What is a project retrospective meeting?
A project retrospective meeting—or “retro”, as the cool kids call it—is a collaborative session that allows your team to reflect after completing a project.
In a retrospective meeting, you’ll discuss:
- What went well
- What could have gone better
- What you learned
- What you’ll do to improve for next time
Objectives of project retrospective meeting
The objective of a retro is to gather your thoughts at the end of a project rather than immediately jumping to the next task.
The point isn’t to dwell on what went right and wrong, but rather to pull out lessons that will help you improve for next time.
An effective retrospective requires openness, participation, and transparency. When running a retro, give your team the space to arrive, and always set the ground rules for an open, honest discussion.
How to use this template
Here’s what’s included in this agenda template
1. Welcome 👋
Time: 5 minutes
Tools: Music Playlist
Share music while waiting for everyone to arrive. Start by setting the stage:
- Don’t make it personal, don’t take it personally
- Listen with an open mind
- Everyone's experience is valid
- Focus on improvement—not on placing blame
Then, briefly revisit the themes and actions from the last retrospective.
2. What went well? ⭐️
Time: 15 minutes
Tools: Poll or Google Docs
Use the Google Doc integration or an open-ended poll to collect answers from the team.
Cluster them if needed, then briefly go one by one to discuss them.
3. What could have gone better? ⤴️
Time: 10 minutes
Tools: Polls or Google Docs/Miro/MURAL
Use the Google Doc integration, Miro, MURAL, or an open-ended poll to collect everyone's insights regarding what can go better.
Cluster them if needed and briefly discuss them.
4. Actions to improve 🎯
Time: 10 minutes
Tools: Polls or Google Docs/Miro/MURAL
Use the Google Doc integration, Miro, MURAL or an open-ended poll to collect concrete actions that can be taken to improve the problem areas identified earlier.
Cluster any similar ideas. Discuss each idea as a team, and assign owners to these actions and due dates as necessary.
5. Anything else? 🧐
Time: 5 minutes
Any questions, doubts, or other things people want to get off their chests.
About the creator
Anamaria Dorgo is the Head of Community at Butter. Her mission is to create a space where facilitators, workshoppers, trainers, design thinkers, and innovation and strategy consultants can team up, share best practices, tackle challenges collectively, and accelerate their careers together with like-minded people. 🙌
