Retrospective Dialogue Sheets
A retrospective dialogue sheet is a large printed sheet, about A1 in size, covered with questions, quotes, pictures and writing space, which a team of three to eight gathers around and works through without a facilitator. The sheet guides the conversation and becomes its record, because people write their answers directly on it. Allan Kelly introduced dialogue sheets for retrospectives in 2011, adapting a technique that originated at KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm.
Facilitation script
- 1
Lay out the sheet, hand out pens and explain the only rules: follow the sheet in order, take turns reading, write on the paper.
5 min - 2
The team works through the opening questions, which set the scene and get everyone writing.
15 min - 3
The team works through the main questions on how the period went, discussing each and noting answers on the sheet.
35 min - 4
The team agrees actions where the sheet asks for them and writes an owner next to each.
15 min - 5
If there are several tables, each one tells the others its main findings and actions. Photograph or hang up the sheets.
10 min
Tips
If you would normally facilitate, stay out of the room or at least away from the table; the format works because the team has to manage its own conversation.
Check the print before the session, since a sheet shrunk to A3 leaves no room to write and people stop gathering around it.
With several tables, add ten minutes at the end for groups to tell each other their main actions.
Alternate with other retrospective formats, because the same sheet used every sprint soon gets answered on autopilot.
Common pitfalls
A manager or facilitator hovering at the table and steering; the team waits for direction and the self-run character of the format is lost
One person holding the only pen; the sheet then records a single view and the others become an audience
Rushing through the questions to fill every box, which produces short answers and no real discussion
Finishing without owners for the actions, so the completed sheet goes on the wall and nothing changes
Using the same sheet every sprint; the questions stop provoking thought and attendance and energy fall
Variations
Larger departments can run several sheets in parallel and compare results afterwards. Besides sprint retrospective sheets, the same source offers sheets for agile kick-offs and iteration planning, and translations into several languages contributed by volunteers. Remote teams can place the PDF as a background on an online whiteboard and type or draw on top of it, with one person per question reading aloud. The sheets are copyright Allan Kelly and Software Strategy; use the originals as published, and do not redistribute altered copies.
Where it fits
When to use it
A team has no facilitator available, or the person who usually facilitates wants to take part as a team member
Several teams need to hold a retrospective at the same time and there are not enough facilitators
Retrospectives have become a ritual led from the front and you want the team to take over the conversation
A new team is unsure how to run a retrospective and would benefit from questions that are already written
You want a physical record of the conversation that can stay on the wall until the next one
When not to use it
There is open conflict in the team or one person dominates; without a facilitator nobody is placed to intervene, so run a facilitated retrospective
The team is distributed and has no shared whiteboard practice; an Async Retrospective or a facilitated online format is easier to manage
The group is larger than eight at one table; split into several sheets or people at the edges drop out
A specific incident needs detailed analysis; use an After Action Review or a Timeline Retrospective focused on that event
You cannot print large format; a sheet at A4 or A3 loses the shared surface that makes the format work
Related methods
Frequently asked questions
What is Retrospective Dialogue Sheets?▾
Retrospective Dialogue Sheets are large printed sheets with questions and writing space that guide a small team through a retrospective without a facilitator. The team sits around the sheet, reads the questions in order, discusses them and writes on the paper. Allan Kelly introduced them in 2011, based on a dialogue-sheet technique from KTH in Stockholm.
Do you need a facilitator for a dialogue sheet retrospective?▾
No. The sheet takes over the structuring role, and the team shares the job of reading questions and keeping time. Someone still has to print the sheet, book a table and make sure the actions are followed up afterwards.
How many people can use one sheet?▾
Three to eight people per sheet works well. Beyond that, not everyone can reach the paper or follow the conversation, so larger groups should split across several tables, each with its own sheet.
How long does a dialogue sheet retrospective take?▾
Teams typically spend one to two hours on a sheet. Allow the full time the first time a team uses the format, because people need a few minutes to get used to running the conversation themselves.
Where do you get the sheets?▾
Allan Kelly publishes the sheets on his website as free PDF downloads for printing, and printed copies can be bought. Several designs and translations exist. The sheets are copyrighted, so use them as provided.
Plan your next workshop with AI
Workshop Weaver helps you combine methods like Retrospective Dialogue Sheets into a complete, timed agenda in minutes.
Try it freeMethod descriptions on Workshop Weaver are original content written by our team, based on established facilitation practices. This method was inspired by work from Allan Kelly.