Do you need some ideas for your next agile retrospective? Here are the list of templates available in our retrospective tool. Find the right template for your context and get more insights about your teamwork!
Why a retrospective template ?
A retrospective template is a structured format used to facilitate the process of conducting a retrospective meeting in a agile team. Retrospectives are regular team meetings that occur at the end of a time period to reflect on the recent work and identify opportunities for improvement. The retrospective template helps teams systematically review processes, learn from mistakes and enhance team cohesion.
Each retrospective template covers different aspects of teamwork. You can try different formats to find each time new insights. We list here classical templates and funny templates that your time will love.
Classical retrospective templates
Glad, Sad, Mad
Best for: Difficult or emotional situations
The “Glad, Sad, Mad” retrospective is straightforward and effective because it encourages team members to express their feelings and feedback openly. This retrospective is particularly useful is its early stage and may have some conflicts.
😀 Glad: Things that went well during the sprint. These could be achievements, successes, or positive aspects of the work.
☹️ Sad: Things that didn’t go as planned or were disappointing. These could be issues, obstacles, or problems encountered during the sprint.
😡 Mad: Events or situations that caused frustration, anger, or irritation.
Tips
This template is great for the participants to do “self-empathy” and increase the emotional intelligence in the team. Do not miss the opportunity to let each participant to speak about their emotions. Use active listening by reformulating what the participants just said. This will make the participants feel better make them ready to discuss constructively about the problem.
Start, Stop, Continue
Best for: Improve behaviors and remove ineffective practices
The “Start, Stop, Continue” retro is also a straight-forward retro which is focusing on the team activities. It is particularly useful to find easily concrete actions and remove ineffective practices.
▶️ Start: New practices, behaviors, or initiatives that the team should begin implementing in future sprints or iterations.
⏹️ Stop: Issues, obstacles, or time-wasting activities that can be eliminated.
⏩ Continue: Behaviors, or processes that have been effective and should be sustained and celebrated.
Tips
This template is great for the participants to remove time-wasting activities. Give sufficient time to your team to list of them.
4 Ls
Best for: Allrounder retrospective that fits in most situation
The “4Ls” retrospective is a format used to reflect on a specific period, such as a sprint, project, or iteration. The name “4Ls” stands for Liked, Learned, Lacked, and Longed For. This retrospective helps teams gather feedback and insights about their recent work and identify areas for improvement.
👍Liked: Share what you have appreciated and enjoyed about the recent period of work. It’s an opportunity to celebrate successes and recognize positive aspects of the sprint or project.
📙 Learned: Lessons and insights gained during the period under review. Team members share the new knowledge, skills, or perspectives they acquired. Learning experiences can be related to both technical and non-technical aspects of the work.
👎 Lacked: Discuss the aspects that did not meet expectations or presented challenges, for instance resources, tools, or support that was insufficient or missing.
🎇 Longed For: Team members’ aspirations and desires for the future. It encourages the team to envision improvements and set goals.
Tips
The Learned dimension is particularly interesting as it fosters continuous learning. Encourage team members to share their fuck-ups!
Team Members may have difficulties to fill the dimension “Longed For”. Help them to think about what could have been better.
Funny retrospective templates
The following templates have been created by our team to have more fun during your next retro.
Video Game
Best for: Take a step back about team mission and challenges
The video game retrospective template use the video game metaphor to reflect about your mission, super-powers, challenges and risks.
🎯 Quest: Each member writes what he understands as the team mission.
🏆 Gains: What the most important recent achievements and learnings of the team.
👽 Enemies: What is currently preventing the team to reach their goals.
💣 Risks: The risks that can make the team fail.
Tips
Team members have generally different perspectives of the team mission. Request the product owner to remind his vision to achieve better alignment.
Weather Report
Best for: All rounder format for any situation
The weather is a very common metaphor to reflect about the current difficulties and wishes of team members.
🌞 Sun: Strengths, positive aspects and recent successes
☁️ Clouds: What are the obstacles and challenges you have encountered ?
⛈️ Storm: What were the unexpected events ?
🌈 Rainbow: Wishes of the team for the future
Tips
Team Members may have difficulties to fill the dimension “Rainbow”. Help them to think about what could have been better.
Team Hiking
Best for: Challenge team processes and tools
Work is like hiking. With this retrospective template, the team can discuss about the obstacles and the equipment they need.
🌥️ Weather: How the iteration was feeling like. The team can express their feelings with emoticons.
🪨 Obstacles: The obstacles and challenges the team has encountered.
⛏️ Equipment: The assets and team member capabilities that helped the team reach their goal.
🎒 Load: The equipment that was not really useful: time wasting activities.
Tips
The team may reflect only about the tools that they have. Team assets are also capabilities and skills of team members that helped the team move forward.
Christmas retro / Review of the year
Best for: Recap of year and preparing the year ahead
The end of the year is traditionally a time to celebrate and look back.Reflect on the year’s achievements with your team and prepare for the year ahead.
🎄 Christmas Tree : What you grateful of right now?
⭐ Star: What are your most important successes of the year?
✍ Wish List: What do you wish to be improved next year?
🎁 Gift: Who would you like to thank?
Tips
A grateful attitude in life is key for satisfaction and motivation. Discuss about it in your team!
Would you like to try one of these retrospective templates in teammeter?
Teammeter is free for 2 teams!