πŸ§­πŸš€ Intrepid Explorers Expedition

Embark on a daring expedition across uncharted project terrain, celebrating our discoveries, lessons, missing supplies, and future horizons.
45–60 min
4-12 people
Based on: Liked, Learned, Lacked, Longed For
πŸ§­πŸš€ Intrepid Explorers Expedition

Template Columns

🌟 Discovered Gems

Share the highlights and successes that felt like hidden treasures on our journey.

Base column: Liked
πŸ“š Charted Knowledge

Reflect on the insights and skills we mapped out during the sprint.

Base column: Learned
βš™οΈ Missing Gear

Identify the tools, resources, or support that were absent or insufficient.

Base column: Lacked
πŸ”οΈ Dreamed Peaks

Express the aspirations and goals we wish to reach in future expeditions.

Base column: Longed For

About this template

A journey‑style retrospective that highlights successes, extracts learnings, spots missing resources, and sets ambitious future goals.

When to use this template

Use when the team wants an adventurous framing to celebrate achievements, surface gaps, and inspire forward‑looking planning.

How to facilitate

1

Begin by reminding the team of the expedition metaphor and the purpose of exploring successes, learnings, gaps, and future aspirations.

2

Ask participants to silently write down their Discovered Gemsβ€”the highlights that felt like hidden treasures during the sprint.

3

Collect the gems on the board, allowing each person to briefly share and place them in the column.

4

Move to Charted Knowledge where team members note insights or skills gained, then discuss each entry.

5

In the Missing Gear column, capture tools, resources, or support that were lacking, encouraging honest identification.

6

Shift focus to Dreamed Peaks and have the group envision ambitious goals or improvements for upcoming sprints.

7

Facilitate a dot‑vote or similar method to prioritize items from each column that need immediate attention.

8

Translate the top‑voted items into concrete action items, assign owners, and set deadlines before closing the session.

Pro Tips

Use visual icons or emojis on virtual sticky notes to reinforce the expedition theme and keep energy high.

Limit each contribution to one sentence to keep the board manageable and discussion focused.

After the session, create a shared Expedition Log document where the team can track progress on the action items.

FAQ

What if the team struggles to identify Missing Gear?

Prompt with specific examples like tooling, documentation, or stakeholder input, and reassure that acknowledging gaps is a strength, not a failure.

How do we keep the session from running too long?

Set a timer for each column (e.g., 5 minutes) and use a quick dot‑vote to limit discussion to the most critical items.

Can this format work for a small team of three?

Yes, but combine the Discovered Gems and Charted Knowledge columns to streamline, and focus on a few high‑impact action items.

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At a glance

  • Duration

    45–60 min

  • Team Size

    4-12 people

  • Columns

    4 columns

  • Base Format

    Liked, Learned, Lacked, Longed For

Tags

team health
reflection
action-oriented
adventure theme
future planning

Ready to get started?

Use this template to run your next retrospective