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Sprint retrospective agenda template (60 minutes)

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A retrospective is a team's chance to improve how it works, and it only helps if it ends with a small number of changes that people actually make. This agenda follows five steps that keep the conversation moving from what happened to what the team will do differently.

The agenda

Total time: 60 minutes. Adjust the times to fit your meeting; the order is what matters.

  1. Set the stage (5 min). Remind everyone of the goal, the ground rules and that the focus is the work and the process, not individuals. A short warm-up helps everyone speak early.
  2. Gather data (15 min). Everyone writes what went well, what did not and what puzzled them, silently, then shares. Facts and feelings both count.
  3. Generate insights (15 min). Group similar notes, then ask why. Look for causes, not only symptoms. Vote on the two or three topics worth discussing.
  4. Decide what to do (20 min). For each chosen topic, agree one concrete experiment or change, with an owner and a date. Fewer, clearer actions beat a long list.
  5. Close (5 min). Read back the actions, check how people found the meeting and thank them. Decide where the actions will be visible.
Copy the agenda 
Sprint retrospective agenda (60 minutes)
1. Set the stage (5 min): Remind everyone of the goal, the ground rules and that the focus is the work and the process, not individuals. A short warm-up helps everyone speak early.
2. Gather data (15 min): Everyone writes what went well, what did not and what puzzled them, silently, then shares. Facts and feelings both count.
3. Generate insights (15 min): Group similar notes, then ask why. Look for causes, not only symptoms. Vote on the two or three topics worth discussing.
4. Decide what to do (20 min): For each chosen topic, agree one concrete experiment or change, with an owner and a date. Fewer, clearer actions beat a long list.
5. Close (5 min): Read back the actions, check how people found the meeting and thank them. Decide where the actions will be visible.

An example

An illustration for a team of eight after a two week sprint. It is an example, not a record of a real retrospective.

  • Set the stage (5 min): a one word check-in, then a reminder of last sprint's action about shorter code reviews.
  • Gather data (15 min): went well, the new test setup; did not go well, late changes to the scope; puzzled, why reviews sat for two days.
  • Generate insights (15 min): notes are grouped into scope changes and review delays. Votes pick both as topics.
  • Decide what to do (20 min): scope changes after day three need the product owner and the team lead to agree; reviews get a daily 15 minute slot. Both are one sprint experiments.
  • Close (5 min): actions read back with owners, and the team agrees to look at both next time.

Start with a warm-up

People speak up more easily in the main part of a meeting if they have already spoken once. A one-minute round at the start makes a real difference. The retro warm-ups are written for this, and the random turn order keeps the order fair.

Collect thoughts silently first

If people say their thoughts out loud one at a time, the first few voices shape everything that follows. Give a few minutes to write alone, then share. It brings out quieter people and a wider range of views, and it saves time on repeated points.

Look for causes

A note like "too many meetings" is a symptom. Ask what produced them and what would reduce them. Asking "why" a few times usually moves the conversation from complaint to something the team can change. Keep it about the process, never about a person.

End with experiments, not wishes

A good action is small, has an owner and a date, and can be checked next time. "Improve communication" is a wish. "Post a two line update in the team channel by ten each morning for one sprint" is an experiment. Two or three of these are plenty, and the first thing to do at the next retrospective is to see whether they happened.

The cost of the meeting is worth keeping in mind: eight people for an hour at an average of 45 an hour is 360 of working time. Make sure it ends with changes. The meeting cost calculator will do the sum for your team.

Questions people ask

How often should a team hold a retrospective?

At the end of each sprint or iteration is the usual rhythm. Teams that do not work in sprints can hold one every two to four weeks or at the end of a project phase.

Who should run the retrospective?

Someone who can guide the conversation without dominating it. Many teams rotate the role. For sensitive topics, a person from outside the team can help people speak openly.

What if the same problems come up every time?

Check whether last time's actions were done. If not, the issue is follow-through, so reduce the number of actions. If they were done and the problem remains, the cause is likely deeper than the experiment tried.

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