5 Sprint Retrospective Ice Breaker Questions

What if one question could change the impact of your team’s sprint retrospective meetings? Creative icebreakers can help kick off the process of unlocking insights for continuous improvement and unlock your team’s collective potential.

We asked our trusted partners to share their favorite sprint retrospective icebreaker questions. Consider trying out the fun retrospective questions we have listed in this article, or use them as inspiration to develop your own.

5 Sprint Retrospective Ice Breaker Questions, Recommended by Experts

1. If this sprint were a movie, what would the title be and why?

I've used this icebreaker question a few times with success. Team members can be quite creative and descriptive with their movie titles. The exercise helps them communicate their real feelings about what's working and what's not before we even get to the typical retrospective questions.

The responses can quickly build rapport and engagement as the team rallies around similarities and differences. The camaraderie sets a positive tone that encourages open communication, making it easier for teams to reflect honestly and collaborate on improvements.

Elizabeth Venter-Botha, AgileSherpas

2. Looking at the last weeks (or sprint), what was your favorite mistake (that might or might not have triggered a learning)?

Learning is the base of all growth. Talking about the mistakes made without guilt or blame helps teams learn from each of these mistakes. The practice is an excellent way to help the team grow and chart a path for individual development and learning.

If we don’t make mistakes, we won’t learn as much. As the saying goes – the only failure from failure is our failure to learn from failure.

Anu M Smalley, Team KatAnu

3. If there was one thing we could do to better embrace everyone’s working styles or backgrounds, what would it be?

For any effective retrospective to occur, it is vital to ensure that everyone in the team feels safe to contribute. In this way, when we ask this question in a constructive manner and without targeting any of the working styles, we open the door to healthy discussion.

This question pushes the team to think about how they can approach the adoption of people, working styles, and diversity into the team more systematically. It also encourages people to make their wants known and creates space for positive changes that will affect all parties.

Laura Blersch, ICAgile

4. What is your happy place, and why?

This (or variations) is my favorite icebreaker question, especially with new teams or if we've had a hard sprint. It takes people out of their gloomy state and allows them to get into a better headspace.

Hearing other people's happy places also helps bring us into a better mindset and sets us up to be better able to contribute effectively to a retrospective. I also like finishing with the line 'I'm in' to mentally check into the session and enable people to be fully present.

Jacob Creech, Pragmatic Agile

5. Imagine your most compassionate and wise self is writing you a letter about the last sprint. What does it say?

This question, adapted from author Elizabeth Gilbert, invites team members to reflect deeply on their experiences by connecting with their inner wisdom and compassion. By framing it as a letter from their best selves, individuals can explore personal insights, acknowledge challenges, and celebrate successes in a meaningful way.

Sharing these reflections can foster a supportive and empathetic team environment where members feel valued and heard. This practice encourages personal growth and strengthens team cohesion by promoting open and heartfelt communication.

Kerri Sutey, Sutey Coaching & Consulting LLC

Bonus Tip: It’s not just about the question you ask – it’s about the behavior you’ve demonstrated leading up to that moment that really makes the difference.

A few years ago, I was mentoring a team of Agile coaches at a global freight company, training hundreds of teams virtually. They wanted to know how to “ask the right question,” especially in those moments when you have 30 participants in a training session, ask something, and no one speaks up.

My perspective? Sure, there are better ways to phrase questions (I’m a fan of Karl Tomm’s four types of questions), but what truly matters is the environment you create and your behavior within it. From the moment the first participant enters the room—even if I’m still preparing—I make a point to greet them, engage in small talk, and use humor generously to foster an atmosphere where people feel comfortable asking “stupid” questions or giving “lame” answers. For any Scrum Master, facilitator, or Agile coach, the real essence of this work lies not just in preparation but in the daily interactions that cultivate a culture of openness and collaboration.

Bent Myllerup, Better Change

Conclusion

There’s no creative limit to how you frame your sprint retrospective icebreaker questions. You can borrow from this list or use it as inspiration to create your own. Your prompts can be as imaginative and thought-provoking as the mind allows. Remember, the goal is to engage your team members and open a space of reflection and collaboration.

If this article piqued your interest, you’ll love our Agile Team Facilitation course. It’s packed with real-life takeaways to improve your facilitation skills in and outside of retrospective meetings. You’ll walk away knowing how to create an environment that fosters effective collaboration and communication.

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5 Sprint Retrospective Ice Breaker Questions