The Farmyard Reflection retrospective uses a playful farming metaphor to help teams identify new ideas, remove blockers, and reinforce positive practices.

When to use this template

Use this retrospective after a sprint, large project, or when your team could benefit from fun, creative reflection on processes and teamwork.

How to facilitate

Welcome the team and introduce the farmyard metaphor, encouraging a playful mindset for open discussion.

Review each column and explain their meaning, relating them to recent team experiences.

Ask team members to add their thoughts to each column: what new habits to plant, blockers to weed out, and valued practices to water.

Read through the input together, grouping similar items and clarifying meanings as needed.

Facilitate a discussion around each group—prioritize which seeds to plant, weeds to remove, and crops to water consistently.

Identify concrete actions for new experiments, changes, or commitments for the upcoming period.

Close by summarizing next steps and expressing gratitude for everyone’s contributions.

Pro Tips

Encourage drawing or using creative analogies in comments to increase engagement with the farm theme.

When discussing blockers, gently challenge the team to get to the root cause—not just the symptoms.

Rotate column order occasionally to keep the format fresh and spark new insights.

Assign follow-ups for 'planted seeds' to maintain accountability and track growth over time.

FAQ

What if team members struggle to relate to the farmyard theme?

You can quickly explain the metaphor, then focus on the core idea: introducing new ideas, identifying blockers, and maintaining good practices. The playful theme is just to help the conversation flow.

How do I ensure action items are followed through after the retrospective?

Assign owners to each action and add them to your regular workflow or planning meetings. Follow up on progress at your next retro to celebrate success or adjust as needed.

Our retros often focus only on problems—how can I encourage balanced input in all columns?

Prompt the team with specific questions for each column, and consider starting with 'water the crops' to build positivity before tackling blockers.

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At a glance

Duration
40–55 min
Team Size
4-10 people
Columns
3 columns
Base Format
Start, Stop, Continue

Ready to get started?

Use this template to run your next retrospective

🌾🐄 Farmyard Reflection

Welcome to the farm! Let’s harvest insights from our project fields, weed out blockers, and nurture processes that help our team grow strong and fruitful. Roll up your sleeves for some agile farming!

Template Columns

🌱 Plant New Seeds

🌪️ Pull Out the Weeds

🐓 Water the Crops

About this template