Purpose

The Rose Bud Thorn Retrospective uses a garden metaphor to structure reflection: Roses are highlights and successes, Buds are potential opportunities or ideas still forming, and Thorns are challenges or pain points. This framework encourages teams to look forward (buds) in addition to looking back, making it more future-oriented than many retro formats.

At a glance

• Group size: 3–12 people
• Duration: 15 minutes
• Difficulty: Beginner
• Facilitation style: Semi-structured
• Setting: Both / Remote-friendly

How to run

1. Create three sections: Rose 🌹, Bud 🌱, Thorn 🌵.
2. Silent brainstorming: each person writes sticky notes for each category (3 minutes).
3. Share notes one category at a time, starting with Rose (5 minutes).
4. Discuss patterns across all three categories (4 minutes).
5. Select one Bud to nurture and one Thorn to address — assign owners (3 minutes).

Materials needed

• Whiteboard or digital board
• Sticky notes (three colours: pink, green, red recommended)
• Markers
• Timer

Pitfalls & common mistakes

• Neglecting Buds: teams often fill Rose and Thorn but leave Buds empty. Prompt specifically for emerging ideas.
• Treating Thorns as complaints rather than improvement opportunities.
• Not following up on Buds in subsequent sprints.

Inclusion & accessibility

• Use both icons and text labels for colour-blind participants.
• The garden metaphor is culturally neutral and works well across diverse teams.
• Allow anonymous submissions for Thorns to encourage honesty.

Variations

• Rose Bud Thorn + Fertilizer: add a fourth category for resources or support needed.
• Personal RBT: each person reflects on their individual experience before sharing with the group.
• Seasonal RBT: use quarterly to track how Buds from last quarter have bloomed or wilted.

When NOT to use this

• When the team needs strict action-item tracking — use Start Stop Continue.
• When there is a specific crisis to analyze — use Five Whys or a timeline retro.

Source & further reading

• Design thinking workshops (IDEO, Stanford d.school).
• Retromat (retromat.org).