A Start, Stop, Continue retrospective asks the team for three lists: what to start doing, what to stop doing and what to keep doing. It is the go-to format for teams new to retrospectives, because every idea is already framed as an action.
It works well for one- or two-week sprints and when the team needs to leave the meeting with a few clear commitments instead of a long list of complaints.
When to use it
- A new team's first retrospectives.
- When past retros produced lots of observations and few changes.
- After a sprint without major incidents, for routine fine-tuning.
The columns and their questions
What should we start doing next cycle?
What is getting in our way that we should stop doing?
What worked and should we keep doing?
Step by step (60 minutes)
- Set the stage 5 min
Recap the sprint goal and the action items from the last retro. Show what got done.
- Silent writing 10 min
Everyone adds notes to the three columns without seeing anyone else's, to avoid groupthink.
- Group 10 min
Reveal the notes and cluster similar ideas into themes.
- Dot vote 5 min
Each person gets a few votes (3 to 5) to spend on the themes that matter most.
- Discuss 20 min
Talk through the top-voted themes one at a time, with a timebox for each.
- Action items 10 min
Close with no more than three action items, each with an owner and a due date.
Facilitation tips
- Open the discussion with the Continue column: acknowledging what works makes it easier to talk about the rest.
- In the Stop column, ask for behaviors and processes, not people.
- A good action item fits in the next sprint. If it doesn't, break it down into a first step.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between Start, Stop, Continue and What Went Well, Could Be Improved, Try?
Start, Stop, Continue asks for behaviors right away; What Went Well starts from what happened and leaves the action for the end. The first is more direct; the second suits teams that need more context before deciding.
How long should it take?
45 to 60 minutes for a team of up to 8 people after a two-week sprint.
Should the notes be anonymous?
During silent writing, it helps that nobody sees anyone else's notes. After that, anonymity is optional; on teams with low psychological safety, keep authors hidden.