Working, Not Working Retrospective

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

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What is working?

What is going to plan?

Our daily stand-ups are more focused and efficient now
The new code review process has reduced bugs in production
Team communication has improved since implementing our new chat channels
What is not working?

What is not going to plan?

We're still experiencing delays in getting feedback from stakeholders
The deployment pipeline is becoming a bottleneck for releases
Meeting schedules are causing conflicts with focused work time

What is the Working Not Working Retrospective?

The Working, Not Working Retrospective asks your team two questions: what is working, and what isn't? Everything goes into one of two columns, so the meeting is quick to explain and quick to run, and the discussion stays on what the team actually does. The What is working? column is for practices and habits going to plan, the things worth keeping or doing more of. What is not working? is for the obstacles and frustrations getting in the way. Ask for specific examples in both: "code reviews now catch bugs before release" tells you more than "reviews are good." It suits teams that want a fast, practical retro, teams new to retrospectives, and moments when a more elaborate format would feel like too much. With only two columns, most of the meeting can go on choosing which problems to fix and agreeing who owns each action.

Working, Not Working retrospective format

What is working?

What is going to plan?

Ask the team for the practices, processes and behaviors that are going well and should continue or expand. Push for specific examples over general statements, and look for patterns in what's working so you can repeat it.

What is not working?

What is not going to plan?

Ask what's getting in the way, and keep the focus on systems and processes, not individuals. Encourage criticism that points toward a fix, so each note can become an action.

When to use this retrospective

  • When you need a quick, clear read on how the team's processes are going
  • During a period of change, to see which new approaches are paying off
  • When the team feels overloaded and a more elaborate retro format would be too much
  • To get straightforward feedback on a recent change or rollout

Suggested icebreaker questions

  • What's one thing that made your work easier this week?
  • If you could instantly fix one thing about our current process, what 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

  • Ask for specific, actionable notes. "Reviews are slow" is a complaint; "reviews wait two days for a second approver" is something you can fix
  • Invite quieter team members to share first so the loudest voices don't set the agenda
  • Use dot voting to pick which Not Working items to tackle first
  • Turn the top Not Working items into actions with owners before you close
  • Write down what's working so the team can repeat it and share it with other teams
  • Check progress on last time's actions at the start of the next retro

Frequently asked questions

What is a Working, Not Working retrospective?
It's a two-column retrospective where your team sorts feedback into what's going to plan and what isn't. It shows quickly what to keep doing and what needs attention.
When should you run a Working, Not Working retrospective?
Use it when you want a quick check on how things are going, after a period of change, or when the team is too stretched for a more elaborate format.
How is it different from a Start, Stop, Continue retrospective?
Working, Not Working has two open columns. Start Stop Continue has three, each framed as a behavior to change, so it pushes harder toward actions. Working, Not Working is faster to run and easier for teams new to retrospectives.
Is it the same as a what worked, what didn't work retrospective?
Yes, it's the same idea under a different name. Whether you call the columns Worked and Didn't Work or Working and Not Working, the flow is the same: list, group, vote, then agree on actions.
How long does a Working, Not Working retrospective take?
Most teams finish in 30–45 minutes, since there are only two columns. Give most of the time to What is not working? and the actions that come out of it.

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