Print this, bookmark it, or keep it open on a second screen. Everything you need to remember before, during, and after every retrospective.
Before the Retro (24 hours ahead)
Pick a template based on how the sprint went
- Normal sprint → Went Well / To Improve / Action Items
- Rough sprint → Mad / Sad / Glad
- After a launch → 4Ls (Liked, Learned, Lacked, Longed For)
- Team feels stuck → Sailboat
- Same template 5+ sprints → switch to anything else
Review previous action items — check what was completed, what's still in progress, what's blocked
Create the retro board and test that the link is shareable
Send the calendar invite with:
- Video call link
- Retro board link
- Template being used
- A prompt: "Think about what energized or frustrated you this sprint"
Duration: 45-60 minutes. Block the time. Start and end on time.
During the Retro
Set the Stage (5 min)
- Start on time (don't wait for latecomers)
- Quick check-in — pick one:
- "Rate your sprint 1-10"
- "One word to describe this sprint"
- "Drop a sprint emoji in the chat"
- Review previous action items:
- What was completed? Celebrate it.
- What's in progress? Note it.
- What's blocked? Flag it.
Gather Data (15 min)
- Explain the template columns briefly (30 seconds)
- Set a 7-minute timer for silent card writing
- Mute yourself — let people think
- Give a 2-minute warning (via chat if remote)
- After writing: 2 minutes of silent reading — let everyone process the cards
Group & Discuss (15 min)
- Group similar cards into themes
- Discuss the major patterns — don't cover every single card
- Ask clarifying questions: "Can you give a specific example?"
- Balance airtime: "Let's hear from someone we haven't heard yet"
- Redirect blame to systems: "What process allowed this to happen?"
- Use a parking lot for deep technical discussions that deserve their own meeting
Vote & Decide (15 min)
- Give everyone 3 votes — vote silently
- Reveal votes and focus on the top 2-3 items
- For each priority, create an action item with:
- What: The specific change
- Who: A named owner (not "the team")
- When: A deadline (this sprint or next)
- Success criteria: How you'll know it worked
- Limit to 2-3 action items. Two completed is better than ten abandoned.
Close (5 min)
- Recap action items out loud — confirm owners acknowledge
- State when you'll follow up: "I'll check on these at standup Wednesday"
- Ask: "How was this retro? Should we change anything?"
- Export the board (PDF or Markdown)
- Thank the team and end on time
After the Retro (immediately)
- Add action items to the sprint backlog — if they're not in Jira/Linear/your tracker, they won't happen
- Share a summary in Slack/Teams with action items and owners
- Check in at standup on action progress during the sprint
Monthly Health Check (every 4 retros)
- Action item completion rate — aim for 80%+. If below 50%, limit to 2 items and make them more specific.
- Recurring issues — if something has appeared 3+ times, escalate to management or accept that the team doesn't actually want to fix it.
- Template rotation — have you used the same template for 5+ sprints? Switch it up.
- Facilitator rotation — consider letting different team members facilitate every 3-4 retros.
Warning Signs
| Sign | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer than half the team adds cards | Low engagement | Shorten the retro, use anonymous mode, try a new template |
| Same 3 people always talk | Airtime imbalance | Use silent writing, call on quiet people by name |
| Cards are vague ("communication is bad") | Bad prompts | Give specific prompts ("What moment frustrated you?") |
| Nothing changes between retros | No follow-through | Add action items to sprint backlog, review at start of each retro |
| Team wants to skip retros | Low perceived value | Fix follow-through first; celebrate when improvements work |
| Retro runs over 60 minutes | Weak timeboxing | Cut to 45 min, discuss only top 3 voted items |
Quick Timing Reference
45-minute retro:
| Phase | Time |
|---|---|
| Set the stage | 5 min |
| Gather data | 12 min |
| Group & discuss | 10 min |
| Vote & decide | 15 min |
| Close | 3 min |
60-minute retro:
| Phase | Time |
|---|---|
| Set the stage | 5 min |
| Gather data | 15 min |
| Group & discuss | 15 min |
| Vote & decide | 20 min |
| Close | 5 min |
Create a free retro board — NextRetro has built-in phase management, voting, and anonymous mode so you can focus on facilitation, not tool configuration.
Last Updated: February 2026
