A retrospective helps teams reflect, learn, and improve. These 29+ facilitation methods cover every phase — from opening check-ins to action planning — for sprint retros, project reviews, and team health checks.
Stop running the same retrospective every sprint. Pick a format that fits your team's energy and needs.
Plan your retrospectiveBased on Esther Derby and Diana Larsen's classic framework — proven across thousands of teams worldwide.
Phase 1
Opening (0–15 min)
Create a safe space for honest reflection. Establish the prime directive and help the team arrive mentally present.
Phase 2
Main Activity (15–45 min)
Collect observations about the sprint or period. Use a structured format so every voice is heard and data is visible.
Phase 3
Discussion (45–65 min)
Identify patterns and root causes. Move from individual observations to shared understanding of what matters most.
Phase 4
Action Planning (65–80 min)
Choose 1–3 concrete actions. Better to do one thing well than to list ten and forget them all.
Phase 5
Closing (80–90 min)
Appreciate the team, capture commitments, and close with energy. A good close makes people look forward to the next retro.
Organized by phase. Click any method to see full instructions, tips, and facilitation guidance.
Check-in and check-out are simple processes that allow team members to express their current feelings and reflections…
Check-in questions help a team begin a session or project by facilitating open sharing. They can cater to the specifi…
Participants select an image from a collection that resonates with how they feel, what they expect from the session, …
A simple opening ritual where each participant shares a single word that captures how they are feeling or what they a…
A short ritual created by Norm Kerth that is read aloud at the start of any retrospective. The Prime Directive states…
A visual retrospective technique using the metaphor of a sailboat at sea. The boat represents the team, wind represen…
A five-pointed retrospective framework introduced by Patrick Kua. Each point of the starfish asks a distinct question…
A visual retrospective using a hot air balloon metaphor. The balloon represents the team, hot air (flames) represents…
A retrospective format that asks the team to reflect across four dimensions: what to Drop (stop doing entirely), Add …
A retrospective framework using four prompts: Liked (what went well), Learned (new insights or skills gained), Lacked…
A visual retrospective using a racing car metaphor. The car represents the team — the engine is what drives them forw…
A simple retrospective format that invites participants to surface emotions from a recent period or project. By categ…
A simple reflection tool using a plant metaphor. Roses represent positives and successes, Thorns represent challenges…
The Learning Matrix is a reflective exercise designed to evaluate past projects by identifying strengths, areas for i…
A retrospective technique that reconstructs the shared history of a team or project on a visual timeline. Participant…
Circles and Soup is a reflective method used to help teams identify factors they can control, influence, or must adap…
This method helps groups reflect on a shared experience by progressing through three stages: What happened, why it's …
Developed by the US Army, the After Action Review (AAR) is a structured debrief conducted immediately after a project…
This method encourages team members to provide constructive feedback to enhance trust and communication. Participants…
Start, Stop, Continue is a straightforward feedback method that helps teams evaluate their actions and develop clear …
Popularised by Spotify, the Team Health Check is a regular ritual where teams self-assess across key dimensions of he…
A simple daily mood-tracking practice where each team member marks their mood at the end of each day on a shared cale…
A democratic prioritisation technique where each participant receives a fixed number of votes (represented by dot sti…
A structured but agenda-less meeting format developed by Jim Benson and Jeremy Lightsmith. Participants propose topic…
Actions for Retrospectives is a structured method to help teams reflect on past projects or events and identify actio…
The Premortem, developed by psychologist Gary Klein and popularised by Daniel Kahneman in 'Thinking, Fast and Slow', …
A structured closing ritual where each participant briefly shares a takeaway, reflection, or commitment before the se…
Plus/Delta is a feedback method designed to generate constructive insights by focusing on what went well and what cou…
Project Jeopardy transforms mundane project status reports into an engaging and interactive game. This method encoura…
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