What Went Well / What Didn’t Go Well Retrospective Template
The What Went Well / What Didn’t Go Well retrospective is a classic format used by agile teams to reflect on a sprint or phase of work. It provides a structured, simple way for teams to share feedback, learn from experience, and improve over time.
Whether you just shipped a new feature, wrapped a chaotic launch, or simply completed a standard two-week sprint, this retro template helps you and your team pause and evaluate:
What worked
What didn’t
And what you’re going to do about it
This template is available through our Atlassian app SprintRetro.
Why this template?
While many teams already use “What Went Well” formats, we’ve made it even more effective by including a “What Didn’t Go Well” column — something missing in some alternatives.
By including both positive and negative reflections, this format helps surface a full picture of the team’s experience. Combined with our Actions column, you don’t just talk about what happened — you build clear next steps.
Template structure
Our What Went Well / What Didn’t Go Well template includes three columns:
✅ What Went Well
Celebrate the wins. From great collaboration and smooth deployments to improved code coverage or just solid teamwork — this column is where the good stuff goes.
Encourage your team to go beyond the obvious. Even small improvements deserve recognition.
⚠️ What Didn’t Go Well
This is where we differ from many tools that only focus on positives or use the softer “To Improve” label.
We believe in being honest. This column is your space to talk about blockers, frustrations, miscommunications, or anything that just didn’t land well.
It’s not about blame. It’s about growth.
📝 Actions
This is the column that makes the retro worth it.
Every retrospective in SprintRetro includes a built-in Actions column — and more importantly, it integrates with your previous retros, so you can see open actions from earlier sessions.
This helps teams stay accountable and avoid repeating the same mistakes. You’ll never wonder, “Did we ever follow up on that issue from two sprints ago?” again.
How to run the session
Kick things off
Set the tone: open, honest, constructive. Use the template to guide the conversation — not control it.Fill out the board
Invite each team member to add their thoughts across the three columns. Encourage comments, likes, and healthy discussion. The goal isn’t to agree — it’s to understand.Prioritize actions
Use voting or discussion to identify the most important action items. Not everything needs to be tackled next sprint — but something should be.Follow through
Track progress directly in SprintRetro. You’ll see open items from past retros — and finally close them when they’re resolved.
Try this template in SprintRetro
This template is available for free in our SprintRetro Atlassian app. It’s built for agile teams who want simple, effective, and actionable retros — every sprint.
No more scattered notes. No more forgotten action items. Just focused reflection and real improvement.