๐ŸŽƒ๐Ÿ‘ป Halloween Retrospective: Haunted Sprint Review

Gather your pumpkins and potions! In this Halloween retrospective, weโ€™ll uncover the treats and tricks of our sprint, conjure insights, and brew a plan for a spooktacular next iteration.
45โ€“60 min
4-12 people
Based on: Start, Stop, Continue, Change
๐ŸŽƒ๐Ÿ‘ป Halloween Retrospective: Haunted Sprint Review

Template Columns

๐Ÿ•ธ๏ธ Start the Haunt

Identify new spooky initiatives to begin this sprint.

Base column: Start
๐ŸงŸโ€โ™‚๏ธ Stop the Ghouls

Highlight practices that are haunting our progress and should be halted.

Base column: Stop
๐Ÿ•ฏ๏ธ Continue the Spell

Keep the magical practices that are working well.

Base column: Continue
๐Ÿ”ฎ Change the Curse

Suggest enchantments to transform our workflow.

Base column: Change

About this template

A themed sprint review that lets teams identify new initiatives, stop harmful practices, keep successes, and suggest changes using fun Halloween imagery.

When to use this template

Best for teams wanting a lightโ€‘hearted, engaging review after a sprint, especially when morale needs a boost or during quarterly retrospectives.

How to facilitate

1

Gather the team in a virtual meeting with a Halloween background and share the board with four columns

2

Ask participants to silently write their observations for each column on sticky notes

3

Collect the notes, group similar items, and discuss each column, focusing on actionable items

4

Vote on the top three items in each column to prioritize

5

Create concrete action items for the highestโ€‘voted points and assign owners

6

Close the session by summarizing decisions and sharing a fun Halloween GIF

Pro Tips

Use themed emojis on sticky notes to keep energy high

Limit discussion time per column to avoid overโ€‘analysis

Encourage everyone to contribute at least one item per column

Turn the top voted items into a shared Kanban for the next sprint

FAQ

What if the team runs out of ideas for a column?

Prompt with examples or ask each person to recall a specific sprint experience that fits the column, ensuring everyone contributes at least one item.

How do we keep the fun theme from distracting the focus?

Set a clear timebox for each column and remind participants that the theme is a framing device, not the goal, to keep discussions purposeful.

Can this be used for a nonโ€‘sprint review?

Yes, the format works for any periodic reflection; simply adjust the language to match the cadence and context of the review.

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At a glance

  • Duration

    45โ€“60 min

  • Team Size

    4-12 people

  • Columns

    4 columns

  • Base Format

    Start, Stop, Continue, Change

Tags

team health
themed retrospective
action-oriented
engagement
remote-friendly

Ready to get started?

Use this template to run your next retrospective