7 Best Retrospective Templates (and When to Use Each)
Start/Stop/Continue, 4Ls, Mad-Sad-Glad... which template fits your team's needs right now? We break them all down.
Choosing the right retrospective template is like choosing the right lens for a camera. The format shapes what your team focuses on — and what they ignore.
1. Start, Stop, Continue
The classic. What should we start doing? Stop doing? Keep doing? Simple, fast, and universally understood. Perfect for new teams or when you just need a reliable format.
2. 4Ls (Liked, Learned, Lacked, Longed for)
Adds nuance over Start/Stop/Continue. "Lacked" and "Longed for" help surface missing resources and wishlist items that teams often don't mention in other formats.
3. Mad, Sad, Glad
Emotion-first format. Great for teams that need to process a difficult sprint or a stressful period. Gets to the feelings before jumping to solutions.
4. Fun Retrospective
Use themes: space missions, cooking shows, sports. Reframe "what went wrong" as "what ingredients were missing from our recipe." Keeps energy high and prevents retro fatigue.
5. DAKI (Drop, Add, Keep, Improve)
A more action-oriented version of Start/Stop/Continue. The "Improve" column is key — it acknowledges that things don't have to be bad to be worth making better.
6. Sailboat
Visual metaphor: your team is a boat. The wind pushes you forward (what's helping), the anchor slows you down (what's holding you back), rocks are risks, the island is your goal. Great for strategic discussions.
7. One-word retrospective
Each person describes the sprint in one word. Brutally simple. Reveals gaps in team perception instantly. Use as a quick check-in before a longer retro.
Which one should you use?
New team or difficult sprint → Mad/Sad/Glad. Regular cadence → Start/Stop/Continue or DAKI. Low energy → Fun Retrospective. Need strategic discussion → Sailboat. All of these are available as templates in Giftro.