The Start, Stop, Continue retrospective is the fastest way to turn a team's reflection into concrete change. Instead of an open-ended "how did it go?" it forces three clear lanes: what to begin, what to end, and what to protect. That structure is why it remains one of the most-used retro formats for agile teams, project squads, and leadership groups alike.
Reach for this start stop continue template at the end of a sprint, a project phase, or a month of work. It shines when a team is short on time but needs a meaningful review, or when newer teams want a retro format that is easy to understand on the first try.
The whole delivery team plus a neutral facilitator. Keep it to roughly four to ten people so everyone gets airtime. Managers can join, but they should listen more than they steer so the team speaks freely.
Open by restating the goal and the working agreements. Then move through the three lanes in order: Start, Stop, Continue. Give people quiet time to write before anyone speaks, so the loudest voice does not anchor the room. Cluster similar notes, read them out, and dot-vote to surface the two or three items that matter most. Finally, convert those into owned action items with due dates and close with a quick round of one-word reactions.
Ready to make your retros stick? Run it in OrgTP to capture actions, assign owners, and track them automatically into your next meeting.
60 minutes total · 6 sections
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