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Plus Delta Template

One of the simplest and fastest retrospective formats there is. The plus column collects everything going well that should be repeated, while the delta column gathers what the team wants to change or improve. Its minimal structure makes it perfect for quick check-ins and teams that want to retrospect often without overhead.
Plus

Everything that's going well and should be repeated for the future

Roman

Roman

Review turnaround dropped to under a day
Maria

Maria

The Wednesday demo kept scope honest
Delta

Everything that you want to change or that can be improved

Anna

Anna

Cap work in progress at two items per person
Daria

Daria

Tickets arrive with acceptance criteria or they are not estimated
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What is the Plus/Delta retrospective?

The Plus/Delta retrospective is one of the simplest and fastest reflection formats available. It asks just two questions: what worked well (Plus) and what should change (Delta). The word "delta" deliberately replaces "minus" to keep the focus on change rather than blame — a delta is a desired adjustment, not a failure. Because it is so lightweight, Plus/Delta is ideal for closing out meetings, workshops, sprints, or events when you want quick, honest feedback without a heavy facilitation effort. The format uses two columns:

  • Plus — what went well and is worth keeping.
  • Delta — what should change next time.

Plus

In the Plus column, the team records everything that went well: effective practices, smooth collaboration, good decisions, or pleasant surprises. These entries tell you what to protect and repeat. Keeping the positives visible also balances the conversation so the retro does not become a list of complaints.

Delta

The Delta column captures changes the team wants to make. Frame each item as a concrete adjustment — "start estimating tickets together" rather than "estimates were bad." Because deltas are written as future improvements, they translate almost directly into action items, which is why this format is so efficient for continuous improvement.

Benefits of the Plus/Delta retrospective

  • Extremely fast — runs in 10–15 minutes.
  • Easy to learn, so anyone can facilitate it.
  • Frames feedback as change, not criticism.
  • Produces action items almost automatically.
  • Perfect for closing meetings, workshops, and events.
  • Keeps the team in a steady rhythm of improvement.

How to run a Plus/Delta retrospective

  1. Create a board in QRetro from the Plus/Delta template and share it with participants.
  2. Briefly state what the retro is reflecting on — the meeting, sprint, or event.
  3. Give everyone 3–5 minutes to add cards to the Plus and Delta columns.
  4. Read the Plus column aloud to acknowledge what worked.
  5. Discuss the deltas, group similar ones, and pick the top changes to make.
  6. Assign owners to each delta and save the board to track progress.

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