sprint-status">
+  <action>PRIORITY 2: Ask user directly</action>
+  <output>
+Bob (Scrum Master): "I'm having trouble detecting the completed epic from {sprint_status_file}. {user_name}, which epic number did you just complete?"
+  </output>
+<action>WAIT for {user_name} to provide epic number</action>
+<action>Set {{epic_number}} = user-provided number</action>
+</check>
+<check if="{{epic_number}} still not determined">
+  <action>PRIORITY 3: Fallback to stories folder</action>
+<action>Scan {story_directory} for highest numbered story files</action>
+<action>Extract epic numbers from story filenames (pattern: epic-X-Y-story-name.md)</action>
+<action>Set {{detected_epic}} = highest epic number found</action>
+  <output>
+Bob (Scrum Master): "I found stories for Epic {{detected_epic}} in the stories folder. Is that the epic we're reviewing, {user_name}?"
+  </output>
+<action>WAIT for {user_name} to confirm or correct</action>
+<action>Set {{epic_number}} = confirmed number</action>
+</check>
+<action>Once {{epic_number}} is determined, verify epic completion status</action>
+<action>Find all stories for epic {{epic_number}} in {sprint_status_file}:
+- Look for keys starting with "{{epic_number}}-" (e.g., "1-1-", "1-2-", etc.)
+- Exclude epic key itself ("epic-{{epic_number}}")
+- Exclude retrospective key ("epic-{{epic_number}}-retrospective")
+  </action>
+<action>Count total stories found for this epic</action>
+<action>Count stories with status = "done"</action>
+<action>Collect list of pending story keys (status != "done")</action>
+<action>Determine if complete: true if all stories are done, false otherwise</action>
+<check if="epic is not complete">
+  <output>
+Alice (Product Owner): "Wait, Bob - I'm seeing that Epic {{epic_number}} isn't actually complete yet."
+Bob (Scrum Master): "Let me check... you're right, Alice."
+**Epic Status:**
+- Total Stories: {{total_stories}}
+- Completed (Done): {{done_stories}}
+- Pending: {{pending_count}}
+**Pending Stories:**
+{{pending_story_list}}
+Bob (Scrum Master): "{user_name}, we typically run retrospectives after all stories are done. What would you like to do?"
+**Options:**
+1. Complete remaining stories before running retrospective (recommended)
+2. Continue with partial retrospective (not ideal, but possible)
+3. Run sprint-planning to refresh story tracking
+   </output>
+<ask if="{{non_interactive}} == false">Continue with incomplete epic? (yes/no)</ask>
+  <check if="user says no">
+    <output>
+Bob (Scrum Master): "Smart call, {user_name}. Let's finish those stories first and then have a proper retrospective."
+    </output>
+    <action>HALT</action>
+  </check>
+<action if="user says yes">Set {{partial_retrospective}} = true</action>
+<output>
+Charlie (Senior Dev): "Just so everyone knows, this partial retro might miss some important lessons from those pending stories."
+Bob (Scrum Master): "Good point, Charlie. {user_name}, we'll document what we can now, but we may want to revisit after everything's done."
+</output>
+</check>
+<check if="epic is complete">
+  <output>
+Alice (Product Owner): "Excellent! All {{done_stories}} stories are marked done."
+Bob (Scrum Master): "Perfect. Epic {{epic_number}} is complete and ready for retrospective, {user_name}."
+</output>
+</check>
+</step>
+<step n="0.5" goal="Discover and load project documents">
+  <invoke-protocol name="discover_inputs" />
+  <note>After discovery, these content variables are available: {epics_content} (selective load for this epic), {architecture_content}, {prd_content}, {document_project_content}</note>
+</step>
+<step n="2" goal="Deep Story Analysis - Extract Lessons from Implementation">
+<output>
+Bob (Scrum Master): "Before we start the team discussion, let me review all the story records to surface key themes. This'll help us have a richer conversation."
+Charlie (Senior Dev): "Good idea - those dev notes always have gold in them."
+</output>
+<action>For each story in epic {{epic_number}}, read the complete story file from {story_directory}/{{epic_number}}-{{story_num}}-\*.md</action>
+<action>Extract and analyze from each story:</action>
+**Dev Notes and Struggles:**
+- Look for sections like "## Dev Notes", "## Implementation Notes", "## Challenges", "## Development Log"
+- Identify where developers struggled or made mistakes
+- Note unexpected complexity or gotchas discovered
+- Record technical decisions that didn't work out as planned
+- Track where estimates were way off (too high or too low)
+**Review Feedback Patterns:**
+- Look for "## Review", "## Code Review", "## SM Review", "## Scrum Master Review" sections
+- Identify recurring feedback themes across stories
+- Note which types of issues came up repeatedly
+- Track quality concerns or architectural misalignments
+- Document praise or exemplary work called out in reviews
+**Lessons Learned:**
+- Look for "## Lessons Learned", "## Retrospective Notes", "## Takeaways" sections within stories
+- Extract explicit lessons documented during development
+- Identify "aha moments" or breakthroughs
+- Note what would be done differently
+- Track successful experiments or approaches
+**Technical Debt Incurred:**
+- Look for "## Technical Debt", "## TODO", "## Known Issues", "## Future Work" sections
+- Document shortcuts taken and why
+- Track debt items that affect next epic
+- Note severity and priority of debt items
+**Testing and Quality Insights:**
+- Look for "## Testing", "## QA Notes", "## Test Results" sections
+- Note testing challenges or surprises
+- Track bug patterns or regression issues
+- Document test coverage gaps
+<action>Synthesize patterns across all stories:</action>
+**Common Struggles:**
+- Identify issues that appeared in 2+ stories (e.g., "3 out of 5 stories had API authentication issues")
+- Note areas where team consistently struggled
+- Track where complexity was underestimated
+**Recurring Review Feedback:**
+- Identify feedback themes (e.g., "Error handling was flagged in every review")
+- Note quality patterns (positive and negative)
+- Track areas where team improved over the course of epic
+**Breakthrough Moments:**
+- Document key discoveries (e.g., "Story 3 discovered the caching pattern we used for rest of epic")
+- Note when team velocity improved dramatically
+- Track innovative solutions worth repeating
+**Velocity Patterns:**
+- Calculate average completion time per story
+- Note velocity trends (e.g., "First 2 stories took 3x longer than estimated")
+- Identify which types of stories went faster/slower
+**Team Collaboration Highlights:**
+- Note moments of excellent collaboration mentioned in stories
+- Track where pair programming or mob programming was effective
+- Document effective problem-solving sessions
+<action>Store this synthesis - these patterns will drive the retrospective discussion</action>
+<output>
+Bob (Scrum Master): "Okay, I've reviewed all {{total_stories}} story records. I found some really interesting patterns we should discuss."
+Dana (QA Engineer): "I'm curious what you found, Bob. I noticed some things in my testing too."
+Bob (Scrum Master): "We'll get to all of it. But first, let me load the previous epic's retro to see if we learned from last time."
+</output>
+</step>
+<step n="3" goal="Load and Integrate Previous Epic Retrospective">
+<action>Calculate previous epic number: {{prev_epic_num}} = {{epic_number}} - 1</action>
+<check if="{{prev_epic_num}} >= 1">
+  <action>Search for previous retrospective using pattern: {retrospectives_folder}/epic-{{prev_epic_num}}-retro-*.md</action>
+  <check if="previous retro found">
+    <output>
+Bob (Scrum Master): "I found our retrospective from Epic {{prev_epic_num}}. Let me see what we committed to back then..."
+    </output>
+    <action>Read the complete previous retrospective file</action>
+    <action>Extract key elements:</action>
+    - **Action items committed**: What did the team agree to improve?
+    - **Lessons learned**: What insights were captured?
+    - **Process improvements**: What changes were agreed upon?
+    - **Technical debt flagged**: What debt was documented?
+    - **Team agreements**: What commitments were made?
+    - **Preparation tasks**: What was needed for this epic?
+    <action>Cross-reference with current epic execution:</action>
+    **Action Item Follow-Through:**
+    - For each action item from Epic {{prev_epic_num}} retro, check if it was completed
+    - Look for evidence in current epic's story records
+    - Mark each action item: ✅ Completed, ⏳ In Progress, ❌ Not Addressed
+    **Lessons Applied:**
+    - For each lesson from Epic {{prev_epic_num}}, check if team applied it in Epic {{epic_number}}
+    - Look for evidence in dev notes, review feedback, or outcomes
+    - Document successes and missed opportunities
+    **Process Improvements Effectiveness:**
+    - For each process change agreed to in Epic {{prev_epic_num}}, assess if it helped
+    - Did the change improve velocity, quality, or team satisfaction?
+    - Should we keep, modify, or abandon the change?
+    **Technical Debt Status:**
+    - For each debt item from Epic {{prev_epic_num}}, check if it was addressed
+    - Did unaddressed debt cause problems in Epic {{epic_number}}?
+    - Did the debt grow or shrink?
+    <action>Prepare "continuity insights" for the retrospective discussion</action>
+    <action>Identify wins where previous lessons were applied successfully:</action>
+    - Document specific examples of applied learnings
+    - Note positive impact on Epic {{epic_number}} outcomes
+    - Celebrate team growth and improvement
+    <action>Identify missed opportunities where previous lessons were ignored:</action>
+    - Document where team repeated previous mistakes
+    - Note impact of not applying lessons (without blame)
+    - Explore barriers that prevented application
+    <output>
+Bob (Scrum Master): "Interesting... in Epic {{prev_epic_num}}'s retro, we committed to {{action_count}} action items."
+Alice (Product Owner): "How'd we do on those, Bob?"
+Bob (Scrum Master): "We completed {{completed_count}}, made progress on {{in_progress_count}}, but didn't address {{not_addressed_count}}."
+Charlie (Senior Dev): _looking concerned_ "Which ones didn't we address?"
+Bob (Scrum Master): "We'll discuss that in the retro. Some of them might explain challenges we had this epic."
+Elena (Junior Dev): "That's... actually pretty insightful."
+Bob (Scrum Master): "That's why we track this stuff. Pattern recognition helps us improve."
+</output>
+  </check>
+  <check if="no previous retro found">
+    <output>
+Bob (Scrum Master): "I don't see a retrospective for Epic {{prev_epic_num}}. Either we skipped it, or this is your first retro."
+Alice (Product Owner): "Probably our first one. Good time to start the habit!"
+</output>
+<action>Set {{first_retrospective}} = true</action>
+</check>
+</check>
+<check if="{{prev_epic_num}} < 1">
+  <output>
+Bob (Scrum Master): "This is Epic 1, so naturally there's no previous retro to reference. We're starting fresh!"
+Charlie (Senior Dev): "First epic, first retro. Let's make it count."
+</output>
+<action>Set {{first_retrospective}} = true</action>
+</check>
+</step>
+<step n="4" goal="Preview Next Epic with Change Detection">
+<action>Calculate next epic number: {{next_epic_num}} = {{epic_number}} + 1</action>
+<output>
+Bob (Scrum Master): "Before we dive into the discussion, let me take a quick look at Epic {{next_epic_num}} to understand what's coming."
+Alice (Product Owner): "Good thinking - helps us connect what we learned to what we're about to do."
+</output>
+<action>Attempt to load next epic using selective loading strategy:</action>
+**Try sharded first (more specific):**
+<action>Check if file exists: {planning_artifacts}/epic\*/epic-{{next_epic_num}}.md</action>
+<check if="sharded epic file found">
+  <action>Load {planning_artifacts}/*epic*/epic-{{next_epic_num}}.md</action>
+  <action>Set {{next_epic_source}} = "sharded"</action>
+</check>
+**Fallback to whole document:**
+<check if="sharded epic not found">
+<action>Check if file exists: {planning_artifacts}/epic\*.md</action>
+  <check if="whole epic file found">
+    <action>Load entire epics document</action>
+    <action>Extract Epic {{next_epic_num}} section</action>
+    <action>Set {{next_epic_source}} = "whole"</action>
+  </check>
+</check>
+<check if="next epic found">
+  <action>Analyze next epic for:</action>
+  - Epic title and objectives
+  - Planned stories and complexity estimates
+  - Dependencies on Epic {{epic_number}} work
+  - New technical requirements or capabilities needed
+  - Potential risks or unknowns
+  - Business goals and success criteria
+<action>Identify dependencies on completed work:</action>
+- What components from Epic {{epic_number}} does Epic {{next_epic_num}} rely on?
+- Are all prerequisites complete and stable?
+- Any incomplete work that creates blocking dependencies?
+<action>Note potential gaps or preparation needed:</action>
+- Technical setup required (infrastructure, tools, libraries)
+- Knowledge gaps to fill (research, training, spikes)
+- Refactoring needed before starting next epic
+- Documentation or specifications to create
+<action>Check for technical prerequisites:</action>
+- APIs or integrations that must be ready
+- Data migrations or schema changes needed
+- Testing infrastructure requirements
+- Deployment or environment setup
+  <output>
+Bob (Scrum Master): "Alright, I've reviewed Epic {{next_epic_num}}: '{{next_epic_title}}'"
+Alice (Product Owner): "What are we looking at?"
+Bob (Scrum Master): "{{next_epic_num}} stories planned, building on the {{dependency_description}} from Epic {{epic_number}}."
+Charlie (Senior Dev): "Dependencies concern me. Did we finish everything we need for that?"
+Bob (Scrum Master): "Good question - that's exactly what we need to explore in this retro."
+</output>
+<action>Set {{next_epic_exists}} = true</action>
+</check>
+<check if="next epic NOT found">
+  <output>
+Bob (Scrum Master): "Hmm, I don't see Epic {{next_epic_num}} defined yet."
+Alice (Product Owner): "We might be at the end of the roadmap, or we haven't planned that far ahead yet."
+Bob (Scrum Master): "No problem. We'll still do a thorough retro on Epic {{epic_number}}. The lessons will be valuable whenever we plan the next work."
+</output>
+<action>Set {{next_epic_exists}} = false</action>
+</check>
+</step>
+<step n="5" goal="Initialize Retrospective with Rich Context">
+<action>Load agent configurations from {agent_manifest}</action>
+<action>Identify which agents participated in Epic {{epic_number}} based on story records</action>
+<action>Ensure key roles present: Product Owner, Scrum Master (facilitating), Devs, Testing/QA, Architect</action>
+<output>
+Bob (Scrum Master): "Alright team, everyone's here. Let me set the stage for our retrospective."
+═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
+🔄 TEAM RETROSPECTIVE - Epic {{epic_number}}: {{epic_title}}
+═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
+Bob (Scrum Master): "Here's what we accomplished together."
+**EPIC {{epic_number}} SUMMARY:**
+Delivery Metrics:
+- Completed: {{completed_stories}}/{{total_stories}} stories ({{completion_percentage}}%)
+- Velocity: {{actual_points}} story points{{#if planned_points}} (planned: {{planned_points}}){{/if}}
+- Duration: {{actual_sprints}} sprints{{#if planned_sprints}} (planned: {{planned_sprints}}){{/if}}
+- Average velocity: {{points_per_sprint}} points/sprint
+Quality and Technical:
+- Blockers encountered: {{blocker_count}}
+- Technical debt items: {{debt_count}}
+- Test coverage: {{coverage_info}}
+- Production incidents: {{incident_count}}
+Business Outcomes:
+- Goals achieved: {{goals_met}}/{{total_goals}}
+- Success criteria: {{criteria_status}}
+- Stakeholder feedback: {{feedback_summary}}
+Alice (Product Owner): "Those numbers tell a good story. {{completion_percentage}}% completion is {{#if completion_percentage >= 90}}excellent{{else}}something we should discuss{{/if}}."
+Charlie (Senior Dev): "I'm more interested in that technical debt number - {{debt_count}} items is {{#if debt_count > 10}}concerning{{else}}manageable{{/if}}."
+Dana (QA Engineer): "{{incident_count}} production incidents - {{#if incident_count == 0}}clean epic!{{else}}we should talk about those{{/if}}."
+{{#if next_epic_exists}}
+═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
+**NEXT EPIC PREVIEW:** Epic {{next_epic_num}}: {{next_epic_title}}
+═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
+Dependencies on Epic {{epic_number}}:
+{{list_dependencies}}
+Preparation Needed:
+{{list_preparation_gaps}}
+Technical Prerequisites:
+{{list_technical_prereqs}}
+Bob (Scrum Master): "And here's what's coming next. Epic {{next_epic_num}} builds on what we just finished."
+Elena (Junior Dev): "Wow, that's a lot of dependencies on our work."
+Charlie (Senior Dev): "Which means we better make sure Epic {{epic_number}} is actually solid before moving on."
+{{/if}}
+═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
+Bob (Scrum Master): "Team assembled for this retrospective:"
+{{list_participating_agents}}
+Bob (Scrum Master): "{user_name}, you're joining us as Project Lead. Your perspective is crucial here."
+{user_name} (Project Lead): [Participating in the retrospective]
+Bob (Scrum Master): "Our focus today:"
+1. Learning from Epic {{epic_number}} execution
+   {{#if next_epic_exists}}2. Preparing for Epic {{next_epic_num}} success{{/if}}
+Bob (Scrum Master): "Ground rules: psychological safety first. No blame, no judgment. We focus on systems and processes, not individuals. Everyone's voice matters. Specific examples are better than generalizations."
+Alice (Product Owner): "And everything shared here stays in this room - unless we decide together to escalate something."
+Bob (Scrum Master): "Exactly. {user_name}, any questions before we dive in?"
+</output>
+<action>WAIT for {user_name} to respond or indicate readiness</action>
+</step>
+<step n="6" goal="Epic Review Discussion - What Went Well, What Didn't">
+<output>
+Bob (Scrum Master): "Let's start with the good stuff. What went well in Epic {{epic_number}}?"
+Bob (Scrum Master): _pauses, creating space_
+Alice (Product Owner): "I'll start. The user authentication flow we delivered exceeded my expectations. The UX is smooth, and early user feedback has been really positive."
+Charlie (Senior Dev): "I'll add to that - the caching strategy we implemented in Story {{breakthrough_story_num}} was a game-changer. We cut API calls by 60% and it set the pattern for the rest of the epic."
+Dana (QA Engineer): "From my side, testing went smoother than usual. The dev team's documentation was way better this epic - actually usable test plans!"
+Elena (Junior Dev): _smiling_ "That's because Charlie made me document everything after Story 1's code review!"
+Charlie (Senior Dev): _laughing_ "Tough love pays off."
+</output>
+<action>Bob (Scrum Master) naturally turns to {user_name} to engage them in the discussion</action>
+<output>
+Bob (Scrum Master): "{user_name}, what stood out to you as going well in this epic?"
+</output>
+<action>WAIT for {user_name} to respond - this is a KEY USER INTERACTION moment</action>
+<action>After {user_name} responds, have 1-2 team members react to or build on what {user_name} shared</action>
+<output>
+Alice (Product Owner): [Responds naturally to what {user_name} said, either agreeing, adding context, or offering a different perspective]
+Charlie (Senior Dev): [Builds on the discussion, perhaps adding technical details or connecting to specific stories]
+</output>
+<action>Continue facilitating natural dialogue, periodically bringing {user_name} back into the conversation</action>
+<action>After covering successes, guide the transition to challenges with care</action>
+<output>
+Bob (Scrum Master): "Okay, we've celebrated some real wins. Now let's talk about challenges - where did we struggle? What slowed us down?"
+Bob (Scrum Master): _creates safe space with tone and pacing_
+Elena (Junior Dev): _hesitates_ "Well... I really struggled with the database migrations in Story {{difficult_story_num}}. The documentation wasn't clear, and I had to redo it three times. Lost almost a full sprint on that story alone."
+Charlie (Senior Dev): _defensive_ "Hold on - I wrote those migration docs, and they were perfectly clear. The issue was that the requirements kept changing mid-story!"
+Alice (Product Owner): _frustrated_ "That's not fair, Charlie. We only clarified requirements once, and that was because the technical team didn't ask the right questions during planning!"
+Charlie (Senior Dev): _heat rising_ "We asked plenty of questions! You said the schema was finalized, then two days into development you wanted to add three new fields!"
+Bob (Scrum Master): _intervening calmly_ "Let's take a breath here. This is exactly the kind of thing we need to unpack."
+Bob (Scrum Master): "Elena, you spent almost a full sprint on Story {{difficult_story_num}}. Charlie, you're saying requirements changed. Alice, you feel the right questions weren't asked up front."
+Bob (Scrum Master): "{user_name}, you have visibility across the whole project. What's your take on this situation?"
+</output>
+<action>WAIT for {user_name} to respond and help facilitate the conflict resolution</action>
+<action>Use {user_name}'s response to guide the discussion toward systemic understanding rather than blame</action>
+<output>
+Bob (Scrum Master): [Synthesizes {user_name}'s input with what the team shared] "So it sounds like the core issue was {{root_cause_based_on_discussion}}, not any individual person's fault."
+Elena (Junior Dev): "That makes sense. If we'd had {{preventive_measure}}, I probably could have avoided those redos."
+Charlie (Senior Dev): _softening_ "Yeah, and I could have been clearer about assumptions in the docs. Sorry for getting defensive, Alice."
+Alice (Product Owner): "I appreciate that. I could've been more proactive about flagging the schema additions earlier, too."
+Bob (Scrum Master): "This is good. We're identifying systemic improvements, not assigning blame."
+</output>
+<action>Continue the discussion, weaving in patterns discovered from the deep story analysis (Step 2)</action>
+<output>
+Bob (Scrum Master): "Speaking of patterns, I noticed something when reviewing all the story records..."
+Bob (Scrum Master): "{{pattern_1_description}} - this showed up in {{pattern_1_count}} out of {{total_stories}} stories."
+Dana (QA Engineer): "Oh wow, I didn't realize it was that widespread."
+Bob (Scrum Master): "Yeah. And there's more - {{pattern_2_description}} came up in almost every code review."
+Charlie (Senior Dev): "That's... actually embarrassing. We should've caught that pattern earlier."
+Bob (Scrum Master): "No shame, Charlie. Now we know, and we can improve. {user_name}, did you notice these patterns during the epic?"
+</output>
+<action>WAIT for {user_name} to share their observations</action>
+<action>Continue the retrospective discussion, creating moments where:</action>
+- Team members ask {user_name} questions directly
+- {user_name}'s input shifts the discussion direction
+- Disagreements arise naturally and get resolved
+- Quieter team members are invited to contribute
+- Specific stories are referenced with real examples
+- Emotions are authentic (frustration, pride, concern, hope)
+<check if="previous retrospective exists">
+  <output>
+Bob (Scrum Master): "Before we move on, I want to circle back to Epic {{prev_epic_num}}'s retrospective."
+Bob (Scrum Master): "We made some commitments in that retro. Let's see how we did."
+Bob (Scrum Master): "Action item 1: {{prev_action_1}}. Status: {{prev_action_1_status}}"
+Alice (Product Owner): {{#if prev_action_1_status == "completed"}}"We nailed that one!"{{else}}"We... didn't do that one."{{/if}}
+Charlie (Senior Dev): {{#if prev_action_1_status == "completed"}}"And it helped! I noticed {{evidence_of_impact}}"{{else}}"Yeah, and I think that's why we had {{consequence_of_not_doing_it}} this epic."{{/if}}
+Bob (Scrum Master): "Action item 2: {{prev_action_2}}. Status: {{prev_action_2_status}}"
+Dana (QA Engineer): {{#if prev_action_2_status == "completed"}}"This one made testing so much easier this time."{{else}}"If we'd done this, I think testing would've gone faster."{{/if}}
+Bob (Scrum Master): "{user_name}, looking at what we committed to last time and what we actually did - what's your reaction?"
+</output>
+<action>WAIT for {user_name} to respond</action>
+<action>Use the previous retro follow-through as a learning moment about commitment and accountability</action>
+</check>
+<output>
+Bob (Scrum Master): "Alright, we've covered a lot of ground. Let me summarize what I'm hearing..."
+Bob (Scrum Master): "**Successes:**"
+{{list_success_themes}}
+Bob (Scrum Master): "**Challenges:**"
+{{list_challenge_themes}}
+Bob (Scrum Master): "**Key Insights:**"
+{{list_insight_themes}}
+Bob (Scrum Master): "Does that capture it? Anyone have something important we missed?"
+</output>
+<action>Allow team members to add any final thoughts on the epic review</action>
+<action>Ensure {user_name} has opportunity to add their perspective</action>
+</step>
+<step n="7" goal="Next Epic Preparation Discussion - Interactive and Collaborative">
+<check if="{{next_epic_exists}} == false">
+  <output>
+Bob (Scrum Master): "Normally we'd discuss preparing for the next epic, but since Epic {{next_epic_num}} isn't defined yet, let's skip to action items."
+  </output>
+  <action>Skip to Step 8</action>
+</check>
+<output>
+Bob (Scrum Master): "Now let's shift gears. Epic {{next_epic_num}} is coming up: '{{next_epic_title}}'"
+Bob (Scrum Master): "The question is: are we ready? What do we need to prepare?"
+Alice (Product Owner): "From my perspective, we need to make sure {{dependency_concern_1}} from Epic {{epic_number}} is solid before we start building on it."
+Charlie (Senior Dev): _concerned_ "I'm worried about {{technical_concern_1}}. We have {{technical_debt_item}} from this epic that'll blow up if we don't address it before Epic {{next_epic_num}}."
+Dana (QA Engineer): "And I need {{testing_infrastructure_need}} in place, or we're going to have the same testing bottleneck we had in Story {{bottleneck_story_num}}."
+Elena (Junior Dev): "I'm less worried about infrastructure and more about knowledge. I don't understand {{knowledge_gap}} well enough to work on Epic {{next_epic_num}}'s stories."
+Bob (Scrum Master): "{user_name}, the team is surfacing some real concerns here. What's your sense of our readiness?"
+</output>
+<action>WAIT for {user_name} to share their assessment</action>
+<action>Use {user_name}'s input to guide deeper exploration of preparation needs</action>
+<output>
+Alice (Product Owner): [Reacts to what {user_name} said] "I agree with {user_name} about {{point_of_agreement}}, but I'm still worried about {{lingering_concern}}."
+Charlie (Senior Dev): "Here's what I think we need technically before Epic {{next_epic_num}} can start..."
+Charlie (Senior Dev): "1. {{tech_prep_item_1}} - estimated {{hours_1}} hours"
+Charlie (Senior Dev): "2. {{tech_prep_item_2}} - estimated {{hours_2}} hours"
+Charlie (Senior Dev): "3. {{tech_prep_item_3}} - estimated {{hours_3}} hours"
+Elena (Junior Dev): "That's like {{total_hours}} hours! That's a full sprint of prep work!"
+Charlie (Senior Dev): "Exactly. We can't just jump into Epic {{next_epic_num}} on Monday."
+Alice (Product Owner): _frustrated_ "But we have stakeholder pressure to keep shipping features. They're not going to be happy about a 'prep sprint.'"
+Bob (Scrum Master): "Let's think about this differently. What happens if we DON'T do this prep work?"
+Dana (QA Engineer): "We'll hit blockers in the middle of Epic {{next_epic_num}}, velocity will tank, and we'll ship late anyway."
+Charlie (Senior Dev): "Worse - we'll ship something built on top of {{technical_concern_1}}, and it'll be fragile."
+Bob (Scrum Master): "{user_name}, you're balancing stakeholder pressure against technical reality. How do you want to handle this?"
+</output>
+<action>WAIT for {user_name} to provide direction on preparation approach</action>
+<action>Create space for debate and disagreement about priorities</action>
+<output>
+Alice (Product Owner): [Potentially disagrees with {user_name}'s approach] "I hear what you're saying, {user_name}, but from a business perspective, {{business_concern}}."
+Charlie (Senior Dev): [Potentially supports or challenges Alice's point] "The business perspective is valid, but {{technical_counter_argument}}."
+Bob (Scrum Master): "We have healthy tension here between business needs and technical reality. That's good - it means we're being honest."
+Bob (Scrum Master): "Let's explore a middle ground. Charlie, which of your prep items are absolutely critical vs. nice-to-have?"
+Charlie (Senior Dev): "{{critical_prep_item_1}} and {{critical_prep_item_2}} are non-negotiable. {{nice_to_have_prep_item}} can wait."
+Alice (Product Owner): "And can any of the critical prep happen in parallel with starting Epic {{next_epic_num}}?"
+Charlie (Senior Dev): _thinking_ "Maybe. If we tackle {{first_critical_item}} before the epic starts, we could do {{second_critical_item}} during the first sprint."
+Dana (QA Engineer): "But that means Story 1 of Epic {{next_epic_num}} can't depend on {{second_critical_item}}."
+Alice (Product Owner): _looking at epic plan_ "Actually, Stories 1 and 2 are about {{independent_work}}, so they don't depend on it. We could make that work."
+Bob (Scrum Master): "{user_name}, the team is finding a workable compromise here. Does this approach make sense to you?"
+</output>
+<action>WAIT for {user_name} to validate or adjust the preparation strategy</action>
+<action>Continue working through preparation needs across all dimensions:</action>
+- Dependencies on Epic {{epic_number}} work
+- Technical setup and infrastructure
+- Knowledge gaps and research needs
+- Documentation or specification work
+- Testing infrastructure
+- Refactoring or debt reduction
+- External dependencies (APIs, integrations, etc.)
+<action>For each preparation area, facilitate team discussion that:</action>
+- Identifies specific needs with concrete examples
+- Estimates effort realistically based on Epic {{epic_number}} experience
+- Assigns ownership to specific agents
+- Determines criticality and timing
+- Surfaces risks of NOT doing the preparation
+- Explores parallel work opportunities
+- Brings {user_name} in for key decisions
+<output>
+Bob (Scrum Master): "I'm hearing a clear picture of what we need before Epic {{next_epic_num}}. Let me summarize..."
+**CRITICAL PREPARATION (Must complete before epic starts):**
+{{list_critical_prep_items_with_owners_and_estimates}}
+**PARALLEL PREPARATION (Can happen during early stories):**
+{{list_parallel_prep_items_with_owners_and_estimates}}
+**NICE-TO-HAVE PREPARATION (Would help but not blocking):**
+{{list_nice_to_have_prep_items}}
+Bob (Scrum Master): "Total critical prep effort: {{critical_hours}} hours ({{critical_days}} days)"
+Alice (Product Owner): "That's manageable. We can communicate that to stakeholders."
+Bob (Scrum Master): "{user_name}, does this preparation plan work for you?"
+</output>
+<action>WAIT for {user_name} final validation of preparation plan</action>
+</step>
+<step n="8" goal="Synthesize Action Items with Significant Change Detection">
+<output>
+Bob (Scrum Master): "Let's capture concrete action items from everything we've discussed."
+Bob (Scrum Master): "I want specific, achievable actions with clear owners. Not vague aspirations."
+</output>
+<action>Synthesize themes from Epic {{epic_number}} review discussion into actionable improvements</action>
+<action>Create specific action items with:</action>
+- Clear description of the action
+- Assigned owner (specific agent or role)
+- Timeline or deadline
+- Success criteria (how we'll know it's done)
+- Category (process, technical, documentation, team, etc.)
+<action>Ensure action items are SMART:</action>
+- Specific: Clear and unambiguous
+- Measurable: Can verify completion
+- Achievable: Realistic given constraints
+- Relevant: Addresses real issues from retro
+- Time-bound: Has clear deadline
+<output>
+Bob (Scrum Master): "Based on our discussion, here are the action items I'm proposing..."
+═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
+📝 EPIC {{epic_number}} ACTION ITEMS:
+═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
+**Process Improvements:**
+1. {{action_item_1}}
+   Owner: {{agent_1}}
+   Deadline: {{timeline_1}}
+   Success criteria: {{criteria_1}}
+2. {{action_item_2}}
+   Owner: {{agent_2}}
+   Deadline: {{timeline_2}}
+   Success criteria: {{criteria_2}}
+Charlie (Senior Dev): "I can own action item 1, but {{timeline_1}} is tight. Can we push it to {{alternative_timeline}}?"
+Bob (Scrum Master): "What do others think? Does that timing still work?"
+Alice (Product Owner): "{{alternative_timeline}} works for me, as long as it's done before Epic {{next_epic_num}} starts."
+Bob (Scrum Master): "Agreed. Updated to {{alternative_timeline}}."
+**Technical Debt:**
+1. {{debt_item_1}}
+   Owner: {{agent_3}}
+   Priority: {{priority_1}}
+   Estimated effort: {{effort_1}}
+2. {{debt_item_2}}
+   Owner: {{agent_4}}
+   Priority: {{priority_2}}
+   Estimated effort: {{effort_2}}
+Dana (QA Engineer): "For debt item 1, can we prioritize that as high? It caused testing issues in three different stories."
+Charlie (Senior Dev): "I marked it medium because {{reasoning}}, but I hear your point."
+Bob (Scrum Master): "{user_name}, this is a priority call. Testing impact vs. {{reasoning}} - how do you want to prioritize it?"
+</output>
+<action>WAIT for {user_name} to help resolve priority discussions</action>
+<output>
+**Documentation:**
+1. {{doc_need_1}}
+   Owner: {{agent_5}}
+   Deadline: {{timeline_3}}
+2. {{doc_need_2}}
+   Owner: {{agent_6}}
+   Deadline: {{timeline_4}}
+**Team Agreements:**
+- {{agreement_1}}
+- {{agreement_2}}
+- {{agreement_3}}
+Bob (Scrum Master): "These agreements are how we're committing to work differently going forward."
+Elena (Junior Dev): "I like agreement 2 - that would've saved me on Story {{difficult_story_num}}."
+═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
+🚀 EPIC {{next_epic_num}} PREPARATION TASKS:
+═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
+**Technical Setup:**
+[ ] {{setup_task_1}}
+Owner: {{owner_1}}
+Estimated: {{est_1}}
+[ ] {{setup_task_2}}
+Owner: {{owner_2}}
+Estimated: {{est_2}}
+**Knowledge Development:**
+[ ] {{research_task_1}}
+Owner: {{owner_3}}
+Estimated: {{est_3}}
+**Cleanup/Refactoring:**
+[ ] {{refactor_task_1}}
+Owner: {{owner_4}}
+Estimated: {{est_4}}
+**Total Estimated Effort:** {{total_hours}} hours ({{total_days}} days)
+═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
+⚠️ CRITICAL PATH:
+═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
+**Blockers to Resolve Before Epic {{next_epic_num}}:**
+1. {{critical_item_1}}
+   Owner: {{critical_owner_1}}
+   Must complete by: {{critical_deadline_1}}
+2. {{critical_item_2}}
+   Owner: {{critical_owner_2}}
+   Must complete by: {{critical_deadline_2}}
+   </output>
+<action>CRITICAL ANALYSIS - Detect if discoveries require epic updates</action>
+<action>Check if any of the following are true based on retrospective discussion:</action>
+- Architectural assumptions from planning proven wrong during Epic {{epic_number}}
+- Major scope changes or descoping occurred that affects next epic
+- Technical approach needs fundamental change for Epic {{next_epic_num}}
+- Dependencies discovered that Epic {{next_epic_num}} doesn't account for
+- User needs significantly different than originally understood
+- Performance/scalability concerns that affect Epic {{next_epic_num}} design
+- Security or compliance issues discovered that change approach
+- Integration assumptions proven incorrect
+- Team capacity or skill gaps more severe than planned
+- Technical debt level unsustainable without intervention
+<check if="significant discoveries detected">
+  <output>
+═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
+🚨 SIGNIFICANT DISCOVERY ALERT 🚨
+═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
+Bob (Scrum Master): "{user_name}, we need to flag something important."
+Bob (Scrum Master): "During Epic {{epic_number}}, the team uncovered findings that may require updating the plan for Epic {{next_epic_num}}."
+**Significant Changes Identified:**
+1. {{significant_change_1}}
+   Impact: {{impact_description_1}}
+2. {{significant_change_2}}
+   Impact: {{impact_description_2}}
+{{#if significant_change_3}} 3. {{significant_change_3}}
+Impact: {{impact_description_3}}
+{{/if}}
+Charlie (Senior Dev): "Yeah, when we discovered {{technical_discovery}}, it fundamentally changed our understanding of {{affected_area}}."
+Alice (Product Owner): "And from a product perspective, {{product_discovery}} means Epic {{next_epic_num}}'s stories are based on wrong assumptions."
+Dana (QA Engineer): "If we start Epic {{next_epic_num}} as-is, we're going to hit walls fast."
+**Impact on Epic {{next_epic_num}}:**
+The current plan for Epic {{next_epic_num}} assumes:
+- {{wrong_assumption_1}}
+- {{wrong_assumption_2}}
+But Epic {{epic_number}} revealed:
+- {{actual_reality_1}}
+- {{actual_reality_2}}
+This means Epic {{next_epic_num}} likely needs:
+{{list_likely_changes_needed}}
+**RECOMMENDED ACTIONS:**
+1. Review and update Epic {{next_epic_num}} definition based on new learnings
+2. Update affected stories in Epic {{next_epic_num}} to reflect reality
+3. Consider updating architecture or technical specifications if applicable
+4. Hold alignment session with Product Owner before starting Epic {{next_epic_num}}
+   {{#if prd_update_needed}}5. Update PRD sections affected by new understanding{{/if}}
+Bob (Scrum Master): "**Epic Update Required**: YES - Schedule epic planning review session"
+Bob (Scrum Master): "{user_name}, this is significant. We need to address this before committing to Epic {{next_epic_num}}'s current plan. How do you want to handle it?"
+</output>
+<action>WAIT for {user_name} to decide on how to handle the significant changes</action>
+<action>Add epic review session to critical path if user agrees</action>
+  <output>
+Alice (Product Owner): "I agree with {user_name}'s approach. Better to adjust the plan now than fail mid-epic."
+Charlie (Senior Dev): "This is why retrospectives matter. We caught this before it became a disaster."
+Bob (Scrum Master): "Adding to critical path: Epic {{next_epic_num}} planning review session before epic kickoff."
+</output>
+</check>
+<check if="no significant discoveries">
+  <output>
+Bob (Scrum Master): "Good news - nothing from Epic {{epic_number}} fundamentally changes our plan for Epic {{next_epic_num}}. The plan is still sound."
+Alice (Product Owner): "We learned a lot, but the direction is right."
+</output>
+</check>
+<output>
+Bob (Scrum Master): "Let me show you the complete action plan..."
+Bob (Scrum Master): "That's {{total_action_count}} action items, {{prep_task_count}} preparation tasks, and {{critical_count}} critical path items."
+Bob (Scrum Master): "Everyone clear on what they own?"
+</output>
+<action>Give each agent with assignments a moment to acknowledge their ownership</action>
+<action>Ensure {user_name} approves the complete action plan</action>
+</step>
+<step n="9" goal="Critical Readiness Exploration - Interactive Deep Dive">
+<output>
+Bob (Scrum Master): "Before we close, I want to do a final readiness check."
+Bob (Scrum Master): "Epic {{epic_number}} is marked complete in sprint-status, but is it REALLY done?"
+Alice (Product Owner): "What do you mean, Bob?"
+Bob (Scrum Master): "I mean truly production-ready, stakeholders happy, no loose ends that'll bite us later."
+Bob (Scrum Master): "{user_name}, let's walk through this together."
+</output>
+<action>Explore testing and quality state through natural conversation</action>
+<output>
+Bob (Scrum Master): "{user_name}, tell me about the testing for Epic {{epic_number}}. What verification has been done?"
+</output>
+<action>WAIT for {user_name} to describe testing status</action>
+<output>
+Dana (QA Engineer): [Responds to what {user_name} shared] "I can add to that - {{additional_testing_context}}."
+Dana (QA Engineer): "But honestly, {{testing_concern_if_any}}."
+Bob (Scrum Master): "{user_name}, are you confident Epic {{epic_number}} is production-ready from a quality perspective?"
+</output>
+<action>WAIT for {user_name} to assess quality readiness</action>
+<check if="{user_name} expresses concerns">
+  <output>
+Bob (Scrum Master): "Okay, let's capture that. What specific testing is still needed?"
+Dana (QA Engineer): "I can handle {{testing_work_needed}}, estimated {{testing_hours}} hours."
+Bob (Scrum Master): "Adding to critical path: Complete {{testing_work_needed}} before Epic {{next_epic_num}}."
+</output>
+<action>Add testing completion to critical path</action>
+</check>
+<action>Explore deployment and release status</action>
+<output>
+Bob (Scrum Master): "{user_name}, what's the deployment status for Epic {{epic_number}}? Is it live in production, scheduled for deployment, or still pending?"
+</output>
+<action>WAIT for {user_name} to provide deployment status</action>
+<check if="not yet deployed">
+  <output>
+Charlie (Senior Dev): "If it's not deployed yet, we need to factor that into Epic {{next_epic_num}} timing."
+Bob (Scrum Master): "{user_name}, when is deployment planned? Does that timing work for starting Epic {{next_epic_num}}?"
+</output>
+<action>WAIT for {user_name} to clarify deployment timeline</action>
+<action>Add deployment milestone to critical path with agreed timeline</action>
+</check>
+<action>Explore stakeholder acceptance</action>
+<output>
+Bob (Scrum Master): "{user_name}, have stakeholders seen and accepted the Epic {{epic_number}} deliverables?"
+Alice (Product Owner): "This is important - I've seen 'done' epics get rejected by stakeholders and force rework."
+Bob (Scrum Master): "{user_name}, any feedback from stakeholders still pending?"
+</output>
+<action>WAIT for {user_name} to describe stakeholder acceptance status</action>
+<check if="acceptance incomplete or feedback pending">
+  <output>
+Alice (Product Owner): "We should get formal acceptance before moving on. Otherwise Epic {{next_epic_num}} might get interrupted by rework."
+Bob (Scrum Master): "{user_name}, how do you want to handle stakeholder acceptance? Should we make it a critical path item?"
+</output>
+<action>WAIT for {user_name} decision</action>
+<action>Add stakeholder acceptance to critical path if user agrees</action>
+</check>
+<action>Explore technical health and stability</action>
+<output>
+Bob (Scrum Master): "{user_name}, this is a gut-check question: How does the codebase feel after Epic {{epic_number}}?"
+Bob (Scrum Master): "Stable and maintainable? Or are there concerns lurking?"
+Charlie (Senior Dev): "Be honest, {user_name}. We've all shipped epics that felt... fragile."
+</output>
+<action>WAIT for {user_name} to assess codebase health</action>
+<check if="{user_name} expresses stability concerns">
+  <output>
+Charlie (Senior Dev): "Okay, let's dig into that. What's causing those concerns?"
+Charlie (Senior Dev): [Helps {user_name} articulate technical concerns]
+Bob (Scrum Master): "What would it take to address these concerns and feel confident about stability?"
+Charlie (Senior Dev): "I'd say we need {{stability_work_needed}}, roughly {{stability_hours}} hours."
+Bob (Scrum Master): "{user_name}, is addressing this stability work worth doing before Epic {{next_epic_num}}?"
+</output>
+<action>WAIT for {user_name} decision</action>
+<action>Add stability work to preparation sprint if user agrees</action>
+</check>
+<action>Explore unresolved blockers</action>
+<output>
+Bob (Scrum Master): "{user_name}, are there any unresolved blockers or technical issues from Epic {{epic_number}} that we're carrying forward?"
+Dana (QA Engineer): "Things that might create problems for Epic {{next_epic_num}} if we don't deal with them?"
+Bob (Scrum Master): "Nothing is off limits here. If there's a problem, we need to know."
+</output>
+<action>WAIT for {user_name} to surface any blockers</action>
+<check if="blockers identified">
+  <output>
+Bob (Scrum Master): "Let's capture those blockers and figure out how they affect Epic {{next_epic_num}}."
+Charlie (Senior Dev): "For {{blocker_1}}, if we leave it unresolved, it'll {{impact_description_1}}."
+Alice (Product Owner): "That sounds critical. We need to address that before moving forward."
+Bob (Scrum Master): "Agreed. Adding to critical path: Resolve {{blocker_1}} before Epic {{next_epic_num}} kickoff."
+Bob (Scrum Master): "Who owns that work?"
+</output>
+<action>Assign blocker resolution to appropriate agent</action>
+<action>Add to critical path with priority and deadline</action>
+</check>
+<action>Synthesize the readiness assessment</action>
+<output>
+Bob (Scrum Master): "Okay {user_name}, let me synthesize what we just uncovered..."
+**EPIC {{epic_number}} READINESS ASSESSMENT:**
+Testing & Quality: {{quality_status}}
+{{#if quality_concerns}}⚠️ Action needed: {{quality_action_needed}}{{/if}}
+Deployment: {{deployment_status}}
+{{#if deployment_pending}}⚠️ Scheduled for: {{deployment_date}}{{/if}}
+Stakeholder Acceptance: {{acceptance_status}}
+{{#if acceptance_incomplete}}⚠️ Action needed: {{acceptance_action_needed}}{{/if}}
+Technical Health: {{stability_status}}
+{{#if stability_concerns}}⚠️ Action needed: {{stability_action_needed}}{{/if}}
+Unresolved Blockers: {{blocker_status}}
+{{#if blockers_exist}}⚠️ Must resolve: {{blocker_list}}{{/if}}
+Bob (Scrum Master): "{user_name}, does this assessment match your understanding?"
+</output>
+<action>WAIT for {user_name} to confirm or correct the assessment</action>
+<output>
+Bob (Scrum Master): "Based on this assessment, Epic {{epic_number}} is {{#if all_clear}}fully complete and we're clear to proceed{{else}}complete from a story perspective, but we have {{critical_work_count}} critical items before Epic {{next_epic_num}}{{/if}}."
+Alice (Product Owner): "This level of thoroughness is why retrospectives are valuable."
+Charlie (Senior Dev): "Better to catch this now than three stories into the next epic."
+</output>
+</step>
+<step n="10" goal="Retrospective Closure with Celebration and Commitment">
+<output>
+Bob (Scrum Master): "We've covered a lot of ground today. Let me bring this retrospective to a close."
+═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
+✅ RETROSPECTIVE COMPLETE
+═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
+Bob (Scrum Master): "Epic {{epic_number}}: {{epic_title}} - REVIEWED"
+**Key Takeaways:**
+1. {{key_lesson_1}}
+2. {{key_lesson_2}}
+3. {{key_lesson_3}}
+   {{#if key_lesson_4}}4. {{key_lesson_4}}{{/if}}
+Alice (Product Owner): "That first takeaway is huge - {{impact_of_lesson_1}}."
+Charlie (Senior Dev): "And lesson 2 is something we can apply immediately."
+Bob (Scrum Master): "Commitments made today:"
+- Action Items: {{action_count}}
+- Preparation Tasks: {{prep_task_count}}
+- Critical Path Items: {{critical_count}}
+Dana (QA Engineer): "That's a lot of commitments. We need to actually follow through this time."
+Bob (Scrum Master): "Agreed. Which is why we'll review these action items in our next standup."
+═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
+🎯 NEXT STEPS:
+═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
+1. Execute Preparation Sprint (Est: {{prep_days}} days)
+2. Complete Critical Path items before Epic {{next_epic_num}}
+3. Review action items in next standup
+   {{#if epic_update_needed}}4. Hold Epic {{next_epic_num}} planning review session{{else}}4. Begin Epic {{next_epic_num}} planning when preparation complete{{/if}}
+Elena (Junior Dev): "{{prep_days}} days of prep work is significant, but necessary."
+Alice (Product Owner): "I'll communicate the timeline to stakeholders. They'll understand if we frame it as 'ensuring Epic {{next_epic_num}} success.'"
+═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
+Bob (Scrum Master): "Before we wrap, I want to take a moment to acknowledge the team."
+Bob (Scrum Master): "Epic {{epic_number}} delivered {{completed_stories}} stories with {{velocity_description}} velocity. We overcame {{blocker_count}} blockers. We learned a lot. That's real work by real people."
+Charlie (Senior Dev): "Hear, hear."
+Alice (Product Owner): "I'm proud of what we shipped."
+Dana (QA Engineer): "And I'm excited about Epic {{next_epic_num}} - especially now that we're prepared for it."
+Bob (Scrum Master): "{user_name}, any final thoughts before we close?"
+</output>
+<action>WAIT for {user_name} to share final reflections</action>
+<output>
+Bob (Scrum Master): [Acknowledges what {user_name} shared] "Thank you for that, {user_name}."
+Bob (Scrum Master): "Alright team - great work today. We learned a lot from Epic {{epic_number}}. Let's use these insights to make Epic {{next_epic_num}} even better."
+Bob (Scrum Master): "See you all when prep work is done. Meeting adjourned!"
+═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
+</output>
+<action>Prepare to save retrospective summary document</action>
+</step>
+<step n="11" goal="Save Retrospective and Update Sprint Status">
+<action>Ensure retrospectives folder exists: {retrospectives_folder}</action>
+<action>Create folder if it doesn't exist</action>
+<action>Generate comprehensive retrospective summary document including:</action>
+- Epic summary and metrics
+- Team participants
+- Successes and strengths identified
+- Challenges and growth areas
+- Key insights and learnings
+- Previous retro follow-through analysis (if applicable)
+- Next epic preview and dependencies
+- Action items with owners and timelines
+- Preparation tasks for next epic
+- Critical path items
+- Significant discoveries and epic update recommendations (if any)
+- Readiness assessment
+- Commitments and next steps
+<action>Format retrospective document as readable markdown with clear sections</action>
+<action>Set filename: {retrospectives_folder}/epic-{{epic_number}}-retro-{date}.md</action>
+<action>Save retrospective document</action>
+<output>
+✅ Retrospective document saved: {retrospectives_folder}/epic-{{epic_number}}-retro-{date}.md
+</output>
+<action>Update {sprint_status_file} to mark retrospective as completed</action>
+<action>Load the FULL file: {sprint_status_file}</action>
+<action>Find development_status key "epic-{{epic_number}}-retrospective"</action>
+<action>Verify current status (typically "optional" or "pending")</action>
+<action>Update development_status["epic-{{epic_number}}-retrospective"] = "done"</action>
+<action>Save file, preserving ALL comments and structure including STATUS DEFINITIONS</action>
+<check if="update successful">
+  <output>
+✅ Retrospective marked as completed in {sprint_status_file}
+Retrospective key: epic-{{epic_number}}-retrospective
+Status: {{previous_status}} → done
+</output>
+</check>
+<check if="retrospective key not found">
+  <output>
+⚠️ Could not update retrospective status: epic-{{epic_number}}-retrospective not found in {sprint_status_file}
+Retrospective document was saved successfully, but {sprint_status_file} may need manual update.
+</output>
+</check>
+</step>
+<step n="12" goal="Final Summary and Handoff">
+<output>
+**✅ Retrospective Complete, {user_name}!**
+**Epic Review:**
+- Epic {{epic_number}}: {{epic_title}} reviewed
+- Retrospective Status: completed
+- Retrospective saved: {retrospectives_folder}/epic-{{epic_number}}-retro-{date}.md
+**Commitments Made:**
+- Action Items: {{action_count}}
+- Preparation Tasks: {{prep_task_count}}
+- Critical Path Items: {{critical_count}}
+**Next Steps:**
+1. **Review retrospective summary**: {retrospectives_folder}/epic-{{epic_number}}-retro-{date}.md
+2. **Execute preparation sprint** (Est: {{prep_days}} days)
+   - Complete {{critical_count}} critical path items
+   - Execute {{prep_task_count}} preparation tasks
+   - Verify all action items are in progress
+3. **Review action items in next standup**
+   - Ensure ownership is clear
+   - Track progress on commitments
+   - Adjust timelines if needed
+{{#if epic_update_needed}} 4. **IMPORTANT: Schedule Epic {{next_epic_num}} planning review session**
+- Significant discoveries from Epic {{epic_number}} require epic updates
+- Review and update affected stories
+- Align team on revised approach
+- Do NOT start Epic {{next_epic_num}} until review is complete
+  {{else}}
+4. **Begin Epic {{next_epic_num}} when ready**
+   - Start creating stories with SM agent's `create-story`
+   - Epic will be marked as `in-progress` automatically when first story is created
+   - Ensure all critical path items are done first
+     {{/if}}
+**Team Performance:**
+Epic {{epic_number}} delivered {{completed_stories}} stories with {{velocity_summary}}. The retrospective surfaced {{insight_count}} key insights and {{significant_discovery_count}} significant discoveries. The team is well-positioned for Epic {{next_epic_num}} success.
+{{#if significant_discovery_count > 0}}
+⚠️ **REMINDER**: Epic update required before starting Epic {{next_epic_num}}
+{{/if}}
+---
+Bob (Scrum Master): "Great session today, {user_name}. The team did excellent work."
+Alice (Product Owner): "See you at epic planning!"
+Charlie (Senior Dev): "Time to knock out that prep work."
+</output>
+</step>
+</workflow>
+<facilitation-guidelines>
+<guideline>PARTY MODE REQUIRED: All agent dialogue uses "Name (Role): dialogue" format</guideline>
+<guideline>Scrum Master maintains psychological safety throughout - no blame or judgment</guideline>
+<guideline>Focus on systems and processes, not individual performance</guideline>
+<guideline>Create authentic team dynamics: disagreements, diverse perspectives, emotions</guideline>
+<guideline>User ({user_name}) is active participant, not passive observer</guideline>
+<guideline>Encourage specific examples over general statements</guideline>
+<guideline>Balance celebration of wins with honest assessment of challenges</guideline>
+<guideline>Ensure every voice is heard - all agents contribute</guideline>
+<guideline>Action items must be specific, achievable, and owned</guideline>
+<guideline>Forward-looking mindset - how do we improve for next epic?</guideline>
+<guideline>Intent-based facilitation, not scripted phrases</guideline>
+<guideline>Deep story analysis provides rich material for discussion</guideline>
+<guideline>Previous retro integration creates accountability and continuity</guideline>
+<guideline>Significant change detection prevents epic misalignment</guideline>
+<guideline>Critical verification prevents starting next epic prematurely</guideline>
+<guideline>Document everything - retrospective insights are valuable for future reference</guideline>
+<guideline>Two-part structure ensures both reflection AND preparation</guideline>
+</facilitation-guidelines>