Method · Retrospectives

Start, stop, continue: how to run it

A quick retrospective in three columns: what we should start doing, stop doing, and keep doing — ending with two or three changes to try.

35 minutes4 stepsRetrospectives
Other methods

When it helps

Use it for a short, regular look back — after a sprint, a project phase or a month — when you want concrete changes rather than a long discussion. It is easy to explain to people who have never done a retrospective.

When to use something else

Skip it when something went badly wrong and the team needs to understand why; use a root-cause method or a fuller retrospective instead.

How to run it, step by step

  1. Write alone7 min
    • Each person adds notes to the three columns: start, stop, continue.
  2. Group similar notes6 min
    • Put duplicates together and name each cluster.
  3. Talk through each column15 min
    • Start with stop — it is usually where the frustration is.
  4. Pick two or three changes7 min
    • Vote, then turn each one into an action with an owner.

What comes out — an example

Made up, to show the shape.

Start. Demo work to the customer every two weeks.

Stop. Taking on urgent requests that skip the backlog.

Continue. Pairing on tricky bugs.

Changes. Fortnightly demo (Sam books it); urgent requests go to the product lead first (Ada).

Questions

What is a start stop continue retrospective?

A simple review where a team lists what it should start doing, stop doing and continue doing, then picks a few changes to try.

When should you use start stop continue?

For quick, regular reviews where the team wants concrete changes, and for groups new to retrospectives.

Can start stop continue be used for personal feedback?

Yes — many managers and peers use the same three questions to give one person feedback.

What if the stop column is empty?

Ask what slowed people down or annoyed them in the last few weeks. An empty stop column usually means people do not feel safe saying it, not that nothing is wrong — try anonymous notes next time.

Other methods

The 4 Ls retrospectiveLook back on a piece of work through four words — what we liked, learned, lacked and longed for — to see both the good and what was missing.Sailboat retrospectiveDraw a boat sailing to an island: the team adds what pushes it forward (wind), what holds it back (anchors), and risks ahead (rocks) — a picture that makes a retrospective easier to talk about.Mad, sad, gladA retrospective built on feelings: what made the team mad, what made it sad, and what made it glad — useful when emotions are running high and need to be heard before problems can be fixed.Lean CoffeeA meeting with no agenda until it starts: everybody writes topics, the group votes, and you talk about the most popular ones in short, timed rounds.Fishbowl discussionA few people talk in an inner circle while everyone else listens from around them; listeners can step in by taking an empty chair, so a large group can hold one real conversation.1-2-4-AllEveryone thinks alone, then in pairs, then in fours, then the whole group shares — so every person contributes and the best ideas rise in about twelve minutes.

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