Start Stop Continue Retrospective

A free Start Stop Continue template for surfacing actionable team improvements and maintaining successful practices.

Use this template in TeamRetro

Start

What should we start doing?

Regular knowledge sharing sessions to spread expertise across the team
Using a shared calendar for tracking team member availability
Breaking down large tasks into smaller, manageable chunks
Stop

What should we stop doing?

Scheduling meetings without clear agendas
Starting new tasks before completing current ones
Making decisions without consulting all stakeholders
Continue

What should we continue doing?

Our weekly team lunches that help us bond
Rotating meeting facilitators to develop leadership skills
Pair programming sessions for complex features

What is the Start Stop Continue Retrospective?

The Start Stop Continue retrospective is a straightforward yet powerful method for teams to reflect on their work practices and behaviors. This action-oriented format helps teams quickly identify specific changes they want to make and successful practices they want to maintain. Developed as a feedback tool in the 1970s, this retrospective format has become popular in agile environments due to its simplicity and effectiveness. Teams use three simple categories to organize their thoughts: activities to begin implementing (Start), practices to eliminate (Stop), and successful behaviors to maintain (Continue). The clear structure makes it easy for teams to generate specific, actionable feedback while maintaining a balanced view of both improvements and successes. This approach is particularly effective for teams who want to focus on concrete actions rather than abstract discussions. You will sometimes see this format written as "Stop Start Continue" rather than "Start Stop Continue." It is the same exercise — the three categories are identical and you can run them in whichever order your team prefers. Some facilitators like to lead with "Stop" to clear away what is not working before deciding what to begin, while others start with "Start" to keep the tone forward-looking. Either way, the goal is the same: turn reflection into a short, concrete list of behaviours to begin, end, and keep. Start Stop Continue is also useful well beyond the sprint retrospective. Because it produces specific, behaviour-level feedback, teams use the same Start Stop Continue template for peer feedback, manager one-on-ones, project post-mortems, and personal goal-setting. For example, in a one-on-one a report might suggest their manager "start sharing the weekly priorities earlier," "stop scheduling reviews on Friday afternoons," and "continue the open Q&A at standup." The free template above gives everyone a private space to contribute before the team groups, votes, and agrees on actions together.

Start Stop Continue Retrospective Format

Start

What should we start doing?

This column focuses on new ideas and improvements. Encourage participants to think about gaps in current processes, missed opportunities, and innovative solutions. Consider both small improvements and larger strategic changes.

Stop

What should we stop doing?

This column identifies practices that aren't adding value or are causing problems. Help the team be specific about behaviors to eliminate, and encourage constructive rather than personal criticism.

Continue

What should we continue doing?

This column celebrates successful practices and reinforces positive behaviors. Help the team identify what's working well and should be maintained, as these practices contribute to team success.

When to use this retrospective

  • When you want to quickly identify specific actions for team improvement
  • During periods of change to determine which practices to keep or modify
  • With new teams who need a simple framework for giving feedback
  • When the team needs to focus on concrete actions rather than abstract discussion

Suggested icebreaker questions

  • What's one positive change you've noticed in our team over the last month?
  • If you could instantly implement one improvement to our team's way of working, what would it be?

Ideas and tips for your retrospective meeting

  • Start with the 'Continue' column to begin on a positive note and acknowledge what's working well
  • Encourage specific, actionable items rather than vague statements
  • Keep a balanced perspective by ensuring all three columns receive adequate attention
  • Focus on behaviors and practices rather than individuals
  • Limit the final number of action items to ensure they're achievable
  • Schedule follow-up discussions to track progress on implemented changes

Frequently asked questions

Is it "start stop continue" or "stop start continue"?
Both are the same exercise — the three categories are identical and the order is just a matter of preference. Some facilitators lead with "Stop" to clear away what is not working before deciding what to begin; others lead with "Start" to keep the tone forward-looking. Whichever order you use, the result is the same: a short, concrete list of behaviours to begin, end, and keep doing.
What are examples of start, stop, and continue?
"Start" items are new behaviours to begin — for example "start writing a short agenda before each meeting." "Stop" items are unhelpful behaviours to end — for example "stop merging code without a review." "Continue" items are working behaviours to keep — for example "continue the daily 15-minute standup." Good entries are specific and about behaviours, not vague wishes, so the team can act on them.
How do you run a start stop continue retrospective?
Create three columns — Start, Stop, and Continue — and give everyone a few minutes to add their own ideas privately so no one is anchored by the first voice in the room. Group similar items together, then have the team vote on which matter most. Finally, turn the top items into clear actions with an owner. In TeamRetro you can run the whole flow — private brainstorming, grouping, voting, and action items — from the free template above.
When should you use start stop continue?
Use Start Stop Continue when you want fast, concrete, action-oriented feedback rather than open-ended discussion. It is ideal for regular sprint retrospectives, for new teams who need a simple format, during periods of change, and beyond retrospectives for peer feedback, one-on-ones, and project post-mortems.

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