What is Lean Coffee?
Lean Coffee is a meeting format with structure but no set agenda. At the start, everyone proposes topics they'd like to discuss. The group votes, and the topics with the most votes go first, so the conversation follows what people actually care about. Each topic gets a short timebox, often 5–8 minutes. When the timer ends, the group votes with a thumbs up or down on whether to keep going or move on. Cards move across three columns (To Discuss, In Progress and Discussed), so you can see what's been covered and what's left. The Lean Coffee format suits team retrospectives, community of practice meetups and any session where you don't know the right topics in advance. Jim Benson and Jeremy Lightsmith started it in Seattle in 2009, and it's now a common retrospective format for agile teams.
Lean Coffee Retrospective Format
To Discuss
What topics should we discuss?
Invite participants to propose topics they'd like to discuss by writing them on sticky notes or a shared board. Encourage plenty of ideas about the team's work, challenges or areas for improvement.
In Progress
This is currently being discussed.
Once a topic is selected for discussion, move its sticky note or card to this column. Facilitate the conversation and make sure everyone has a chance to share their thoughts.
Discussed
These topics have been discussed.
After a topic has been thoroughly explored, move its sticky note or card to this column. Summarize the main points, action items and decisions from the discussion.
When to use this retrospective
- When you want an open discussion and don't know in advance which topics matter most.
- When the team has a backlog of ideas, challenges or questions to work through.
- For community of practice or knowledge-sharing sessions where people bring their own topics.
- When you'd like the group, not the facilitator, to set the agenda.
Suggested icebreaker questions
- If you could learn any new skill instantly, what would it be?
- What's the most interesting or unusual hobby you've tried?
Want a warm-up your team plays, not just answers out loud? Browse free icebreakers →
Ideas and tips for your retrospective meeting
- Ask for a mix of topics, technical and non-technical.
- Use a timer for every topic and let the group vote on whether to extend it.
- Rotate the facilitator role so the same person isn't always running the meeting.
- Write down decisions and action items in the Discussed column before moving on, then follow them up.
- Run it on an online board when your team is remote, so people can add and vote on topics from anywhere.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Lean Coffee retrospective?
How do you run a Lean Coffee meeting?
When should a team use Lean Coffee instead of a regular retrospective?
Who created Lean Coffee?
How long does a Lean Coffee session take?
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