A retrospective activity involves looking at past successes and failures to learn from them. Retrospective activities at the end of a sprint or when completing a new project are s a great time to reflect on the goals and challenges you faced and what you did to achieve them. It can also help you identify any risks you may have taken along the way - and develop strategies to avoid those in the future.

We love team retrospective activities. They help us improve our collaboration, promote transparency and create better features.

Here are our five favourite retrospectives with free digital templates. 

#1. A Simple Retrospective

This classic and straightforward retrospective is an excellent activity for first-timers and seasoned pros. This activity needs very little explaining and is a fantastic gateway retrospective to get your Team acquainted with the value of the retrospective activity. 

Retrospective Prompts

What went well?

What did not go well?

Action Items

Evaluate this _________________ on a scale from 1-5 stars

Free Retrospective Template - Digital Whiteboard 

#2. Start, Stop, Continue

Utilize the Start, Stop, Continue Team Retrospective activity to evaluate your last sprint, workshop, or project milestone. Ensure your stakeholders give and receive feedback, and identify risks and areas to improve.

The simple nature of this activity makes it robust and very versatile. You can candidly talk with your Team to check in on an initiative. You can also use this as a personal activity to reflect on your efforts at the end of your week. 

Retrospective Prompts

Start: What are examples of things we need to start doing?

Stop: What must we avoid or stop doing; What hasn't worked?

Continue: What are we doing well that we should continue doing?

 Free Retrospective Template - Digital Whiteboard 

#3. I wish... I worry... I wonder...

Making changes and improvements takes time and patience, but it's worth it in the end. It's also important to look at what you are doing and why you're doing it.

Independently reflect and respond to the following questions related to your project, product, service, or Team. Then, take turns sharing your responses and discuss how you can use the inputs to plan a strategy. 

Retrospective Prompts

I wish: If you could have any solution, irrespective of price, what would it be?

I worry: What is keeping you up at night?

I wonder: What is something you'd like to explore? 

Free Retrospective Template - Digital Whiteboard 

#4. Rose, Bud, Thorn

This classic is an easy-to-understand retrospective is an excellent format to collect honest feedback from your Team in a creative way. This retrospective activity uncovers hidden values and builds on success while creating a safe space to air concerns. In addition, it builds trust among your Team by providing a fun format for taking a step back to look at the big picture.

Retrospective Prompts

Roses: What you liked 

Buds: What you'd build on 

Thorns: What you didn't like

Free Retrospective Template - Digital Whiteboard 

#5 What Will Guide our Ship?

Go-To-Market Strategic Planner to drive meaningful conversations with teams and stakeholders. Strategic planning activity for risk mitigation. This activity helps you lead a collaborative session for launch readiness, retrospectives, and team alignment. DesignACE provides high-quality templates & expert scripts so you can facilitate like a pro. 

"What will guide our ship?" Workshop Guide & Template includes:

✔️ Workshop outline 

✔️ Sample scripts and cues to add to your talk track

✔️ Agendas

✔️ Step-by-step facilitation instructions

✔️ High-quality, printable & digital templates 

✔️ Engaging slides

✔️ Ready to use, digital whiteboards 

✔️ Provoking thought starter and discussion questions 

Buy our Go-To-Market Strategic Planner 

3 Simple Steps to Running a Retrospective

Before you get started, we suggest getting everyone warmed-up with a team-building activity or an ice-breaker game.

Step 1: Present Ideas & Concepts

• Present the idea and walk your Team through the Retrospective concepts.

• Check out our previous blog for everything you need to go through an impactful retrospective.

Step 2: Record Feedback

• Give everyone 2-minutes to record as many ideas privately

• Ask the group to share their thoughts as a group.

• Capture the feedback by affixing notes or post-its to the whiteboard/chart paper

Step 3: Debrief

• Discuss similarities/differences in participant feedback

• Do you see any patterns?

• Create new possibilities by turning "negative" feedback into "opportunities."

Let us know what your favourite Retrospective activity is!