🚦 Traffic Light Review
Let’s steer our team to success! Like a traffic signal guiding drivers, this retro helps us decide what to go for, halt, or keep steady in our sprint journey. Ready to tune up our workflow?
Template Columns
🟢 Green Lights (Start)
Suggest new practices or ideas the team should roll out to accelerate our progress.
Base column: Start🔴 Red Lights (Stop)
Identify roadblocks or unhelpful habits we should put the brakes on immediately.
Base column: Stop🟡 Yellow Lights (Continue)
Highlight the reliable processes we should continue cruising with on our journey.
Base column: ContinueAbout this template
The Traffic Light Review retro is a simple, visual approach to identify practices to start, stop, or continue, aligning the team around practical action for continuous improvement.
When to use this template
Use this format at the end of a sprint or project when your team wants clear guidance on what to change, keep, or eliminate in their workflow. It's especially effective for teams seeking clarity, grounded action, and collaboration after periods of change or challenge.
How to facilitate
Welcome the team and explain the traffic light framework: green for new ideas to start, red for things to stop, and yellow for processes to continue.
Set a timer and invite everyone to add items to each column silently, encouraging at least one input per person per column.
Review all entries as a group, clarifying any unclear items and grouping similar suggestions for efficiency.
Facilitate a discussion for each column: celebrate effective practices in yellow, explore blockers in red, and brainstorm how to test or pilot green ideas.
Collaboratively select 1-3 top actions from each column to focus on in the next iteration.
Assign owners or volunteers to drive or follow-up on the agreed actions.
Conclude by reflecting on the process and how this input will be incorporated going forward.
Pro Tips
Frame examples for each column to spark ideas, especially if participation is slow.
If team energy is low, use quick polls or emoji reactions to prioritize discussion items.
Encourage the team to be honest about blockers and receptive to change, focusing on process not people.
Timebox discussions around red and green items to maintain focus and avoid over-analysis.
FAQ
What if no one adds anything to the red light (stop) column?
Prompt the team to reflect on recent frustrations, bottlenecks, or things that felt unproductive. Remind them it’s safe to discuss challenges.
How can we avoid getting stuck debating green (start) ideas?
Encourage experimentation—test one or two viable ideas next sprint instead of trying to perfect them now.
What if we can’t agree which actions to prioritize?
Use dot voting or quick reactions to collectively decide on the most impactful or urgent items.
How do we ensure actions lead to real change after the retro?
Assign clear owners and add action items to the team board or backlog for accountability and review in the next retrospective.
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At a glance
- Duration
35–50 min
- Team Size
4-12 people
- Columns
3 columns
- Base Format
Start, Stop, Continue
Tags
Ready to get started?
Use this template to run your next retrospective