What is Sprint Retrospective?
A sprint retrospective is a team ceremony held at the end of each sprint to reflect on what went well, what didn't, and what to improve.
A sprint retrospective is a team ceremony held at the end of each sprint to reflect on what went well, what didn't, and what to improve. It's the primary mechanism for continuous improvement in agile teams.
Classic retro format: What went well? What didn't go well? What should we change? Teams vote on the most important items and commit to 1-3 specific action items for the next sprint.
Alternative formats: Start/Stop/Continue, 4Ls (Liked/Learned/Lacked/Longed for), Sailboat (wind = helps, anchors = hinders), and Mad/Sad/Glad.
Retro anti-patterns: not following up on action items (the #1 killer of retro effectiveness), managers dominating the conversation, team members not feeling safe to speak up, repetitive discussions without resolution, and running retros as status meetings instead of improvement sessions.
Why It Matters
Retrospectives are the engine of continuous improvement. Teams that run effective retros and follow through on action items improve sprint-over-sprint. Teams that skip retros or treat them as ceremonies stagnate.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should you do retrospectives?
Every sprint (typically every 2 weeks). Skip retros at your peril — they are the primary mechanism for team improvement. 45-60 minutes is sufficient.
How do you make retros effective?
Follow up on previous action items, create psychological safety, limit to 1-3 actionable commitments, rotate facilitators, and try different formats to keep them fresh.
Related Terms
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