diff --git a/src/bmm/workflows/4-implementation/retrospective/instructions.md b/src/bmm/workflows/4-implementation/retrospective/workflow.md
similarity index 94%
rename from src/bmm/workflows/4-implementation/retrospective/instructions.md
rename to src/bmm/workflows/4-implementation/retrospective/workflow.md
index d2bf7e390..cbc502d8b 100644
--- a/src/bmm/workflows/4-implementation/retrospective/instructions.md
+++ b/src/bmm/workflows/4-implementation/retrospective/workflow.md
@@ -1,31 +1,71 @@
-# Retrospective - Epic Completion Review Instructions
+---
+name: retrospective
+description: 'Post-epic review to extract lessons and assess success. Use when the user says "run a retrospective" or "lets retro the epic [epic]"'
+---
 
-<critical>The workflow execution engine is governed by: {project-root}/_bmad/core/tasks/workflow.xml</critical>
-<critical>You MUST have already loaded and processed: {project-root}/_bmad/bmm/workflows/4-implementation/retrospective/workflow.yaml</critical>
-<critical>Communicate all responses in {communication_language} and language MUST be tailored to {user_skill_level}</critical>
-<critical>Generate all documents in {document_output_language}</critical>
-<critical>⚠️ ABSOLUTELY NO TIME ESTIMATES - NEVER mention hours, days, weeks, months, or ANY time-based predictions. AI has fundamentally changed development speed - what once took teams weeks/months can now be done by one person in hours. DO NOT give ANY time estimates whatsoever.</critical>
+# Retrospective Workflow
 
-<critical>
-  DOCUMENT OUTPUT: Retrospective analysis. Concise insights, lessons learned, action items. User skill level ({user_skill_level}) affects conversation style ONLY, not retrospective content.
+**Goal:** Post-epic review to extract lessons and assess success.
 
-FACILITATION NOTES:
+**Your Role:** Scrum Master facilitating retrospective.
+- No time estimates — NEVER mention hours, days, weeks, months, or ANY time-based predictions. AI has fundamentally changed development speed.
+- Communicate all responses in {communication_language} and language MUST be tailored to {user_skill_level}
+- Generate all documents in {document_output_language}
+- Document output: Retrospective analysis. Concise insights, lessons learned, action items. User skill level ({user_skill_level}) affects conversation style ONLY, not retrospective content.
+- Facilitation notes:
+  - Psychological safety is paramount - NO BLAME
+  - Focus on systems, processes, and learning
+  - Everyone contributes with specific examples preferred
+  - Action items must be achievable with clear ownership
+  - Two-part format: (1) Epic Review + (2) Next Epic Preparation
+- Party mode protocol:
+  - ALL agent dialogue MUST use format: "Name (Role): dialogue"
+  - Example: Bob (Scrum Master): "Let's begin..."
+  - Example: {user_name} (Project Lead): [User responds]
+  - Create natural back-and-forth with user actively participating
+  - Show disagreements, diverse perspectives, authentic team dynamics
 
-- Scrum Master facilitates this retrospective
-- Psychological safety is paramount - NO BLAME
-- Focus on systems, processes, and learning
-- Everyone contributes with specific examples preferred
-- Action items must be achievable with clear ownership
-- Two-part format: (1) Epic Review + (2) Next Epic Preparation
+---
 
-PARTY MODE PROTOCOL:
+## INITIALIZATION
 
-- ALL agent dialogue MUST use format: "Name (Role): dialogue"
-- Example: Bob (Scrum Master): "Let's begin..."
-- Example: {user_name} (Project Lead): [User responds]
-- Create natural back-and-forth with user actively participating
-- Show disagreements, diverse perspectives, authentic team dynamics
-  </critical>
+### Configuration Loading
+
+Load config from `{project-root}/_bmad/bmm/config.yaml` and resolve:
+
+- `project_name`, `user_name`
+- `communication_language`, `document_output_language`
+- `user_skill_level`
+- `planning_artifacts`, `implementation_artifacts`
+- `date` as system-generated current datetime
+- YOU MUST ALWAYS SPEAK OUTPUT in your Agent communication style with the config `{communication_language}`
+
+### Paths
+
+- `installed_path` = `{project-root}/_bmad/bmm/workflows/4-implementation/retrospective`
+- `sprint_status_file` = `{implementation_artifacts}/sprint-status.yaml`
+
+### Input Files
+
+| Input | Description | Path Pattern(s) | Load Strategy |
+|-------|-------------|------------------|---------------|
+| epics | The completed epic for retrospective | whole: `{planning_artifacts}/*epic*.md`, sharded_index: `{planning_artifacts}/*epic*/index.md`, sharded_single: `{planning_artifacts}/*epic*/epic-{{epic_num}}.md` | SELECTIVE_LOAD |
+| previous_retrospective | Previous epic's retrospective (optional) | `{implementation_artifacts}/**/epic-{{prev_epic_num}}-retro-*.md` | SELECTIVE_LOAD |
+| architecture | System architecture for context | whole: `{planning_artifacts}/*architecture*.md`, sharded: `{planning_artifacts}/*architecture*/*.md` | FULL_LOAD |
+| prd | Product requirements for context | whole: `{planning_artifacts}/*prd*.md`, sharded: `{planning_artifacts}/*prd*/*.md` | FULL_LOAD |
+| document_project | Brownfield project documentation (optional) | sharded: `{planning_artifacts}/*.md` | INDEX_GUIDED |
+
+### Required Inputs
+
+- `agent_manifest` = `{project-root}/_bmad/_config/agent-manifest.csv`
+
+### Context
+
+- `project_context` = `**/project-context.md` (load if exists)
+
+---
+
+## EXECUTION
 
 <workflow>
 
@@ -159,7 +199,7 @@ Bob (Scrum Master): "Perfect. Epic {{epic_number}} is complete and ready for ret
 </step>
 
 <step n="0.5" goal="Discover and load project documents">
-  <invoke-protocol name="discover_inputs" />
+  <action>Load input files according to the Input Files table in INITIALIZATION. For SELECTIVE_LOAD inputs, load only the epic matching {{epic_number}}. For FULL_LOAD inputs, load the complete document. For INDEX_GUIDED inputs, check the index first and load relevant sections. After discovery, these content variables are available: {epics_content} (selective load for this epic), {architecture_content}, {prd_content}, {document_project_content}</action>
   <note>After discovery, these content variables are available: {epics_content} (selective load for this epic), {architecture_content}, {prd_content}, {document_project_content}</note>
 </step>
 
diff --git a/src/bmm/workflows/4-implementation/retrospective/workflow.yaml b/src/bmm/workflows/4-implementation/retrospective/workflow.yaml
deleted file mode 100644
index 49ac2cc35..000000000
--- a/src/bmm/workflows/4-implementation/retrospective/workflow.yaml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,52 +0,0 @@
-# Retrospective - Epic Completion Review Workflow
-name: "retrospective"
-description: 'Post-epic review to extract lessons and assess success. Use when the user says "run a retrospective" or "lets retro the epic [epic]"'
-
-config_source: "{project-root}/_bmad/bmm/config.yaml"
-user_name: "{config_source}:user_name"
-communication_language: "{config_source}:communication_language"
-user_skill_level: "{config_source}:user_skill_level"
-document_output_language: "{config_source}:document_output_language"
-date: system-generated
-planning_artifacts: "{config_source}:planning_artifacts"
-implementation_artifacts: "{config_source}:implementation_artifacts"
-project_context: "**/project-context.md"
-
-installed_path: "{project-root}/_bmad/bmm/workflows/4-implementation/retrospective"
-template: false
-instructions: "{installed_path}/instructions.md"
-
-required_inputs:
-  - agent_manifest: "{project-root}/_bmad/_config/agent-manifest.csv"
-
-# Smart input file references - handles both whole docs and sharded docs
-# Priority: Whole document first, then sharded version
-# Strategy: SELECTIVE LOAD - only load the completed epic and relevant retrospectives
-input_file_patterns:
-  epics:
-    description: "The completed epic for retrospective"
-    whole: "{planning_artifacts}/*epic*.md"
-    sharded_index: "{planning_artifacts}/*epic*/index.md"
-    sharded_single: "{planning_artifacts}/*epic*/epic-{{epic_num}}.md"
-    load_strategy: "SELECTIVE_LOAD"
-  previous_retrospective:
-    description: "Previous epic's retrospective (optional)"
-    pattern: "{implementation_artifacts}/**/epic-{{prev_epic_num}}-retro-*.md"
-    load_strategy: "SELECTIVE_LOAD"
-  architecture:
-    description: "System architecture for context"
-    whole: "{planning_artifacts}/*architecture*.md"
-    sharded: "{planning_artifacts}/*architecture*/*.md"
-    load_strategy: "FULL_LOAD"
-  prd:
-    description: "Product requirements for context"
-    whole: "{planning_artifacts}/*prd*.md"
-    sharded: "{planning_artifacts}/*prd*/*.md"
-    load_strategy: "FULL_LOAD"
-  document_project:
-    description: "Brownfield project documentation (optional)"
-    sharded: "{planning_artifacts}/*.md"
-    load_strategy: "INDEX_GUIDED"
-
-# Required files
-sprint_status_file: "{implementation_artifacts}/sprint-status.yaml"