ðĶ Hippopotamus River Retreat
Dive into the riverbanks of teamwork with our hippopotamus-themed retro! Let's wade through the depths of our project, shedding what's heavy, adding new ripples, and keeping our strongest strokes for a smoother swim ahead.
Template Columns
ðŠķ Let Go of the Heavy Mud
Identify the weighty tasks or habits we should drop to stay agile like a hippo gliding through water.
Base column: Dropðą New Seeds on the Riverbank
Suggest fresh ideas or actions we can add to enrich our workflow, just like lush riverbank plants.
Base column: AddðĶ Strongest Strokes
Celebrate the practices that help us glide forward powerfully, and agree to keep them going.
Base column: Keepð Smoother Waters Ahead
Spot opportunities to improve and make our journey downstream more serene and efficient.
Base column: ImproveAbout this template
The Hippopotamus River Retreat retrospective helps teams shed unhelpful habits, introduce fresh ideas, reinforce key strengths, and find smoother paths forward by reflecting through playful river-themed prompts.
When to use this template
Use this retrospective after project milestones or sprint cycles when the team needs to refresh practices, identify blockers, and boost motivation with a creative twist.
How to facilitate
Welcome the team and introduce the Hippopotamus River Retreat theme to set a relaxed, playful tone.
Briefly explain each of the four columns and what type of feedback or reflection belongs in each.
Give team members focused time to add their thoughts in each column, using prompts to encourage honest and positive participation.
Invite everyone to review and group related notes, asking for clarification or deeper discussion where needed.
Facilitate a group conversation around each column, prioritizing items that resonate most or have the biggest impact.
Agree on clear action items, celebrating strengths, and selecting processes or tasks to drop, add, keep, or improve for the next cycle.
Close the session by reflecting on the overall experience and thanking the team for their openness.
Pro Tips
Open with a playful icebreaker or river-themed question to boost comfort and creativity.
Encourage team members to provide specific examples rather than general statements in each column.
Use visuals or river imagery to bring the theme to life and keep the mood light yet focused.
Rotate the facilitator or assign a note-taker to ensure everyone participates fully.
Review progress on previous action items at the start to reinforce accountability.
FAQ
What if the team struggles to come up with new ideas in the 'New Seeds' column?
Try prompting with open-ended 'what if' scenarios or review recent challenges for inspiration. Allow silent brainstorming to lower pressure.
How can we prevent the 'Let Go of the Heavy Mud' column from becoming negative or blaming?
Frame this column as an opportunity to lighten the load for everyone, focusing on processes and habits, not individuals.
How do we ensure real change comes from the discussion?
Conclude with specific, owned action items and trace them in future retros to show progress and build trust.
At a glance
- Duration
45â60 min
- Team Size
4-10 people
- Columns
4 columns
- Base Format
Drop, Add, Keep, Improve
Tags
Ready to get started?
Use this template to run your next retrospective