Scrum retrospective agenda templates
By the RetroPop team · Updated
A good retrospective agenda follows five steps: set the stage, gather data, generate insights, decide what to do and close. Below are timed agendas for 30, 60 and 90 minutes that you can copy, plus a checklist for the facilitator.
What should a retrospective agenda include?
Every agenda needs time to set the stage, gather data, understand it, decide on actions and close. Only the length of each step changes with the time you have.
The Scrum Guide does not prescribe an agenda. It defines the goal of the Sprint Retrospective (plan ways to increase quality and effectiveness) and a maximum timebox of three hours for a one-month sprint. The five-step structure below comes from Esther Derby and Diana Larsen's Agile Retrospectives and is widely used.
30-minute retrospective agenda
For one-week sprints or a quick retro: one format, a fast vote and a single action.
| Time | Step | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| 0:00–0:03 | Set the stage | Goal, timebox, one-word check-in |
| 0:03–0:10 | Gather data | Silent writing with Start, Stop, Continue |
| 0:10–0:15 | Group and vote | Cluster duplicates, three votes each |
| 0:15–0:25 | Discuss | The top one or two themes |
| 0:25–0:30 | Decide and close | One owned action, quick feedback |
60-minute retrospective agenda
The standard for two-week sprints: time to review last actions, discuss two or three themes and agree on owned actions.
| Time | Step | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| 0:00–0:05 | Set the stage | Goal, check-in, review last retro's actions |
| 0:05–0:15 | Gather data | Silent writing with your chosen format |
| 0:15–0:25 | Share and group | Each person reads their notes; cluster themes |
| 0:25–0:30 | Vote | Everyone spends three to five votes |
| 0:30–0:50 | Generate insights | Discuss the top themes; ask why |
| 0:50–0:57 | Decide what to do | One to three actions with owners and dates |
| 0:57–1:00 | Close | Recap actions, rate the retro |
90-minute retrospective agenda
For monthly sprints, project ends or when something went wrong: add a timeline or a root-cause step.
| Time | Step | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| 0:00–0:10 | Set the stage | Goal, working agreement, review last actions |
| 0:10–0:30 | Gather data | Build a timeline of the sprint, then add reactions |
| 0:30–0:40 | Mark turning points | Highs, lows and surprises |
| 0:40–0:45 | Vote | Pick the most important themes |
| 0:45–1:10 | Generate insights | 5 Whys on the top theme |
| 1:10–1:25 | Decide what to do | Experiments with owners, dates and success signals |
| 1:25–1:30 | Close | Recap, appreciation round, feedback |
Agenda changes for remote retrospectives
Keep the same steps, but add a minute for joining, use silent writing and timers, and keep every step visible on a shared board.
- Share the board link in the calendar invite so people can join instantly.
- Add two minutes at the start for audio and joining.
- Use a visible timer for each step.
- Vote in the tool rather than by speaking up.
- Shorten discussion slightly: online meetings are more tiring.
Facilitator checklist
Prepare the format and last sprint's actions before the meeting; protect the timebox during it; share the actions after it.
- Before: choose a format that fits this sprint and check last retro's actions.
- Before: send the board link and the goal of the retro.
- During: start on time, explain the format in one sentence.
- During: protect silent writing time and the vote.
- During: steer discussion from symptoms to causes, and from blame to the system.
- After: share the summary and actions where the team works.
Use these agendas in RetroPop
Every RetroPop format comes with its own stages and suggested timings, which the facilitator can adjust per session.
Start a retro, choose a format and RetroPop shows each stage with instructions for the facilitator and the participants, a shared timer, voting and a place to agree actions. It's free for up to 10 boards.
Templates to try
Run your next retro in RetroPop
Guided stages, silent writing, voting, timers and action items. Free for up to 10 boards.
Start a retro — it's free