Rose, Thorn, BudSprint retrospective template
What went well, what hurt, and what’s about to bloom.
Columns in this template
Identify what went well (rose), what was challenging (thorn), and what potential opportunities exist (bud).
When to use Rose, Thorn, Bud
Rose, Thorn, Bud is short, memorable, and optimistic. Buds surface opportunities and experiments so the retro doesn’t end only on problems — great for timeboxed meetings or mid-sprint health checks.
Facilitator tips
- Buds should be plausible next steps or ideas, not full project plans — one sentence each.
- If Thorn dominates, use voting to pick two thorns and one bud for discussion.
- Pairs well with a quick action: one experiment from Bud, one fix for a top Thorn.
Run this template now
Open the session builder with this format pre-selected. Teams can unlock every template and custom columns in ScrumJam; public sessions can still start from any template you open from these pages.
Related templates
Mad, Sad, Glad
Express emotions about the sprint through three lenses: frustration, disappointment, and joy.
4Ls
Reflect on what you Liked, Learned, Lacked, and Longed for during the sprint.
Start, Stop, Continue
Classic retrospective format to identify new initiatives, things to stop, and successful practices to maintain.