🎃👻 Haunted Sprint Retro
Gather around the cauldron to summon successes, exorcise blockers, and brew plans for a fang-tastic next sprint.
Template Columns
🧙♀️ Cast New Spells
Identify new practices to conjure for the next sprint.
Base column: Start🧟♂️ Banish Ghosts
Highlight habits that haunt our workflow and should be eliminated.
Base column: Stop🕸️ Keep the Web Strong
Maintain the spooky strengths that keep our team thriving.
Base column: ContinueAbout this template
A Halloween‑themed sprint retrospective that helps teams identify new practices, drop harmful habits, and reinforce strengths.
When to use this template
Best for teams looking for a fun, themed way to reflect at the end of a sprint, especially when morale needs a boost.
How to facilitate
Gather the team in a virtual meeting and set the spooky atmosphere with a themed background or music
Explain the three columns: Cast New Spells (start), Banish Ghosts (stop), Keep the Web Strong (continue)
Give each participant five minutes to write their ideas on virtual sticky notes under the appropriate column
Collect the notes, group similar items, and discuss each group, focusing on why new practices are needed, which habits to eliminate, and which strengths to keep
Vote on the top items in each column using dot voting or emoji reactions
Turn the top voted items into concrete action items with owners and due dates
Close the retro by summarizing the agreed actions and thanking the team for their spooky contributions
Pro Tips
Use Halloween icons or emojis on the virtual board to keep energy high
Limit discussion time per item with a timer to avoid over‑analysis
Encourage participants to think in metaphorical terms to surface hidden issues
FAQ
What if the team is not familiar with the Halloween theme?
Explain the metaphor briefly and assure that participation is optional; the focus remains on the three core questions regardless of the theme.
How do we handle a large amount of sticky notes?
Group similar ideas together during the discussion and use dot voting to prioritize the most important items, keeping the session focused.
Can this retro be used for non‑sprint periods?
Yes, the format works for any regular reflection point, just adjust the timebox and keep the themed elements if desired.
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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