Back 2 School Retrospective Template
Looking to refresh your team's approach as you enter a new phase of work? The Back 2 School retrospective template offers a timely framework for reflecting on past practices and setting intentions for the upcoming period. Perfect for dev teams at quarter starts, after major releases, or whenever you need a fresh perspective on your working practices.
What Is the Back 2 School Retrospective?
The Back 2 School retrospective uses a simple yet powerful metaphor based on the start of a new academic year. It divides team reflections into three clear categories that help teams evaluate their current practices and plan for improvement:
- Use Again: Tools, practices, and approaches from the previous period that proved valuable and should be continued
- Throw Away: Processes, habits, or methods that were ineffective and should be discontinued
- Buy: New ideas, tools, or approaches the team wants to adopt moving forward
This structure creates a natural flow from reflection to action planning, making it ideal for teams looking to reset and refocus their collaborative efforts.
When to Use the Back 2 School Retrospective
This template is particularly effective:
- At the beginning of a new quarter or project phase
- After completing a major product release or milestone
- When onboarding new team members
- When teams feel stuck in ineffective routines
- For annual team planning sessions
The format works especially well for remote and distributed development teams who need clear structure to guide their reflection process.
How to Run a Back 2 School Retrospective Session
Total time needed: 45-60 minutes
Introduction (5 minutes)
- Explain the purpose of the retrospective and how the Back 2 School metaphor works
- Emphasize that this is about learning from the past to improve the future
- Set the expectation that all ideas are welcome, regardless of how ambitious they might seem
Individual Reflection (10 minutes)
- Have each team member silently add sticky notes to the three areas (Use Again, Throw Away, Buy)
- Encourage everyone to add at least 2-3 notes per category
- Remind participants to focus on specific practices rather than general observations
Share and Discuss (15 minutes)
- Take turns revealing sticky notes and explaining thinking behind each
- Use the "highlight participant" feature to organize the discussion by team member
- Ask clarifying questions but avoid problem-solving at this stage
Group and React (10 minutes)
- Use the Topic tool to group similar ideas together
- Have team members add reactions to show agreement/disagreement with specific notes
- Identify patterns and recurring themes across the categories
Prioritize (5-10 minutes)
- Vote on which items in each category should be prioritized
- Focus on finding a balance between continuity and innovation
Action Planning (10 minutes)
- Create specific, assigned action items based on the top-voted ideas
- For each action, determine who is responsible and by when it should be completed
- Schedule a follow-up to check on progress with new initiatives
Tips for a Successful Session
- Focus on specifics: Encourage team members to cite concrete examples rather than vague feelings
- Balance all three areas: Teams often focus too much on "Throw Away" - ensure adequate attention to the other categories
- Connect to business goals: Relate the discussion to your team's broader objectives and KPIs
- Keep a record: Save your retrospective board to refer back to at your next session to track progress
- Time-box effectively: The suggested 10-minute reflection period helps keep momentum and focus
- Consider timing: This retrospective format works best when team energy is high and open to change
By structuring your reflection around what to keep, what to discard, and what to add, the Back 2 School retrospective creates a perfect opportunity for teams to learn from their experiences and chart a course for continuous improvement. It's a powerful way to transform reflection into action and start your next work period with renewed focus and clarity.
