Lean CoffeeSprint retrospective template

Columns in this template

Democratic agenda-setting: the team proposes topics, votes on what matters most, and discusses in priority order — no pre-set agenda required.

When to use Lean Coffee

Lean Coffee removes the most common retro frustration: the facilitator choosing what to discuss. The team proposes topics, votes on them, and works through the top items in strict priority order — stopping each discussion after a timeboxed period to ask whether to continue or move on. It is ideal for teams that have recurring topics that keep falling off the agenda, or for when the sprint was too chaotic for a structured retrospective format.

Facilitator tips

• Keep Topics brief (3–5 words per card) during the propose phase — longer descriptions anchor thinking.
• Vote on Topics before moving any to Discussing. The vote result IS the agenda; respect it.
• Timebox each topic to 5–8 minutes, then hold a quick thumbs up/down whether to continue. This prevents one topic from consuming the whole session.