🏰🐇⚰️ Gothic Castle Mystery
Step into the shadowy halls of our Gothic castle, where brave rabbits and mysterious cemeteries hold secrets to our sprint. Unveil hidden strengths, escape tricky traps, and keep the magic alive as we reflect together!
Template Columns
🌱 Rabbit Burrow Beginnings
Plant new ideas and actions we'd like to start, inspired by the curiosity of castle-dwelling rabbits.
Base column: Start🪦 Graveyard Goodbyes
Lay to rest any habits, blockers, or practices the team should stop, like haunted ghosts from past sprints.
Base column: Stop🏰 Enchanted Hallways
Celebrate and keep the magical things that help our castle thrive and our team hop ahead!
Base column: ContinueAbout this template
The Gothic Castle Mystery retrospective invites your team to creatively explore what new ideas to plant, what blockers to lay to rest, and what magical strengths to celebrate for ongoing success.
When to use this template
This format is perfect after a challenging sprint, or when your team needs a fun, imaginative approach to uncover hidden issues and spark new energy.
How to facilitate
Welcome the team with a brief story setting—imagine entering a mysterious Gothic castle for reflection.
Explain the three columns and their meanings: new ideas to plant (Rabbit Burrow Beginnings), habits to lay to rest (Graveyard Goodbyes), and strengths to keep (Enchanted Hallways).
Give participants quiet time to add thoughts to each column, either individually or in small breakout groups for brainstorming.
Invite team members to share their items aloud, focusing discussion on new beginnings, necessary endings, and continued magic.
Facilitate group discussion to identify patterns, clarify points, and prioritize actions where needed.
As a team, agree on concrete action items drawn from your new ideas or necessary endings.
Close by celebrating the team’s discoveries and the creativity brought to the session, reminding everyone of the castle’s ongoing magic.
Pro Tips
Use themed background music or visuals to enhance immersion and spark creativity.
Encourage team members to use playful language or metaphors in their notes to boost engagement.
Remind everyone that even the most magical ideas can lead to practical improvements.
Rotate column order each time you run this retro to keep discussions fresh.
For hybrid teams, distribute a themed virtual backdrop to help everyone feel included.
FAQ
How do I keep the team focused amid the playful theme?
Set clear expectations up front—a creative theme should support, not distract from, thoughtful reflection. Gently steer conversations back on-topic if they go off course.
What if team members struggle with the metaphorical column names?
Clarify by relating each column to classic retrospective categories: start (Rabbit Burrow), stop (Graveyard Goodbyes), and continue (Enchanted Hallways). Give concrete examples to help everyone quickly connect.
How do I ensure we generate actionable outcomes?
Encourage the group to translate insights—especially from the new ideas and habits to end—directly into specific action items before closing the session.
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