The retro timer helps you keep discussion focused and prevents any single phase from running over. It lives in the header of the public retro page and is visible to every participant, so everyone knows how much time remains.
Starting the Timer
Adjusting and Pausing
The timer popover gives the facilitator full control:
- Adjust minutes before or during a run
- Pause / resume at any point
- Reset to the configured default
Participants see the same timer state, so when the facilitator pauses for a tangent, everyone sees the pause.
When the Timer Ends
When the countdown reaches zero, the timer chip plays a short shake animation so everyone notices. The retro does not automatically advance to the next sub-status; the facilitator stays in control and decides whether to extend or move on.
Auto-Timer in Discuss
When the Auto-timer on each discuss note option is on, the timer restarts every time the facilitator picks a new note to discuss. This keeps each discussion box-ticked without the facilitator having to reset the timer manually for every note. You can turn the option on or off from the retro options on the Build tab.
Tips for Time-Boxing
- Draft (note-adding): 5 to 10 minutes is usually enough for people to add their thoughts
- Vote: 2 to 3 minutes works well since voting is quick
- Discuss: 5 to 10 minutes per high-voted note
Shorter time limits tend to produce more focused contributions. If the team consistently runs over, it may be a sign that the retro scope is too broad rather than that the timer is too short.
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