Sprint Retrospective Template

Sprint Summary

What did we set out to do, and how did it actually go? Write a few sentences that capture the story of this sprint — the goal, the outcome, and the overall vibe. This is what your boss reads; make it honest.

What Went Well

Acknowledge the wins. This is not filler — recognizing what worked reinforces those practices and keeps the retro from feeling like a complaint session.

• Something the team did well this sprint

• A process, tool, or collaboration pattern that worked

• A risk that was identified early and handled before it became a problem

What Didn't Go Well

Be candid about what was frustrating, slow, or broken. Focus on systems and processes, not people. The goal is to fix the environment, not assign blame.

• Something that slowed the team down or caused frustration

• A process that felt like overhead without value

• A miscommunication, unclear requirement, or late-changing scope

What We Learned

Insights that are worth carrying forward — things we didn't know before this sprint that should change how we work.

• A technical insight: something about the system, tooling, or architecture

• A process insight: something about how the team plans, communicates, or ships

• A product insight: something about user needs, priorities, or scope

Previous Action Items

Review the action items from the last retro. Did we actually do them? If not, why — and is the action still relevant?

Action Items

Concrete improvements to try next sprint. Keep it to 2-3 — more than that and nothing gets done.

Shoutouts

Call out individuals who went above and beyond, helped someone else, or made the sprint better. Specific recognition matters more than generic praise.

• Name — what they did and why it mattered

• Name — what they did and why it mattered

Team Health

Quick pulse check. Track these over time to spot trends before they become problems.