What is start, stop, continue?
Start, stop, continue is a feedback format built on three questions. What should we start doing? What should we stop doing? What should we continue doing? Because the questions point at actions rather than feelings, the answers are easy to turn into changes. Teams use it as a sprint retrospective, at the end of a project or to review a process.
When to use it
- When time is short and you need a retro in 30 minutes.
- When the usual "went well, to improve" format has started to feel routine.
- When a new team wants to agree how it will work together.
- After a launch or an incident, to decide what to change before the next one.
How to run it
- Explain the three columns and set a timer for five minutes of silent writing.
- Everyone adds notes to all three columns, one idea per note.
- Go column by column. Each author reads their notes, and the group puts duplicates together.
- Vote on the Start and Stop notes the team cares about most.
- Agree on one thing to start and one thing to stop, and name an owner for each.
Example
The example board shows a team that wants to start writing acceptance criteria before work begins and to demo every Friday. It wants to stop starting work in the middle of a sprint and stop skipping code review, and to continue its 9:30 stand-up and pairing on hard bugs.
Tips
- Continue matters as much as the other two. Naming what works protects it when the team changes.
- Stop is the hardest column to fill. Silent writing makes it easier for people to be honest.
- Open the next session with last time's Start and Stop notes, and check what changed.
Use this template in Starlex
Open a project, go to Notes, then Whiteboards, choose New whiteboard and pick Start · Stop · Continue. To add it to a board you already have, use the board's ⋯ menu.
- Everyone in the project can work on the board at once, with live cursors and cursor chat.
- Run a timer for silent writing, and use dot voting to choose.
- Turn any sticky note into an issue, or bring real issues onto the board as live cards.
- Export the board as a PNG or SVG image, or embed it in an issue description.
Frequently asked questions
How is start, stop, continue different from a normal retrospective?
A classic retrospective asks what went well and what to improve. Start, stop, continue asks for actions directly, which makes it faster and keeps the discussion on changes the team can make.
Can I use start, stop, continue for personal feedback?
Yes. It works well in one to ones and peer reviews: ask a colleague what you should start, stop and continue doing.
Is the template free?
Yes. Create a free Starlex account, open a project, add a whiteboard and pick Start · Stop · Continue.