š«š Alice in Wonderland Adventure
Tumble down the rabbit hole and reflect with curiosity! Letās share the marvels, madness, and moments that helped or hindered our project, and discover how to make our Wonderland journey even more wondrous.
Template Columns
š Drink Me Discoveries
Share new ideas and practices we should try to expand our Wonderland journey.
Base column: Startš Mad Hatterās Missteps
Spot the things that caused confusion or madness, and suggest what we should leave behind.
Base column: Stopš© Cheshire Cat Charms
Celebrate the magical things that worked well and should continue delighting our path.
Base column: ContinueAbout this template
The Alice in Wonderland Adventure retrospective uses the whimsical world of Wonderland to spark team reflection, celebrating wins, surfacing challenges, and inspiring experimentation.
When to use this template
Use this format when your team needs a fresh, imaginative structure to break routine, especially after complex, unpredictable, or high-energy projects.
How to facilitate
Invite the team to imagine themselves in Wonderland and briefly explain each of the three columns: Drink Me Discoveries, Mad Hatterās Missteps, and Cheshire Cat Charms.
Set a timer and ask everyone to add reflections to each column, encouraging candid, creative, and playful input.
Once ideas are posted, review each column aloud, starting with Charms (what worked), then Missteps (what to leave behind), and finally Discoveries (new ideas to try).
Facilitate a group discussion to identify themes, clarify input, and draw connections between experiences, focusing on practical takeaways.
Guide the team to prioritize 2ā3 action items or experiments to try based on the findings, assigning clear owners or next steps where possible.
Close the retrospective by asking a playful Wonderland-themed check-out question to reinforce team spirit.
Pro Tips
Encourage use of metaphors and Wonderland references to unlock creative thinking and make insights memorable.
If discussion stalls, prompt participants with Wonderland-inspired questions like 'What would the Cheshire Cat say about our process?'
Balance whimsy with outcome-focus by summarizing main takeaways and action items at the end.
If the team is new to the theme, briefly share an image or quote from Alice in Wonderland to set the tone.
FAQ
What if team members donāt know Alice in Wonderland?
No detailed knowledge is requiredāstart with a short introduction or set the mood with a fun quote to include everyone.
How do I prevent the theme from overshadowing real issues?
Anchor each column to team goals and end with concrete action items, ensuring reflections lead to improvement and not just fun discussion.
What if the team struggles to come up with Discoveries?
Prompt with examples, such as new tools, meeting formats, or risk-taking, and remind them that even small tweaks can be worth exploring.
At a glance
- Duration
45ā60 min
- Team Size
4-10 people
- Columns
3 columns
- Base Format
Start, Stop, Continue
Tags
Ready to get started?
Use this template to run your next retrospective