Templates define the structure of your retrospective by setting up the columns participants will add notes to. Manager Toolkit includes several built-in templates and also lets you create custom layouts to suit your team's needs.
Built-In Templates
When you create a new retrospective from the Retrospectives page, you can choose from the following templates:
Mad, Sad, Glad
Start, Stop, Continue
What went well / What didn't / Actions
4Ls (Loved, Learned, Lacked, Longed for)
KALM (Keep, Add, Less, More)
Choosing the Right Template
The best template depends on your team and the situation. If your team is new to retrospectives, Start, Stop, Continue is a simple starting point. For teams dealing with a difficult period, Mad, Sad, Glad gives people permission to express frustration. For regular sprint retrospectives, What went well / What didn't / Actions keeps things practical. 4Ls and KALM suit teams that want a more reflective, less time-bound conversation.
Custom Column Layouts
If none of the built-in templates fit, you can create a custom layout:
Reusing Templates
Custom templates are saved against the retrospective itself, so the columns persist for everyone who opens it. To reuse the same layout for a future retro you can duplicate an existing one - duplication copies the columns into a fresh retro that lands in the Build status.
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