Starfish Retrospective
A five-pointed retrospective framework introduced by Patrick Kua. Each point of the starfish asks a distinct question: Keep Doing (what's working well), More Of (increase something positive), Less Of (reduce something unhelpful), Stop Doing (eliminate entirely), and Start Doing (try something new). This granularity avoids the binary start/stop split.
How to run it
- 1
Draw a large starfish with five sections labelled: Keep Doing, More Of, Less Of, Stop Doing, Start Doing.
- 2
Participants write sticky notes for each section (5–7 min silent writing).
- 3
Share notes section by section, clustering as you go.
- 4
Facilitate brief discussion on the most important items in each section.
- 5
Use dot voting to prioritise across all sections.
- 6
Commit to 2–3 actionable changes for the next sprint or period.
Tips
The 'More Of' and 'Less Of' categories are the most nuanced — they capture gradual adjustments rather than binary decisions.
Don't collapse them into Start/Stop.
Variations
For smaller teams, run it as a group conversation without silent writing. For distributed teams, use a digital board with pre-drawn template.
Where it fits
Frequently asked questions
When should I use Starfish Retrospective?â–¾
Use Starfish Retrospective when you want to: Sprint retrospectives; Team working agreements reviews; Project milestone check-ins.
How long does Starfish Retrospective take?â–¾
Starfish Retrospective typically takes 40–60 minutes.
How many participants does Starfish Retrospective work for?â–¾
Starfish Retrospective works best for groups of 3–20 participants.
What materials do I need for Starfish Retrospective?â–¾
To run Starfish Retrospective you will need: whiteboard or flip chart, sticky notes, markers.
How difficult is Starfish Retrospective to facilitate?â–¾
Starfish Retrospective is rated beginner — straightforward to facilitate even without prior experience.
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