Elephant Expedition is a start‑stop‑continue retrospective that uses playful elephant imagery to surface new habits, eliminate obstacles, and reinforce strengths.

When to use this template

Use when the team needs a balanced view of what to begin, cease, and keep, especially after a sprint with mixed outcomes.

How to facilitate

Introduce the Elephant Expedition theme and explain the three columns: Sprouting Habits, Avoid the Mud Pits, and Steady Steps

Ask each participant to silently add their observations to virtual sticky notes under the appropriate column

Group similar notes together within each column and allow brief clarifications

Vote on the most impactful items in each column using dot voting or emoji reactions

Discuss the top‑voted items, focusing on concrete actions for new habits, removal of mud pits, and continuation of steady steps

Record agreed actions on a shared action board, assign owners, set due dates, and close the session

Pro Tips

Use an elephant image or emoji as a visual anchor to keep the mood light and inclusive

Limit each participant to three items per column to keep the board manageable and encourage prioritization

Turn the “Avoid the Mud Pits” column into a problem‑solving moment by asking “What’s the first step to get out of this mud?”

FAQ

What if a few people dominate the discussion?

Set a clear rule that each person speaks for a maximum of one minute per item and use a round‑robin or timed facilitation tool to give everyone equal airtime.

We have many items and limited time—how do we stay on track?

Apply a strict voting limit (e.g., three votes per column) to surface the highest‑priority items, and defer lower‑priority ideas to a follow‑up backlog.

Can this format work for non‑technical or cross‑functional teams?

Absolutely; the start‑stop‑continue structure is universal and the elephant theme adds a fun, neutral context that any team can relate to.

Want a custom template?

Create a retrospective template tailored to your team's needs with our AI-powered generator

Try AI Template Generator

At a glance

Duration
45–60 min
Team Size
4-12 people
Columns
3 columns
Base Format
Start, Stop, Continue

Ready to get started?

Use this template to run your next retrospective

🐘 Elephant Expedition

Welcome to the Elephant Expedition! Let’s stomp through our project’s grasslands, recall mighty achievements, and clear any obstacles. Grab your trunks—let’s use our elephant-sized memories to strengthen our agile herd!

Template Columns

🌱 Sprouting Habits

🚫 Avoid the Mud Pits

🐾 Steady Steps

About this template