What Went Well Retrospective

The classic two-column retro: what went well and what didn't

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What went well

What worked, and what should we keep doing?

Pairing on the payment integration meant two of us understood it by the end, so nobody was blocked when I was out sick.
The launch checklist worked. We didn't miss a single comms step this time.
Honestly, the workshop activities after lunch kept energy up much better than I expected.
What didn't go well

What got in the way or fell short?

Requirements kept changing after we'd started building, and we lost about three days to rework.
The training room setup was rough. Half the group couldn't see the screen for the first session.
I didn't know who to ask about the release approval, so it sat waiting for a day.

What is a What Went Well retrospective?

The What Went Well retrospective is the two-column format most teams use for their first retro. It asks two questions: what went well, and what didn't go well. Because there is so little to explain, people can start writing almost straight away, which makes it a good fit for workshops, training sessions, product launches and teams that are new to retrospectives. It echoes two of the questions Norm Kerth put at the heart of his 2001 book Project Retrospectives: what did we do well, and what should we do differently next time? In TeamRetro, the session runs in a simple sequence. Everyone writes ideas silently and privately under both columns, so the first or loudest voice doesn't set the direction. The team then groups similar ideas, votes on the ones that matter most and discusses the top items. Actions come out of that discussion step, each with a clear owner, so the board stays at two columns and the session still ends with commitments. The format suits teams that want a quick, low-friction way to look back on a piece of work, sometimes described as "went well, to improve". When an established sprint team starts to find two columns too broad, Start Stop Continue or the 4Ls (Liked, Learned, Lacked, Longed for) add more structure while keeping the same rhythm of writing, grouping, voting and discussing.

What Went Well retrospective format

What went well

What worked, and what should we keep doing?

This column captures the practices, decisions and moments that helped the team succeed. Ask people to be specific: "good communication" is hard to repeat, while "the daily check-in with design caught two issues early" gives the team something to keep. Give everyone a few minutes of silent writing before anything is shared, and ask the most senior person in the room to add their ideas last. When you discuss, look for the reasons behind each success so the team can do it on purpose next time.

What didn't go well

What got in the way or fell short?

This column covers blockers, frustrations and results that fell short of expectations. Set the tone before writing starts: the aim is to improve how the team works, and nobody is being blamed. Encourage people to describe the situation and its impact, not the person involved. Anonymous input in TeamRetro helps people raise sensitive points. After grouping and voting, focus discussion on the top two or three items and agree an owned action for each one.

When to use this retrospective

  • After a workshop or training session, when you want quick feedback from participants with almost no setup.
  • Following a product launch or release, to capture what to repeat and what to fix before the next one.
  • With a team running its first retrospectives, since the two questions need no explanation.
  • When time is short and you need a focused 30-minute session that still ends with owned actions.
  • With mixed or cross-functional groups who don't share agile vocabulary but can all answer what went well and what didn't.

Suggested icebreaker questions

  • What is one small thing that went well for you this week outside of work?
  • If this project or event were a movie, what genre would it be?

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

Ideas and tips for your retrospective meeting

  • Start with silent, private writing in both columns so quieter team members get the same chance to contribute as the most vocal ones.
  • Ask the most senior person or manager to add their ideas last, which stops their views from anchoring everyone else.
  • Keep the board to two columns. Capture actions in the discussion step after voting, and give every action a single owner and a due date.
  • Group similar ideas before voting so the votes reflect real themes and don't get split across duplicates.
  • Limit discussion to the top-voted items and timebox each one (5–10 minutes works well) so the session finishes with decisions.
  • Open the next retro by reviewing previous actions. If the same issues keep returning to "What didn't go well", try Start Stop Continue or the 4Ls for more structure.

Frequently asked questions

What is a What Went Well retrospective?
It is a two-column retrospective where the team lists what went well and what didn't go well. Ideas are grouped, voted on and discussed, and actions are agreed during the discussion.
How long does a What Went Well retrospective take?
Most sessions take 30–60 minutes. Plan about 10 minutes for silent writing, 10 for grouping and voting, and the rest for discussing the top items and agreeing actions.
How is it different from Start Stop Continue?
What Went Well looks back at results in two broad columns, while Start Stop Continue uses three columns that point directly at behaviour changes. Start Stop Continue suits established teams that want more structure, and What Went Well is easier for new teams and one-off events.
Why isn't there an actions column?
In TeamRetro, actions come out of the discussion step after voting, so they focus on the issues the team ranked highest. This keeps the board simple and ensures each action is linked to a discussed item and has an owner.
When should a team move to a different format?
If discussions feel repetitive or the columns feel too broad, try Start Stop Continue or the 4Ls. Both keep the same write, group, vote and discuss flow while asking more specific questions.
Is What Went Well the same as "went well, to improve"?
Yes, they are variations of the same idea. Some teams label the second column "to improve" or "even better if", but the purpose of reflecting on successes and shortfalls is the same.

Related templates

ESVP Retrospective

Check how bought-in the team is before the retro starts

Four Ls Retrospective

Reflect on what your team Liked, Learned, Lacked and Longed for

What? So What? Now What? Retrospective

Go from what happened to what you'll do next.

Agile Retrospective

Four questions to review your last sprint and plan changes.

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