Standard retrospective template
The three-column retrospective almost every team starts with.
Also known as: Went Well / To Improve / Action Items, Classic retrospective, Simple retro.
The default sprint retrospective: one column for what worked, one for what did not, and one for what the team will do about it. It is the fastest format to explain to a group that has never run a retro, and the one that gets out of the way when the discussion matters more than the frame.
The columns, and what goes in each
- Went Well
- What worked this sprint that you would want to happen again?
- To Improve
- What slowed the team down, frustrated you, or nearly went wrong?
- Action Items
- What will we actually change before the next retro, and who owns it?
When to use the Standard retrospective
- A team running its first retrospective, or a facilitator who is new to the group
- A short sprint where the discussion needs more time than the setup
- Any session where you want the action column visible from the start, not bolted on at the end
How to run a Standard retrospective
- Give everyone five to seven minutes of silent writing, one idea per card.
- Read the cards out column by column, grouping duplicates as you go.
- Vote to pick the two or three themes worth the remaining time.
- Discuss the top themes and write a card in Action Items for each decision, with an owner.
Run this retrospective in RetroCanvas
Standard is built in — pick it when you create a board, or set it to recur automatically every sprint. Free, with no credit card required.