Retrospective templates

Speed Boat

One of the most popular retrospective formats. First published by Luke Hofmann in 2006 with the book Innovation Games: Creating Breakthrough Products Through Collaborative Play.

**Speed Boat** is one of the most popular and widely used retrospective formats in the agile world. First published by Luke Hohmann in 2006 in his book *Innovation Games: Creating Breakthrough Products Through Collaborative Play*, it uses a powerful nautical metaphor to guide team reflection. Imagine your team as a speed boat sailing toward an island destination. Various forces help or hinder your journey: - **The Island** 🏝️: Your goals and objectives. What did the team achieve? What destination milestones were reached? - **The Wind** 💨: Your strengths and tailwinds. What propelled the team forward? Practices, tools, or factors that accelerated progress. - **The Anchor** ⚓: Your blockers and drag. What slowed the team down? Obstacles, technical debt, or processes that acted as dead weight. - **The Reef** 🪸: Upcoming risks and dangers. What hazards lie ahead? Potential problems that could damage the team's progress if not addressed. The visual metaphor of Speed Boat makes it immediately intuitive: everyone understands the concepts of wind (helping forces), anchors (hindering forces), and reefs (risks). This accessibility makes it an excellent choice for teams new to retrospectives. The format is also highly versatile - it works equally well for sprint retrospectives, project retrospectives, or even product strategy sessions. The session ends with concrete actions to cut the anchors, navigate around the reefs, and harness the wind.

The Olympics

An ideal retrospective during the Summer or Winter Olympics. In this format, participants will use Olympic symbols to identify new improvement areas.

**The Olympics** is an immersive retrospective format that uses the symbols of the Olympic Games to help teams identify improvement areas in an engaging way. Whether it's the Summer or Winter Games, this format brings the Olympic spirit to your retrospective: - **The Olympic Torch** 🔥: Who carried the torch during the sprint? Recognize team members or practices that lit the way, inspired others, and kept the team's momentum going. - **The Medals** 🥇: What goals did we achieve? Celebrate the sprint's victories - completed features, resolved bugs, or milestones reached. - **The Events** 🏋️: What were the sprint difficulties? Like challenging athletic events, what tested the team's limits and required extra effort? Finally, **The Olympic Village** 🏘️ is where the team comes together to define actions to implement - the training plan for the next competition. This format excels at creating a positive and celebratory atmosphere while still addressing challenges. The Olympic metaphor naturally encourages recognition of individual and team achievements, making it ideal for teams that need a morale boost. Perfect for use during the actual Olympic Games or whenever the team wants a format that celebrates excellence while planning for continuous improvement.

The 3 Little Pigs

Through the story of the 3 little pigs, participants will analyze the team's fundamentals to make them more solid.

**The 3 Little Pigs** retrospective uses the well-known fairy tale to help teams analyze and strengthen their fundamentals. Just like in the story, the team examines the solidity of their practices through three types of houses: - **Straw House** 🏚️: What seems unstable? The fragile elements - processes, tools, or practices that could collapse at the first sign of trouble. - **Wood House** 🏠: What lacks solidity? Things that work but aren't robust enough. They hold up under normal conditions but may not withstand pressure. - **Brick House** 🏰: What is solid? The team's strong foundations - practices, processes, and habits that are reliable and proven. Finally, **The Cauldron** 🍲 represents the actions the team will take to transform straw and wood elements into bricks. This storytelling approach makes the retrospective more engaging and helps team members think about the durability and reliability of their practices rather than just whether they "work" in the moment. The metaphor naturally encourages thinking about long-term resilience. The format is particularly effective for teams that want to assess the maturity of their processes or prepare for periods of increased workload where only the strongest practices will survive.

Let's Review the Stage

Cycling-themed retrospective. The team just crossed the finish line of today's stage (their sprint). It's time to take stock and prepare for the next stage.

**Let's Review the Stage** is a cycling-themed retrospective that draws on the excitement and strategy of the Tour de France. The team has just crossed the finish line of today's stage - their sprint - and it's time to analyze the race. Like a cycling team reviewing their performance after a grueling stage: - **The Team** 🚴: Our strengths. What did we do well as a team? What individual or collective performances stood out? - **The Passes** ⛰️: The difficulties encountered. Like climbing mountain passes, what challenges tested the team's endurance and determination? - **The Jerseys** 🏅: The goals achieved. Like earning a yellow, green, or polka-dot jersey, what objectives and milestones did the team accomplish? Finally, **After the Tour** 🎯 is where the team plans for the next stage - defining concrete actions and tactical adjustments for the upcoming sprint. This format works particularly well during the actual Tour de France or other cycling events, but its metaphor is accessible year-round. The concept of stages (sprints), mountain passes (challenges), and jerseys (achievements) maps naturally to agile development. The format encourages team solidarity - just like in cycling where the team works together to support their leader, this retrospective emphasizes collective performance and mutual support as keys to success.

The Starfish

The starfish retrospective is based on the image of this marine animal with 5 arms, representing the 5 themes analyzed by participants during the workshop.

**The Starfish** retrospective is based on the image of a starfish with 5 arms, each representing one of the five themes explored during the workshop. Created by Patrick Kua, this format provides a nuanced and comprehensive framework for team reflection. The five dimensions are: - **Continue to** ➡️: What's working well and should be preserved as-is? Practices that the team is satisfied with. - **More of** ⬆️: What's good but should be intensified? Things that work but could have an even greater impact if done more frequently or more thoroughly. - **Less of** ⬇️: What should be reduced? Practices that aren't necessarily bad but are happening too much or consuming too many resources. - **Start to** 🆕: What should the team begin doing? New ideas, practices, or experiments to try. - **Stop doing** 🛑: What should be completely eliminated? Things that clearly don't work and waste time or energy. The key advantage of the Starfish format over simpler formats (like Start/Stop/Continue) is the addition of "More of" and "Less of." These nuanced categories acknowledge that not everything is black and white - some practices just need adjustment in intensity rather than being started or stopped entirely. This makes the Starfish particularly effective for mature teams that have been through several retrospectives and are ready for more subtle and refined analysis of their practices. The session concludes with voting and the definition of concrete actions across all five dimensions.

Back to School!

Back to school soon? This activity will help you clean up your business. Every student had a problem with back to school: we have to take inventory of our school affairs to check for those that are no longer working and that will be thrown away, those that work and that we want to keep and finally those that would be needed. buy.

**Back to School!** is an original retrospective format that uses the metaphor of preparing for a new school year to help teams take stock of their practices. Every student knows the ritual: before the new year begins, you need to sort through your school supplies. Some are worn out and need to be thrown away, others are still in good condition and can be reused, and finally, some new ones need to be purchased. This metaphor translates perfectly to a team context: - **To throw away** 🗑️: What practices, processes, or habits are no longer working and should be discarded? - **To reuse** ♻️: What's still working well and should be kept for the next sprint? - **To buy** 🛒: What new practices, tools, or approaches should we acquire and start using? The nostalgic and playful tone of this format makes it ideal for teams looking for a fresh perspective on their retrospective. It works particularly well at the start of a new project phase, after vacations, or when the team wants to do a thorough review of its working methods. The session concludes with the team defining concrete actions to implement the identified changes.

Match Replay

Football-themed retrospective. The match just ended. It's the perfect time for the team to reflect on its strengths and weaknesses to prepare for the next match.

**Match Replay** is a football-themed retrospective where the team analyzes their sprint as if they were reviewing a match that just ended. The whistle has blown, and it's time for the team to head to the analysis room and review their performance: - **The Team** ⚽: Our strengths. What did we do well? What plays worked and should be repeated? - **The Opponents** 🥅: Our weaknesses. What challenges did we face? What areas need improvement to compete better? - **The Score** 🏆: The goals achieved. What objectives did we accomplish during this sprint? - **The Cup** 🏅: Upcoming obstacles. What challenges await us in the next match (sprint)? Finally, **The Locker Room** 🚿 is where the team regroups and defines the actions to implement - the tactical adjustments for the next match. This format works particularly well for teams that enjoy sports analogies. The competitive metaphor naturally encourages team members to think about both individual and collective performance, strategy, and preparation. It's especially popular during major football events like the World Cup or European Championship. The format fosters a team spirit mindset: just like in football, success comes from collaboration, strategy, and continuous improvement.

Speed Car

Retrospective invented by Paulo Caroli in 2011, Speed Car is the automotive adaptation of the famous "Speed boat".

**Speed Car** is a retrospective format invented by Paulo Caroli in 2011 as an automotive adaptation of the famous Speed Boat. If your team prefers cars to boats, this format brings the same powerful metaphor to the road. Imagine your team as a racing car speeding along a mountain road: - **The Engine** 🏎️: Your team's strengths and driving forces. What powered the team forward? The practices, skills, and factors that provided momentum. - **The Parachute** 🪂: Your blockers and braking forces. What slowed the team down? Like a drag parachute deployed at the wrong time, what held the team back from reaching full speed? - **The Ravine** ⛰️: Upcoming obstacles and risks. What dangers lie ahead on the road? Potential pitfalls that could derail the team if not anticipated. Finally, **The Bridge** 🌉 represents the actions to implement - the way to cross over the ravines and keep moving forward safely. This format is particularly effective because the automotive metaphor resonates with many teams. The concept of an engine (strengths), parachute (drag), and ravine (risks) creates vivid mental images that help participants articulate their thoughts more easily. Like its nautical counterpart, Speed Car works well for teams at any level and provides a balanced view of positive forces, current obstacles, and future risks.

Let's go skiing!

Take the team on a trip to the slopes for a retrospective. In this original format created especially for Umbreon, we start with an ice breaker and then invite participants to reflect on what went well, less well, and upcoming obstacles. Finally, participants will work on actions to implement for improvement.

**Let's Go Skiing!** is an original retrospective format created especially for Umbreon, taking the team on a trip to the slopes for a fun and immersive experience. The session begins with an ice breaker to warm up the atmosphere, then invites participants to reflect on the sprint through ski resort-themed columns: - **The Bronze Cocktail** 🍹: What went well? The positive moments and successes of the sprint, like enjoying a warm drink after a great run. - **The Piou-Piou Club** ⛷️: What needs improvement? Like beginners on the bunny slopes, what areas need more practice and support? - **The Black Slope** 🏔️: What went poorly? The difficult moments and steep challenges that tested the team. - **The Storm** 🌨️: What obstacles are ahead? Upcoming risks, uncertainties, or challenges on the horizon. Finally, the team earns their **Gold Star** ⭐ by defining concrete actions to implement for the next sprint. This format is perfect for teams looking for a seasonal or themed retrospective, particularly during winter. The skiing metaphor makes it easy to discuss difficulties (black slopes) and upcoming risks (storms) in a lighthearted way, while also celebrating what went well (bronze cocktails). The ice breaker at the beginning helps set a relaxed and open atmosphere for honest discussion.

Dragon Ball retrospective

Dive back into the world of Dragon Ball for a retrospective. First, each participant is invited to select the character they were during the sprint, then must reflect on what went well and less well...

The **Dragon Ball Retrospective** takes your team on a journey into the iconic universe of Dragon Ball for an engaging and fun retrospective experience. The session begins with a unique ice breaker: each participant selects the Dragon Ball character that best represents how they felt during the sprint. This playful exercise sets the tone and helps team members open up about their experience. Then, the retrospective continues through thematic columns inspired by the Dragon Ball universe: - **Master Roshi's Training** 🥋: What made us stronger? The practices, skills, or experiences that helped the team grow. - **Dragon Balls** 🟠: What goals did we achieve? The sprint's successes and completed objectives. - **Saiyans** 👊: What enemies did we face? The obstacles, challenges, and difficulties encountered during the sprint. Finally, the team works together to define concrete actions to implement, like a battle plan for the next sprint. This format is perfect for teams that enjoy gamification and pop culture references. The Dragon Ball theme makes the retrospective more accessible and fun, especially for teams that might find traditional formats repetitive. It encourages participation through the character identification exercise and keeps energy high throughout the session.

Start/Stop/Continue

This activity offers a very classic retrospective format which remains effective. Based on facts, this retrospective attempts to answer 3 questions: What should we start doing? What should we stop doing? What should we continue to do?

**Start/Stop/Continue** is one of the most classic and enduring retrospective formats in agile methodology. Its strength lies in its simplicity: three straightforward questions that any team can immediately understand and engage with. The format is based on facts and focuses on answering three essential questions: - **Start** 🟢: What should we start doing? New practices, processes, or behaviors that the team believes would be beneficial. - **Stop** 🔴: What should we stop doing? Activities, habits, or processes that aren't working, waste time, or create friction. - **Continue** 🔵: What should we continue doing? Practices that are working well and should be maintained. The beauty of Start/Stop/Continue is that it forces a balanced conversation: the team must identify both things to change and things to preserve. The "Continue" column is often underappreciated but is crucial - it ensures the team doesn't lose sight of what's already working while pursuing improvements. This format is particularly well-suited for: - Teams new to retrospectives, as it's immediately intuitive - Time-constrained sessions, as the structure keeps discussion focused - Regular sprint retrospectives where consistency and simplicity are valued Despite its simplicity, this format remains remarkably effective. The constraint of categorizing every insight into one of three actionable buckets naturally drives the conversation toward concrete outcomes rather than abstract discussion.

Scrooge's Retrospective

A special Christmas retrospective, adapted from Charles Dickens' novel "A Christmas Carol" featuring the unforgettable Mr. Scrooge. This retrospective allows you to take stock of the year by remembering what went well and less well in order to draw improvement areas.

**Scrooge's Retrospective** is a special Christmas-themed retrospective, adapted from Charles Dickens' timeless novel *A Christmas Carol*. In this format, the unforgettable Ebenezer Scrooge guides your team through a journey across time. Just as Scrooge is visited by three ghosts on Christmas Eve, your team will reflect on their journey through three temporal perspectives: - **Ghost of Christmas Past** 👻: What went well this year? Looking back at past successes, positive moments, and achievements that the team should remember and cherish. - **Ghost of Christmas Present** 🎄: What didn't go well this year? Examining current challenges, ongoing issues, and areas where the team struggled. - **Ghost of Christmas Future** 🔮: What do we want to improve next year? Looking ahead with hope and determination - what changes and improvements does the team envision? Like Scrooge's transformation, the goal is to learn from the past, acknowledge the present, and commit to a better future through concrete actions. This format is ideal for end-of-year retrospectives, providing a broader perspective than sprint-level reflection. The literary theme adds depth and makes the session feel special, perfect for the last retrospective before the holiday break. The session concludes with the team defining their "New Year's resolutions" - actionable improvements to start the new year on the right foot.

The restaurant

Take your team to the restaurant for a retrospective! In this original format, each participant starts by choosing the dish that represents their mood. Then, the team reflects on what whetted their appetite (positives), what nourishes them daily (good practices), and what costs too much (frustrations). Finally, before leaving the restaurant, everyone defines the next steps together.

**The Restaurant** is an original retrospective format that invites the team to dine together to reflect on their sprint. The session kicks off with an icebreaker called **The Mood Menu**, where each participant picks a dish that best represents their current state of mind - from the calm glass of wine to the fiery chili pepper. Then, the team explores the menu through themed columns: - **Starters** 🥗: What whetted our appetite recently? The positive moments and wins that energized the team. - **Main courses** 🍲: What nourishes us daily? The good practices, structuring elements, and routines that keep the team running smoothly. - **The bill** 💸: What costs us too much in energy or frustration? The pain points, inefficiencies, and recurring issues that drain the team. Finally, before leaving the restaurant, the team defines the **next steps** 🍰 - concrete actions to implement for the next sprint. This format is perfect for teams looking for a fun, relatable metaphor. Everyone has been to a restaurant, making it easy to engage with the themes. The icebreaker helps set a relaxed tone, and the food metaphor makes it natural to discuss both what nourishes the team and what leaves a bitter taste.