🎬🧟♂️ Horror Movie Night
Dare to revisit the uncanny twists of our last sprint! Let’s explore what was spine-chillingly successful, scream-worthy mistakes, and how to escape our agile nightmares. Face your fears for a suspenseful sprint sequel!
Template Columns
🔦 Final Girl’s Triumphs
Highlight the victories and positive moments that survived the horrors of this sprint.
Base column: What Went Well👻 Jump Scare Surprises
Share the unexpected issues, chilling mistakes, or haunting problems that startled us.
Base column: What Went Wrong🧙♂️ Defeating the Sequel Villain
Suggest improvements or new tools to avoid being caught in repeat scares next time.
Base column: What We Want to ImproveAbout this template
Horror Movie Night is a playful retrospective that uses horror movie themes to help teams explore wins, surprises, and areas for improvement from their last sprint.
When to use this template
Best used when your team needs a fresh, engaging format to candidly discuss successes, challenges, and improvements—especially after a tricky or dramatic sprint.
How to facilitate
Introduce the Horror Movie Night theme and briefly explain each column to set a fun, welcoming atmosphere.
Invite everyone to add notes to Final Girl’s Triumphs, celebrating what worked well, big or small.
Move on to Jump Scare Surprises, encouraging the team to surface unexpected setbacks, mistakes, or painful blockers.
Shift focus to Defeating the Sequel Villain, prompting creative ideas for preventing recurring problems and overcoming team 'villains.'
Cluster similar notes together, and ask the team to clarify or expand on any ambiguous items.
Facilitate an open discussion, allowing each participant to share insights, feelings, or suggestions—keep the tone light to match the theme.
Guide the group to identify 1-2 concrete action items that will help escape future “agile nightmares.”
Wrap up by acknowledging team bravery and inviting light-hearted reflections on the horror theme.
Pro Tips
Lean into the theme with background music, images, or playful language to encourage participation.
Prompt quieter team members with specific questions or ask for their 'horror highlights.'
Encourage humor but ensure sensitive topics are discussed respectfully and constructively.
Remind everyone that even the scariest sprints have survivors and lessons learned.
FAQ
What if team members find the theme too playful for serious topics?
Balance fun with focus by setting expectations up front and ensuring all important topics are addressed, regardless of theme.
How can we make sure action items are truly actionable?
Facilitate clear discussion about next steps, assign responsible owners, and set deadlines to ensure follow-through.
What if someone is hesitant to share negatives in the Jump Scare column?
Encourage sharing by modeling vulnerability yourself, and remind the team that learning from scares makes the whole team stronger.
Want a custom template?
Create a retrospective template tailored to your team's needs with our AI-powered generator
At a glance
- Duration
40–55 min
- Team Size
4-10 people
- Columns
3 columns
- Base Format
What Went Well, What Went Wrong, What We Want to Improve
Tags
Ready to get started?
Use this template to run your next retrospective