Plan your retrospective – from Set the Stage to action items

A well-run retrospective follows a clear structure. Getting the timing right is half the battle – too long on data collection and you'll run out of time for action items. Too short on insights and you'll end up with surface-level improvements.

Phase 1: Set the Stage (10–15 min)

Get everyone present and psychologically safe. Check-in questions, ESVP vote (Explorer / Shopper / Vacationer / Prisoner), or a brief review of working agreements work well here. Don't skip this phase – it sets the tone for everything that follows.

Phase 2: Gather Data (15–20 min)

Collect the team's experiences from the sprint. Popular formats: Mad Sad Glad, Four Ls (Liked / Learned / Lacked / Longed for), Timeline or Sailboat. Give everyone time to write before sharing.

Phase 3: Generate Insights (15–20 min)

Move from observations to patterns. What's the story behind the data? Dot voting, affinity mapping and 5 Whys all work well here. Keep the team focused – every thread doesn't need to be pulled.

Phase 4: Decide What to Do (15–20 min)

Pick 2–3 concrete, actionable improvements for the next sprint. Assign an owner to each. Vague commitments don't get done – specific ones do.

Phase 5: Close (5–10 min)

A quick ROTI (Return on Time Invested) check and a checkout round. Make the team feel like their time was well spent.

In Sessionplan you create one block per phase, see the total running time immediately, and tweak timings via drag and drop before the retro starts. Once the session is live, activate Live Mode – a slim banner tracks which phase you're in and how much time remains, so you can stay present with your team instead of watching the clock.

The format you choose shapes the energy and quality of the retro more than almost anything else. Here's a quick reference – organised by phase and team situation.

Gather Data formats

• Mad Sad Glad – Low barrier to entry, works for any team. Groups observations by emotional tone.
• Four Ls (Liked, Learned, Lacked, Longed for) – More structured and fact-based. Good for experienced teams with a learning culture.
• Timeline – Collect sprint events in chronological order. Best for complex or eventful sprints.
• Sailboat – Wind (drivers), anchors (blockers), rocks (risks). Good for separating energy from obstacles.

Generate Insights methods

• Dot voting – Quick prioritisation without long debates. Focuses energy on what matters most.
• 5 Whys – Dig into the root cause of recurring problems. Best used on one specific issue.
• Affinity mapping – Cluster similar observations into themes. Works well when a lot of data has been collected.

Decide What to Do formats

• Starfish – Start / Stop / Continue / More of / Less of. A concrete action framework with five directions.
• SMART actions – Specific, time-boxed commitments with named owners. Stops vague intentions from disappearing after the retro.

Matching formats to your team's situation

• New or uncertain teams – Mad Sad Glad + Dot Voting + SMART Actions: approachable, energising, low-pressure.
• Mature, analytical teams – Timeline + 5 Whys + Starfish: good for deep-rooted patterns.
• Teams needing direction – Sailboat + Dot Voting: strategic framing on what's helping and what's holding you back.

• 100% free – No hidden costs, no subscription
• No account needed – Start immediately without signing up
• Your data stays with you – By default, everything stays in your browser
• No ads – Focus on your retro, not on distractions

What's a good free tool for planning retrospectives?

Sessionplan (sessionplan.de) is a free, browser-based retro planner. Add a block for each phase, set your timings and share the plan with your team via a single link. Use Live Mode during the session to track which phase you're in and how much time remains – no account required.

How often should a team run retrospectives?

Once per sprint – which for most teams means every one or two weeks. Some teams also run a longer quarterly retrospective to look at bigger patterns. Never skip a retro because "things are going fine" – that's usually when the most important conversations don't happen.

How long should a retrospective be?

For a two-week sprint: 60–90 minutes. For a four-week sprint: up to 3 hours. Always build in a buffer – teams tend to have more to say than you expect. Add a break if you're going beyond 2 hours.

What's the difference between a retrospective and a post-mortem?

Retrospectives are future-focused and happen regularly after each sprint. They're about continuous improvement for a team that's still working together. Post-mortems (or post-mortems) tend to be one-off events after a specific incident or project end, with a stronger analytical focus on root cause.

How do I keep retrospectives from becoming repetitive?

Rotate formats. If you've done Mad Sad Glad five sprints in a row, try a Sailboat or a Timeline. Sessionplan's retro templates at sessionplan.de make it easy to switch format without extra prep – open the template, adjust the timings, and you're ready.

Further reading: 5 Retrospective Formats That Actually Work

Add your retro phases, set your timings and you're ready to run a focused, well-structured retrospective. Or open a template and customise from there.

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