Simply Agile Retrospective

A clear, no-fuss retrospective for agile teams.

Try this retrospective live

What worked well?

What went smoothly and is worth repeating?

Our daily standups stayed short and focused this sprint.
Pairing on the payment module helped us ship it bug-free.
Great collaboration between design and dev: fewer back-and-forth handoffs.
What didn't work?

What slowed us down or caused frustration?

Too many meetings ate into our focus time.
The staging environment was down for two days and blocked testing.
Unclear acceptance criteria led to rework on three stories.
What will we change?

What concrete actions will we try next?

Block out two hours of no-meeting focus time each morning.
Add a checklist to confirm acceptance criteria before pulling stories in.
Set up a backup staging environment to avoid blockers.
Kudos & shout-outs

Who or what deserves recognition this sprint?

Big thanks to Priya for jumping in to fix the deployment issue late on Friday.
Shout-out to the whole team for staying calm during the incident.
Appreciation for Marco mentoring our new joiner this sprint.

What is the Simply Agile Retrospective?

Sometimes the best retrospective is the simplest one. The Simply Agile Retrospective skips the metaphors and asks the questions your team would ask anyway: what worked, what didn't and what you'll change, with a short round of thanks at the end. It's quick to explain and easy to facilitate, so the time goes on the discussion. The board has four areas. "What worked well?" is for the practices and wins worth repeating. "What didn't work?" covers what slowed the team down or caused frustration. "What will we change?" turns the discussion into one or two actions with owners, and "Kudos & shout-outs" is a short space to thank the people who helped. It suits new Scrum teams building the habit of regular retros, and experienced teams who want a reliable default they can run every sprint in 30 to 45 minutes. In TeamRetro, people add ideas on their own first, then the team groups them, votes and assigns actions.

Simply Agile retrospective format

What worked well?

What went smoothly and is worth repeating?

This area captures what went well this sprint: the practices and results the team wants to keep. Ask people to be specific and to recognize individual and team wins. Starting with successes sets a constructive tone for the harder topics.

What didn't work?

What slowed us down or caused frustration?

Use this area for the obstacles and frustrations from the iteration. Keep the conversation on processes and situations, not individuals, so people feel safe naming what really held them back.

What will we change?

What concrete actions will we try next?

This is where the discussion turns into commitments. Help the team pick a small number of achievable actions and give each an owner. Don't overload the next sprint: one or two focused improvements are more likely to stick than a long wish list.

Kudos & shout-outs

Who or what deserves recognition this sprint?

A short space for thanks. Recognizing what teammates did lifts morale and shows which behaviors the team wants more of. Keep it informal; even a quick thank-you counts.

When to use this retrospective

  • At the end of a sprint or iteration, when you want a quick, focused reflection without much facilitation overhead.
  • For new agile or Scrum teams building the habit of regular retrospectives.
  • When time is short and you need clear actions in 30 to 45 minutes.
  • As a default retrospective you can run every sprint and compare over time.

Suggested icebreaker questions

  • If this sprint were a weather forecast, what would it be?
  • What's one word that sums up how you felt about this iteration?

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

Ideas and tips for your retrospective meeting

  • Keep it to 30 to 45 minutes so the conversation stays sharp.
  • Limit the team to one or two concrete actions per retrospective so they actually get done.
  • Start with anonymous brainstorming for honest input, then group and discuss themes together.
  • Give each action an owner and a due date so nothing falls through the cracks.
  • Rotate the facilitator so more people on the team learn to run a retro.
  • Check the previous retrospective's actions at the start of each session.

Frequently asked questions

How long does a Simply Agile Retrospective take?
Most teams finish in 30 to 45 minutes. Four plain questions keep the discussion focused, and there's no metaphor to explain.
When should I use the Simply Agile Retrospective?
Use it at the end of any sprint or iteration when you want a quick reflection. It's a good fit for new agile teams and as a dependable default format.
How is it different from other retrospective formats?
It keeps things minimal: what worked, what didn't, what to change and a round of kudos. With no metaphor and only four areas, any team can pick it up straight away.
Who should facilitate a Simply Agile Retrospective?
Anyone can, from a Scrum Master or agile coach to a rotating team member. Because it's simple, it's a good format for people learning to facilitate.
How many action items should we commit to?
Aim for one or two clear actions per retrospective. A small number is far more likely to get done before the next session.
Can remote and distributed teams use this format?
Yes. In TeamRetro distributed teams brainstorm, group ideas, vote and assign actions together, live or asynchronously.

Related templates

WWE Smackdown Showdown Retrospective

Tag-team your sprint review with a wrestling theme.

Working, Not Working Retrospective

Sort what's working from what isn't, then fix it.

Quarterly Retrospective

Step back from the sprints and review the whole quarter.

Baby Steps Retrospective

Pick one small change your team will actually finish.

Ready to run this retrospective?Try this retrospective live