đźš‚ All Aboard the Agile Express
Welcome to the Agile Express! Let’s gather in the station, review how smooth our journey was and decide which tracks to lay next for a faster, safer ride together.
Template Columns
🛤️ Lay New Tracks
Suggest new practices or ideas we should add to keep our train on track.
Base column: Startâ›” Pull the Emergency Brake
Identify things that derailed us and need to be stopped to avoid future delays.
Base column: Stop🚦 Keep the Engine Running
Share what’s been working well that we should continue fueling for steady progress.
Base column: ContinueAbout this template
The All Aboard the Agile Express retrospective invites teams to reflect on their workflow as a train journey, highlighting what practices to introduce, halt, or continue to ensure smoother progress.
When to use this template
Use this format after project milestones, sprints, or when your team needs to recalibrate direction and momentum. It's ideal when you want to refresh practices and align on what's working and what isn't.
How to facilitate
Set the scene by welcoming everyone aboard the Agile Express and explaining the train journey metaphor to encourage creative and open reflection.
Briefly revisit the purpose of each column: Lay New Tracks for new ideas and improvements, Pull the Emergency Brake for blockers or ineffective practices, and Keep the Engine Running for what’s going well.
Give everyone a few minutes to add their observations and suggestions to each column, allowing for anonymous contributions if your environment supports it.
Invite participants to review and read through the posted items, grouping similar ideas for clarity and focus.
Facilitate a team discussion around each column, prioritizing action items, especially those in the Lay New Tracks and Pull the Emergency Brake sections.
Collaboratively decide on next steps, assigning responsibility where necessary to move from reflection to action.
Close the session with a brief recap and thank the team for their input, using the train journey as a lighthearted wrap-up.
Pro Tips
Encourage storytelling—ask team members to share the context behind their suggestions, not just the item itself.
Limit time spent on each column to keep discussions focused and energetic.
Consider using a virtual train background or sound effects to boost engagement in remote sessions.
FAQ
What if team members have difficulty coming up with 'Lay New Tracks' ideas?
Prompt them to consider lessons from other teams, recent challenges, or tools they haven’t tried yet. Sometimes brainstorming in pairs can help spark ideas.
How do we prevent recurring issues from the 'Pull the Emergency Brake' column?
Assign clear owners to action items and review them in the next retrospective to ensure follow-through and accountability.
Can this format handle larger teams or longer retrospectives?
It works best with small to mid-size teams, but for bigger groups, consider splitting into sub-teams for ideation and then reconvening for discussion.
At a glance
- Duration
35–50 min
- Team Size
4-10 people
- Columns
3 columns
- Base Format
Start, Stop, Continue
Tags
Ready to get started?
Use this template to run your next retrospective