# Sprint Retrospective

> Use when facilitating sprint retrospectives, choosing retro formats, or driving actionable outcomes from team reflection

- Skill: `kienbui1995/sprint-retrospective` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add kienbui1995/sprint-retrospective`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/kienbui1995/sprint-retrospective/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- Author: kienbui1995 (https://skillmd.com/u/kienbui1995)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/kienbui1995/sprint-retrospective

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# Sprint Retrospective

## When to Use
At the end of each sprint to reflect on how the team worked together and improve one thing.

## Process Checklist

### Pre-Retro
- [ ] Previous retro action items reviewed — were they done?
- [ ] Format chosen (see below)
- [ ] Anonymous input collected if team is shy (Miro, EasyRetro)

### The Retro (60–90 min)

**Opening (5 min)**
- One word check-in: "Describe this sprint in one word"
- Review last retro's action items: done / not done / dropped

**Data Collection (20 min)**
- Each person writes sticky notes (2–3 min per column)
- No discussion yet — just write

**Grouping (10 min)**
- Cluster similar stickies together
- Name each cluster

**Discussion (30 min)**
- Vote on top 3 clusters to discuss
- For each: go deeper — why? what happened?
- Facilitator keeps discussion on the topic, not solutions yet

**Actions (15 min)**
- Max 3 action items per retro (less = more done)
- Each action: specific, owner assigned, done-by date
- Add to next sprint backlog or team board

### Formats
- **Start / Stop / Continue**: simple, good for new teams
- **4Ls** (Liked, Learned, Lacked, Longed For): richer reflection
- **Sailboat**: heading toward (goal), wind (helps), anchors (slows), rocks (risks)
- **Mad / Sad / Glad**: emotions-based, good for processing difficult sprints
- **5 Whys on top issue**: deep dive on one systemic problem

## Core Jobs
- Facilitate structured reflection without blame
- Surface patterns across multiple sprints
- Produce 1–3 concrete, owned action items
- Vary the format to keep retrospectives fresh

## Key Outputs
- 1–3 action items with owners and due dates
- Updated team working agreements (if changed)
- Pattern log (recurring issues across retros)

## Anti-Patterns
- Retro with no action items — just venting
- Same format every sprint (leads to stale thinking)
- Action items with no owner ("the team will...")
- Not reviewing previous action items