Retrospective Template

Free retrospective template with what went well, what did not, lessons learned, root causes, action items, owners, and team improvement signals online.

What's included

  • Sprint, project, team, facilitator, and review period fields
  • What went well section for positive patterns
  • What did not go well section for friction and misses
  • Learning section for team insights
  • Action item table with owner, due date, and success signal
  • Useful for agile retros, project reviews, and team process improvements

Preview

Retrospective - [Sprint / Project]

Date: [YYYY-MM-DD]
Team: [Team name]
Facilitator: [Name]
Period reviewed: [Sprint, release, or project phase]

What Went Well

  • [Win, behavior, or outcome to repeat]
  • [Another positive pattern]

What Did Not Go Well

  • [Problem, friction, or missed expectation]
  • [Another issue]

What We Learned

[Insights about process, communication, quality, planning, or collaboration.]

Root Causes to Explore

IssuePossible CauseEvidenceNext Experiment
[Issue][Cause][Example or signal][Experiment]

Action Items

Experiment / ActionOwnerDue DateSuccess Signal
[Action][Owner][YYYY-MM-DD][How we will know it worked]
[Action][Owner][YYYY-MM-DD][Signal]

How to use this template

  1. Set the review period — Clarify whether the retrospective covers a sprint, release, project, or team period. A clear time boundary keeps the discussion focused.
  2. Balance positives and problems — Start with what went well, then discuss what did not. Balanced retrospectives build trust and make problem-solving less defensive.
  3. Look for causes, not blame — Focus on systems, communication, decisions, and constraints. The goal is learning, not assigning fault.
  4. Turn insights into experiments — Action items should be small experiments the team can try. Big vague commitments are hard to measure and easy to forget.
  5. Review action items next time — At the next retrospective, check whether previous actions worked. This closes the loop and makes retrospectives feel worthwhile.

Frequently asked questions

What is a retrospective?

A retrospective is a structured team review of what went well, what did not go well, what was learned, and what should change. It is commonly used in agile teams but works for many projects and workflows.

What should a retrospective include?

A retrospective should include a clear review period, positive observations, problems or friction, lessons learned, and concrete action items. The most important part is turning discussion into a small number of changes.

How many action items should come from a retrospective?

One to three action items is usually enough. Too many changes dilute focus and make follow-through unlikely. Choose the actions most likely to improve the next sprint or project phase.

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