🗝️🐉 Dungeon Adventure
Gather your party! Embark on a retrospective quest through the depths of our project dungeon—highlight loot (wins), dodge traps (pitfalls), and discover new magic (improvements) as we brave the path to agile mastery.
Template Columns
🪄 Unlock New Abilities (Start)
Reveal fresh strategies or practices we should start using on our adventure.
Base column: Start🛑 Disarm the Traps (Stop)
Identify habits or obstacles to leave behind so our quest goes smoother.
Base column: Stop🗡️ Wield Trusted Weapons (Continue)
Share which reliable tactics and processes we should keep bringing on our dungeon runs.
Base column: ContinueAbout this template
The Dungeon Adventure retrospective guides your team on a quest to uncover wins, avoid pitfalls, and find new paths to improvement as you level up your agile journey together.
When to use this template
Use this retrospective at the end of a sprint or milestone when your team needs to refresh their process, energize engagement, or creatively address recurring challenges.
How to facilitate
Set the scene by inviting everyone to imagine your project as a dungeon crawl, emphasizing teamwork and collective discovery
Explain each column using the themed language, clarifying what types of input belong in Unlock New Abilities, Disarm the Traps, and Wield Trusted Weapons
Allow team members to quietly add insights to the board, using the adventure metaphor to spark creative thinking
Invite participants to group similar ideas and spark discussion around key themes, focusing on both obstacles and successes
Facilitate a round of sharing, encouraging everyone to elaborate or suggest actionable next steps for each category
Guide the team to prioritize actions or experiments that will add the most value on your next 'dungeon run'
Close the retrospective by acknowledging teamwork and updating action items or responsibilities
Pro Tips
Lean into the adventure metaphor to foster creative ideas and reduce retrospective fatigue
Encourage quieter participants to add their thoughts asynchronously before the meeting to maximize involvement
After prioritizing actions, add a 'quest log' where progress on changes is tracked across sprints
Break up long discussions with quick 'loot breaks' to keep energy high and engagement steady
FAQ
How do I keep the adventure theme from becoming distracting?
Set clear expectations up front—use the theme to spark creativity, but always tie discussions back to concrete actions and improvements.
What if some team members don’t buy into the dungeon metaphor?
Invite everyone to participate at their comfort level. The core columns (start, stop, continue) are familiar, so encourage sharing regardless of style.
How can we ensure action items get followed up after the retro?
Assign clear owners for each action and establish a 'quest log' that is reviewed at the start of your next retrospective.
What if our discussions get off-topic?
Gently steer conversations back to the columns and remind the team of your shared goals for improvement and enjoyment.
At a glance
- Duration
45–60 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