The agile retrospective technique asks 4 basic questions that gets the team thinking about the outcomes of the last sprint, and what actions they should focus on next. While it is straightforward, it sends the basic message that you are listening and geared for improvement. Based on the book by Esther Derby, Diana Larsen and Ken Schwaber, this tried and true method acts as an engine tune-up that keeps your team working at peak performance. Held regularly, it uncovers issues with the software development life cycle and gives your team a way to solve it together.
Key Topics for Discussion
What went well?
Encourage the team to share specific examples of successes, big or small. Celebrate team accomplishments and individual contributions.
What went less well?
Create a blame-free environment for open and honest discussion. Focus on processes, not individuals. Look for root causes.
What do we want to try next?
Encourage creative thinking and be open to unconventional ideas. Look for small, practical experiments to run in the next sprint.
What puzzles us?
This is a chance to surface unknowns or areas needing further investigation. Capture these for future discussion.
Suggested Icebreaker questions for Agile Retrospective
- If you could add one tool or process to help our team, what would it be?
- What's one small thing that could have a big positive impact on our team?
- If you could instantly become an expert in one area, what would it be?
- If you could remove one roadblock for our team, what would it be?
Ideas and Tips for your Agile Retrospective
- Set the stage. Welcome people and set the tone of the meeting and give them a safe space to share ideas. A great way to do this is to ask “Can we begin now?” and waiting for people to begin.
- Use the agile retrospective format for new teams to introduce them to the agile agenda.
- Make brainstorming anonymous to allow people to feel safe when contributing their thoughts. People will feel more engaged when they feel like they can air what they need to.
- Use the concepts of brain writing – give people “silent time” to write, read and respond to what is being presented. It might just be a minute that can make all the difference.
- Use the way teams vote to manage culture. You’ll get interesting insights when people vote individually. The last thing you want is the sheep mentality where people simply follow what has already been done.
- A thank you goes a long way. Give a shout out to the team at the end of the meeting.
How to run an Agile Retrospective in TeamRetro

Start your retrospective in a click
Log into TeamRetro and choose your sprint retrospective template.
Discuss the most important things first
You and your team discuss the top voted ideas and can capture deep dive comments. Presentation mode allows you to walk your team through ideas one-by-one and keep the conversation focused.
Review and create actions
Easily facilitate discussion by bringing everyone onto the same page. Create action items, assign owners and due dates that will carry through for review at the next retrospective.
Share the results
Once you have finished your retro, you can share the results and actions with the team. Your retro will be stored so you can revisit them as needed.