Retros lose their punch when you ask the same three questions every sprint. This agile retrospective question generator keeps prompts fresh: pull a random set around a single theme, or load a complete framework like Starfish, 4Ls, or Mad/Sad/Glad to structure the whole session.
The two modes and when to use each
Focus mode is best when you have limited time or a specific problem to address. You choose a theme — what went well, improvements, or action items — and the tool draws a fresh random set from a built-in bank using a Fisher–Yates shuffle. This gives you a targeted ten-minute conversation rather than a full ceremony.
Format mode returns the complete, canonical prompt set for a named retrospective framework. Use it when you want a structured, full-length session with a clear arc from reflection to action:
- Starfish (Keep / Start / Stop / More / Less) — maps five zones that together produce a balanced picture of what is working, what is not, and what needs calibration.
- 4Ls (Liked / Learned / Lacked / Longed For) — drives reflection on value and growth alongside gaps, which suits teams that want to emphasise learning.
- Mad/Sad/Glad — introduces an emotional lens that is particularly effective after a stressful sprint, a failed feature, or a team conflict. Naming feelings first lowers defensiveness before moving to analysis.
Why format variety matters
A team that uses the same three columns — What went well? / What didn’t? / What to try? — every sprint for six months stops generating new answers. Participants mentally fill in the box before the meeting starts. Switching to 4Ls asks “what did we learn?” which is a meaningfully different question that surfaces knowledge capture and team growth rather than just task outcomes.
Tips for running better retros
- Start with positives regardless of how the sprint went. Opening with “what went well” before “what to improve” prevents the session from becoming a complaint list and tends to produce more actionable improvement ideas.
- Always end with owned action items. A retro without commitments is a therapy session, not a process improvement meeting. Use one or two action prompts and name a specific person and deadline for each.
- Timebox each question. In a 45-minute retro with five Starfish prompts, five minutes per prompt keeps the session moving and prevents one topic from consuming the whole meeting.
- Rotate formats month to month. Familiar teams extract more insight from a new lens than from a repeated one — novelty forces fresh thinking.
- Copy a generated set directly into your digital whiteboard or retro doc as column headers; most tools (Miro, FigJam, Retrium) accept pasted text as board sections.