The Went Well - To Improve - Action Items retrospective is the most fundamental and widely-used retrospective format. This classic three-column structure helps teams reflect on what worked, what didn't, and what actions they'll take to improve.
This template is ideal for teams new to retrospectives or those who prefer a straightforward, no-nonsense approach. It's been used by agile teams for decades and remains effective because of its simplicity and focus on actionable outcomes.
Template Structure
The format consists of three columns:
- Went Well: Celebrate successes, achievements, and positive experiences
- To Improve: Identify challenges, pain points, and areas needing attention
- Action Items: Concrete steps the team commits to taking before the next retrospective
This structure ensures teams don't just identify problems—they commit to solving them with specific, actionable steps.
How to facilitate
Facilitation Best Practices
- Balance the columns: Ensure "Went Well" gets equal time—don't let it become a quick 5-minute section
- Make actions specific: Action items should have clear owners, deadlines, and success criteria
- Limit action items: Focus on 2-3 high-impact actions rather than a long list
- Review previous actions: Start each retro by reviewing action items from the last session
- Time-box discussions: Use a timer to keep the retro focused and on schedule
Writing Effective Action Items
Good action items follow the SMART framework:
- Specific: Clear and unambiguous
- Measurable: You can verify completion
- Achievable: Realistic given team capacity
- Relevant: Addresses a real problem
- Time-bound: Has a clear deadline
When to use this template
Perfect For
- Sprint retrospectives: Standard format for Scrum teams
- Project retrospectives: Review completed projects
- Team retrospectives: Regular team health checks
- Incident post-mortems: Learn from production issues
Example Action Items
Effective action items might include:
- "Sarah will set up automated testing by next sprint"
- "Team will hold daily standups at 10 AM starting Monday"
- "John will document the deployment process by end of week"
