Run a Start / Stop / Continue retrospective
Start / Stop / Continue is the retrospective format built on three questions: what should we start doing, what should we stop doing, and what should we keep doing? It is the default board in Retrospective, and it suits a team that wants a direct read on what to change next.
Quick facts
- Template
- Start / Stop / Continue
- Columns
- Start, Stop, Continue, Actions
- Group size
- Designed for 2–12 people
- Drafting
- Private in your browser until the reveal
- History
- Temporary; not saved permanently
How it works
- Open Retrospective in the Room and keep the default Start / Stop / Continue template.
- Write Start, Stop, and Continue cards privately, then reveal the board together.
- Merge related cards, spend your votes, and agree the actions to close on.
What you can do
- Ask what the team should start doing, with one card per idea.
- Ask what should stop, so the team can name what is not working.
- Ask what should continue, so what already works is protected.
- Turn the points you discussed into actions with a completion checklist.
- Export the revealed board as a Markdown summary before everyone leaves.
Why use it in a Free4Chat Room
The board opens in the Room the team is already in, so the retrospective happens where the conversation is. Everyone writes their own cards first, the board reveals them together, and the Room's voice or chat carries the discussion while the group merges related points and spends five votes each on what matters most.
Limits & privacy
Cards are attributed to the person who wrote them once the board is revealed, and the board is temporary: it is not saved permanently and there is no history of earlier retrospectives. What you type stays in your own browser until the reveal, so a reload can clear an unpublished draft. The template holds one bounded board, and it ends with the same Actions column every Retrospective template shares.
Frequently asked questions
What are the three Start / Stop / Continue questions?
What should we start doing, what should we stop doing, and what should we continue doing? Each one is a column on the board.
Is Start / Stop / Continue the default template?
Yes. Retrospective opens on Start / Stop / Continue, and another template can be chosen when a board starts.
Are the cards anonymous?
No. After the reveal each card shows the name of the person who wrote it, and nothing is published before the reveal.