Discussion Phase

What Happens in the Discussion Phase

The discussion phase is where your team talks through the topics that received the most votes. This is the heart of the retrospective: the moment when written feedback becomes a live conversation about what to change. The facilitator guides the team through each topic in priority order, and the group works together to understand the issue and identify potential action items.

The discuss phase comes after voting and before commit. When the facilitator advances to this phase, the board reorganizes to show cards and groups sorted by vote count, with the highest-voted items at the top.

Discussion Order

Topics are presented in descending order of votes. The item with the most votes appears first, followed by the next highest, and so on. This ensures the team spends its most focused energy on the issues the group collectively prioritized.

The discussion queue

The facilitator sees a discussion queue in the toolbar showing all topics in priority order. The currently active topic is highlighted, and upcoming topics are listed below. The facilitator advances through the queue one topic at a time.

• The current topic is expanded and displayed prominently on the board.
• All cards within the topic (or within the group) are visible for reference during the conversation.
• Previous topics that have been discussed are marked with a checkmark.
• Upcoming topics show their vote count so the team can anticipate what is next.

Marking Cards as Discussed

As the team works through each topic, the facilitator marks it as discussed to track progress and move to the next item.

How to mark a topic as discussed

1. After the team has finished talking about the current topic, click the Mark as Discussed button.
2. The topic receives a visual checkmark indicating it has been covered.
3. The board automatically scrolls or transitions to the next topic in the queue.

Marking a topic as discussed does not prevent the team from returning to it later. The facilitator can revisit any previously discussed topic if needed.

AI Discussion Guide

The AI discussion guide is an optional feature that helps facilitators lead more productive conversations. For each topic, the AI analyzes the cards and generates suggested talking points, probing questions, and potential root causes.

How to use the discussion guide

1. When a topic is active, click the Discussion Guide button in the facilitator toolbar.
2. A panel appears with AI-generated suggestions for the current topic.
3. The guide typically includes:
   • A brief summary of the theme based on all cards in the group.
   • Two to three suggested questions the facilitator can ask the team.
   • Potential root causes to explore.
   • Suggested action item directions based on the feedback.
4. Use the suggestions as inspiration. You do not need to follow them exactly.

When the discussion guide helps most

• When the facilitator is new to running retros and wants conversation prompts.
• When a topic has many cards and it is hard to know where to start.
• When the conversation stalls and the team needs a nudge toward deeper analysis.
• When the facilitator wants to ensure root causes are explored, not just symptoms.

Timer for Pacing Discussions

Each topic in the discussion phase can be time-boxed to keep the conversation moving. The timer is a guide, not a hard cutoff. When it expires, the facilitator decides whether to extend the conversation or move on.

Using the discussion timer

1. The facilitator sets a default discussion time per topic (e.g., 3 to 5 minutes).
2. When a new topic becomes active, the timer starts automatically if configured.
3. The countdown is visible to all participants, keeping everyone aware of pacing.
4. When the timer reaches zero, a visual and optional audio notification alerts the group.
5. The facilitator can extend the timer, reset it, or move to the next topic.

For more details on timer configuration and strategies, see the Timer & Phase Pacing article.

Creating Action Items During Discussion

One of the most valuable outcomes of the discussion phase is the creation of action items. As the team talks through a topic and identifies something concrete to change, the facilitator (or any participant) can create an action item directly from the discussion.

How to create an action item

1. While discussing a topic, click the Add Action Item button associated with the current topic.
2. Describe the action item clearly and concisely.
3. Optionally assign an owner and set a due date.
4. The action item is linked to the card or group it came from, preserving context.

Action items created during discussion carry forward to the commit phase, where the team can review, refine, and finalize them. For a complete guide, see Creating & Tracking Action Items.

Discussion Best Practices

• Start with the highest-voted topic. Resist the temptation to jump around. The vote order reflects the team's collective priority.
• Read the cards aloud. Before discussing, have someone read the cards in the group so everyone starts with the same understanding.
• Focus on understanding, then solutions. Spend the first part of each topic making sure everyone understands the issue before jumping to fixes.
• Time-box ruthlessly. It is better to discuss five topics briefly than two topics at length. You can always create follow-up conversations outside the retro.
• Capture action items as they emerge. Do not wait until the commit phase to write down action items. Capture them in the moment so nothing is lost.
• Watch for quiet participants. The facilitator should actively invite input from people who have not spoken, especially on topics they voted for.