Back to Glossary
Agile
Sprint Retrospective
Quick Definition
A Scrum event where the team inspects how the last Sprint went with regard to people, relationships, processes, and tools, and identifies improvements.
Detailed Explanation
The Retrospective is the team's continuous improvement engine. Common formats include 'Start, Stop, Continue', 'Liked, Learned, Lacked', or 'Sailboat' (wind = what helps, anchor = what holds back).
The most important output is actionable improvement items — at least one should be included in the next Sprint Backlog. Without action, retrospectives become complaint sessions.
Time-box: 3 hours for a one-month Sprint. Only the Scrum Team attends. The Scrum Master facilitates but participates as a team member.
Related Terms
Relevant Frameworks
Scrum Guide