🍂🍁 Autumn Harvest
Gather around the crisp autumn air to reflect on our sprint, harvesting successes, shedding what’s withered, and sowing fresh ideas for the next season.
Template Columns
🌱 New Seeds to Sow
Identify fresh initiatives to plant for the upcoming sprint.
Base column: Start🛑 Falling Leaves to Drop
Highlight practices that are no longer fruitful and should be let go.
Base column: Stop🍁 Golden Gains to Keep
Celebrate ongoing strengths that keep our momentum thriving.
Base column: ContinueAbout this template
A seasonal sprint review that harvests wins, drops dead weight, and plants new ideas for the next sprint.
When to use this template
Use when the team wants a fresh, thematic way to celebrate successes, prune ineffective practices, and generate actionable ideas for the upcoming sprint.
How to facilitate
Set the stage by reminding the team of the autumn theme and the purpose of the three columns
Ask each participant to write individual notes for New Seeds, Falling Leaves, and Golden Gains on virtual sticky notes
Group similar notes together in each column and discuss briefly to ensure shared understanding
Vote for the top three New Seeds to carry into the next sprint and agree on owners
Create concrete action items for the selected seeds, then close with a quick appreciation round
Pro Tips
Use a timer for each column discussion to keep energy high and prevent over‑analysis
Encourage emojis or icons on sticky notes to visually reinforce the seasonal theme
Limit each person to three votes during prioritization to surface the most impactful ideas
FAQ
What if the team runs out of ideas for New Seeds?
Prompt with open‑ended questions like “What experiment did we want to try but didn’t?” or use the “What if…” technique to spark imagination.
How do we handle disagreements on what should be a Falling Leaf?
Facilitate a quick impact‑effort discussion, focusing on data or observed outcomes, and aim for consensus or a simple majority vote.
Can we reuse this format for longer retrospectives?
Yes, you can extend the time for each column or add a separate “Lessons Learned” column, but keep the core harvest metaphor to retain focus.
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At a glance
- Duration
45–60 min
- Team Size
4-12 people
- Columns
3 columns
- Base Format
Start, Stop, Continue
Tags
Ready to get started?
Use this template to run your next retrospective