Team Retrospective

Aug 20, 2025
2 min read

Running regular retrospectives helps your team improve, stay connected, and keep learning. It’s always useful, but even more so when you're working remotely or in a hybrid setup.

A retrospective (or “retro”) is simply a meeting where the team takes a step back to reflect. What went well? What could have gone better? And what do we want to do differently next time?

You can run a retro at the end of a project, sprint, event, or even just a busy week.

Number of participants: 2-10

Time needed: Between 30 - 60 minutes

Materials: A whiteboard (physical or digital), sticky notes or digital equivalents and space for honest, open conversation

Step 1: Set the Scene

Before you dive in, give people a moment to settle. Then explain what the session is for: learning and improving together.

Agree some simple ground rules:

Keep things constructive - this is about learning, not blaming.
Talk about behaviours and outcomes, not individuals.
Everyone’s experience is valid - listen with curiosity, not judgement.
Be clear on the scope. Are we looking back at the last sprint? The whole project? Just last week?

Encourage a mindset of learning and progress over perfection.

Step 2: What Went Well?

Start positive.

Ask everyone to jot down what they think went well. One idea per sticky.

Once that’s done:

Group similar points together on the board.
Talk through them briefly as a team.
Celebrate small wins.

Step 3: What Could Be Better?

Now shift the focus to improvement.

Ask everyone to write down what could’ve gone better. Again, one point per sticky.

Then:

Group and cluster similar points.
Discuss them as a team.
Keep it action-focused - this is about what happened, not who did it.

Step 4: What Will We Do Next?

Pick out the things that are within your control to change.

Come up with a list of actions the team can take - small tweaks or bigger shifts. Agree who’ll do what, and by when. Try using a simple Who / What / When format to keep things clear and accountable.

Download your Retrospective Board Template: