Why does my dev.to blog post have a "noindex" tag?

Christian Heidemeyer — Fri, 19 Sep 2025 12:58:15 +0000

Hi everyone, recently published my first post on this pretty awesome platform here.

But I don't get why it has a "noindex" tag, it would be cool if my post would be visible on Google. Could someone explain this to me? What are my options? 🤔

Whiteboard Tools vs. Retrospective Software: What’s Better?

Christian Heidemeyer — Wed, 10 Sep 2025 08:14:57 +0000

On Reddit and other online forums, users sometimes ask for recommendations on the best retrospective software tools. These threads usually include a wide range of suggestions and, as always, strong opinions.

One recurring discussion point is: Should you

a) use whiteboard tools such as Miro, Conceptboard or Mural
b) rely on Jira boards, Confluence pages, or Google Doc templates (as suggested in the screenshot below), or
c) adopt a dedicated online retrospective board specifically designed for running retrospectives with your team?

From the voting patterns on reddit, it seems that quite a few users favor option b), keeping it simple (see for example in this chat, screenshot).

On one hand, I completely understand this perspective - every team is different and should decide what works best for them. I also agree with the sentiment: “A tool with a fool is still a fool.” On the other hand, would you prefer to cut down a tree with an axe or with a chainsaw? Assuming I know how to use it properly, I’d prefer the specialized tool - the chainsaw. (Though yes, I’d be concerned if a fool were given one.)

That’s why I remain skeptical about relying solely on generic tools for retrospectives.

Why Generic Retrospective Software May Fall Short

First question: How long, and how often, have these teams actually been conducting retrospectives?

I ask because I often hear about “retrospective fatigue” - teams feeling worn out by repetitive, uninspiring sessions. This is understandable: if you’ve been working in a Scrum team for five years and doing the same workshop every two weeks, it’s bound to feel stale. In my experience a retrospective tool that offers varied templates can help combat this.

Second question: How effective are their retrospectives in terms of ROTI - Return on Time Invested?

Do the people recommending such generic software tools for retrospectives actually ask for a ROTI score: how much their team values the sessions? To be clear, I’m talking mainly about remote retrospectives conducted online. On-site retrospectives are a very different story.

According to the State of High Performing Teams in Tech report, the industry average ROTI for retrospectives is 6.4 out of 10. In my view, that’s surprisingly low - it suggests that many teams are not satisfied with their retrospectives.

In comparison, the retrospective software Echometer analyzed 30,000 retrospectives conducted in their platform, with an average ROTI of 8.4/10 (find the full analysis here).

That’s a significant difference. Of course, there’s some “survivorship bias” at play - regular users and fans of Echometer are more likely to provide feedback, while those who tried it but didn’t find value probably dropped off without contributing.

Still, the takeaway is clear: dedicated retrospective software is worth trying for remote teams rather than dismissing the idea outright. Unproductive meetings are frustrating for everyone - especially developers. And ultimately, one of the core principles of agile is to keep experimenting and improving.

And let’s not forget the cost: if you’re spending one hour every two weeks with 10 software developers in a meeting, that’s a substantial investment of time and money. You want to make sure it’s worthwhile.

Why Echometer Stands Out as Retrospective Software

In my admittedly biased opinion, if you’re considering trying out a retrospective software board, Echometer is the best choice for remote teams. Here’s why:

Flexibility: The online retro board supports anonymous and asynchronous data collection through surveys before the session.
Engagement: Gamified features add a fun element (e.g., shooting balloons in the waiting room before the retro as a competition).
Depth: A unique strength is the ability to open a whiteboard on the spot, making it easy to brainstorm or dive deeper into action items, for example.
Accessibility: You can try Echometer without even logging in. Just follow this link to pick a fun retrospective template and explore the online retro board: https://my.echometerapp.com/retro-setup

Let me know your thoughts on this rationale! And do me a favor: at your next retrospective, ask your team to rate the ROTI score. 😄

DEV Community: Christian Heidemeyer

Why does my dev.to blog post have a "noindex" tag?

Whiteboard Tools vs. Retrospective Software: What’s Better?

Why Generic Retrospective Software May Fall Short

Why Echometer Stands Out as Retrospective Software