Template · Meetings
Free sprint retrospective template with a retro board
Run a retro on a kanban board: everyone adds cards to Went well, Did not go well and Ideas, the team groups them, and the best ideas become actions with an owner.
Retro · Oct 5
Sprint:
Date: Monday, October 5, 2026
Everyone adds cards for five minutes, then the team groups them and picks one or two actions.
Went well 1
Did not go well 1
Ideas 1
Actions 0
Actions we commit to
Owner: action
Last retro's actions
Free. Barside asks before it adds the template, then makes a new note from it. Needs Barside 1.50 or newer.
Nothing opened? Barside may not be installed yet. Download Barside, then choose Open in Barside again.
A retrospective is how a team gets better on purpose. This template keeps the classic format and makes sure it ends with one or two actions someone owns.
Who it is for
It is for agile and scrum teams at the end of a sprint, and for any group that wants to improve how it works together: project teams, volunteers, classrooms. For a personal version, see the weekly review guide.
What is in the sprint retrospective template
- A retro board: columns for Went well, Did not go well, Ideas and Actions on a kanban board.
- Actions we commit to: a checklist, one owner per line.
- Last retro's actions: to check what happened since.
An example
After a two-week sprint, a team of five takes five minutes to add cards. "Releases went smoothly" goes under Went well; "Too many urgent requests" and "Unclear tickets" go under Did not go well; "A request form" goes under Ideas. They group the two problems, agree that unclear tickets cause most delays, and commit to one action: Ana writes a ticket checklist by next Monday.
How to use the sprint retrospective template
- Choose Open in Barside above. Barside opens and asks before it adds anything.
- Pick the workspace for the note, and leave Keep it in my templates ticked to use the template again.
- Choose Create note. A new note called "Retro · Oct 5" opens, ready to fill in.
- Next time, start one from New note from a template, or let Barside make it on a schedule as a repeating note.
No Barside yet? It is free for Windows, Linux and Mac: download Barside, then choose Open in Barside again.
How to run a retro people look forward to
- Give five quiet minutes for cards before anyone talks.
- Group similar cards, then pick the one or two topics that matter most.
- End with at most two actions. Three or more rarely happen.
- Start the next retro by checking the last actions.
Make it yours
- Rename the columns for other formats, such as Start, Stop, Continue.
- Keep each retro as its own note and link them in order.
- Share the note in a Barside Space so the team adds cards together.
FAQ
Questions and answers
How often should a team hold a retrospective?
At the end of each sprint, often every two weeks. Teams without sprints hold one every two to four weeks.
Is the sprint retrospective template free?
Yes. The template and Barside are both free. Barside Plus is optional and adds cloud backup and sync between computers; templates do not need it.
Do I need an account to use it?
No. Barside runs on your computer without an account, and the notes you make from the template stay in your library on your computer.
Can I change the sprint retrospective template?
Yes. Edit the note it makes like any other note: rename columns, add rows, delete sections. To keep your version, open the note and choose Save as template in its options.