Norm Kerth's Prime Directive Retrospective - Original Four

Norm Kerth's four questions, starting from the Prime Directive.

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What did we do well?

What achievements are you most proud of from this period?

We delivered all our sprint commitments ahead of schedule this time.
Our communication with stakeholders improved significantly after implementing weekly updates.
The pair programming sessions helped us solve complex problems more efficiently.
What did we learn?

What insights or discoveries will you carry forward?

Breaking down the authentication feature into smaller tasks made it more manageable.
I discovered a more efficient way to handle database migrations that reduced downtime.
We learned that early stakeholder involvement prevents major rework later.
What should we do differently?

What changes would improve our performance next time?

We should establish clearer acceptance criteria before starting development work.
I think we need to allocate more time for code reviews to maintain quality.
Let's create a shared glossary to ensure we're all using the same terminology.
What still puzzles us?

What questions or uncertainties remain unresolved?

I'm still not clear why the performance issues only appear in the production environment.
How can we better estimate tasks that involve external dependencies?
Why do our velocity metrics fluctuate so dramatically between sprints?

What is the Prime Directive Retrospective?

Norm Kerth set out the Prime Directive in his 2001 book Project Retrospectives: A Handbook for Team Reviews, and this retrospective is built on it. You open by reading the Prime Directive aloud, then work through Kerth's original four questions: what did we do well, what did we learn, what should we do differently, and what still puzzles us. The Prime Directive asks everyone to accept that each person did the best job they could, given what they knew at the time, their skills and abilities, the resources available and the situation at hand. Starting from that assumption takes blame off the table. People can talk honestly about what happened and why without getting defensive, and that's where the useful lessons come from. The format is a good choice after a hard project or a difficult transition, when feelings may be running high. It keeps the discussion on learning, so your team can agree on concrete improvements and still trust each other at the end. Many later retrospective formats borrow from these four questions.

Prime Directive Retrospective format

What did we do well?

What achievements are you most proud of from this period?

This topic is for celebrating successes and spotting positive patterns. Encourage team members to recognize big accomplishments and small wins alike. Look for recurring themes that point to team strengths you can build on.

What did we learn?

What insights or discoveries will you carry forward?

This topic captures what the team learned from experience. Encourage team members to share technical lessons and process insights. These lessons are often worth passing on, because they can help future work and other teams.

What should we do differently?

What changes would improve our performance next time?

This topic focuses on identifying specific, actionable improvements. Guide the team to think about concrete changes rather than vague aspirations. Look for patterns that might indicate systemic issues rather than one-off problems.

What still puzzles us?

What questions or uncertainties remain unresolved?

This topic captures open questions and unresolved issues that may need further investigation. These items often represent risks or opportunities that deserve attention. Consider assigning owners to research key puzzles before the next retrospective.

When to use this retrospective

  • After a significant milestone or release, to capture lessons while they're still fresh.
  • After a setback, when the team needs a blame-free way to talk about what happened.
  • With teams new to retrospectives, because four plain questions are easy to follow.
  • When trust needs rebuilding. The Prime Directive's assumption of good intent makes it safer to speak up.

Suggested icebreaker questions

  • If you could have one superpower to help the team perform better, what would it be and why?
  • What's one unexpected thing you learned during our last work cycle that surprised you?

Want a warm-up your team plays, not just answers out loud? Browse free icebreakers →

Ideas and tips for your retrospective meeting

  • Begin by reading Norm Kerth's Prime Directive aloud: 'Regardless of what we discover, we understand and truly believe that everyone did the best job they could, given what they knew at the time, their skills and abilities, the resources available, and the situation at hand.'
  • Take 'What still puzzles us?' last. It often builds on the other answers and points to what needs looking into.
  • Ask for specific examples instead of generalizations so the discussion leads somewhere.
  • If people are hesitant, go around the room and ask each person for at least one item per question.
  • Once everything is on the board, rank the 'What should we do differently?' items and give the top ones an owner and a date.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Prime Directive in a retrospective?
It's the belief that everyone did the best job they could, given what they knew, their skills, the resources available and the situation at the time. Norm Kerth wrote it to take blame out of retrospectives so people feel safe speaking honestly.
What are Norm Kerth's original four retrospective questions?
What did we do well? What did we learn? What should we do differently? What still puzzles us? Kerth published them in Project Retrospectives (2001).
When should a team run a Prime Directive retrospective?
After a milestone or release, after a setback that needs blame-free discussion, with teams new to retrospectives, or whenever trust needs rebuilding.
Who is Norm Kerth?
Norman Kerth is a software consultant and the author of Project Retrospectives: A Handbook for Team Reviews, the book that introduced the retrospective Prime Directive.
Should you read the Prime Directive at every retrospective?
Many facilitators read it at the start of every retro, or at least when new people join or the topic is sensitive. It takes under a minute and sets the tone.

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