Retrospective templates
A retrospective template is a ready-made structure for a retro: the questions the team answers, the order of the steps and how long each takes. Each template below explains when to use it and how to run it, and you can run any of them for free in RetroPop.
Which template should you use?
Choose by the question your team needs to answer. Rotating formats every few sprints keeps retros fresh.
| Template | Best for | Duration | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Start Stop Continue Retrospective | Regular sprint retrospectives when you want clear, actionable output. | ~30 min | Beginner |
| What Went Well Retrospective | Any sprint where you want a balanced, familiar retro. | ~30 min | Beginner |
| 4Ls Retrospective | End of a project, milestone or release, when lessons matter most. | ~35 min | Beginner |
| Mad Sad Glad Retrospective | After a stressful sprint, release or incident. | ~35 min | Intermediate |
| Sailboat Retrospective | When the team needs to align on a goal before discussing problems. | ~35 min | Beginner |
| DAKI Retrospective | Reviewing the team's process or tools rather than one sprint's events. | 30–35 min | Beginner |
| Timeline Retrospective | After a long project, release or quarter. | 40–50 min | Intermediate |
| 5 Whys Retrospective | A recurring problem the team keeps discussing without fixing. | ~35 min | Experienced |
| Lean Coffee Retrospective | When the team has many different things on its mind. | 30–45 min | Beginner |
| Pre-mortem | Before starting a project, launch or migration. | 35–40 min | Intermediate |
| Appreciative Inquiry Retrospective | After a tough period, to rebuild energy. | ~35 min | Intermediate |
| Squad Health Check | Every few sprints or once a quarter, to track trends over time. | ~40 min | Intermediate |
| Scrum Checklist Retrospective | Every few months, to step back from individual sprints. | 45–60 min | Intermediate |
Everyday retros
Team health & collaboration
Problem-solving
Process improvement
Project & future planning
Run any template with your team, live
Guided stages, silent writing, voting, timers and action items. Teammates join with a link. Free for up to 10 boards.
Start a retro — it's free