🎬🕶️ Mission Impossible: Agile Protocol
Your mission, should you choose to accept it: review our latest sprint like a true IMF agent. Evaluate what worked, what you uncovered, and how we can make our next mission even smoother!
Template Columns
👍 Mission Successes
Share the daring actions and teamwork that made this mission a success.
Base column: Liked🧠 Secrets Uncovered
Reveal the intel and lessons learned during this operation.
Base column: Learned🕳️ The Gaps in the Plan
Identify the tools, resources, or support we were missing on this mission.
Base column: Lacked🎯 Next Objective
Describe what would make our next mission feel even more accomplished.
Base column: Longed ForAbout this template
Mission Impossible: Agile Protocol is a high-energy retrospective using a secret agent theme to review team successes, uncover lessons, identify gaps, and define clear next objectives.
When to use this template
Use this format when you want to energize the team, encourage creative thinking, and uncover actionable improvements after a challenging sprint or milestone.
How to facilitate
Start with a theme briefing, framing the retro as a special mission and inviting everyone to play along as 'agents.'
Set the stage by quickly revisiting the sprint’s goal and key events to align everyone’s memory.
Invite team members to add notes under 'Mission Successes' for actions and teamwork that led to good outcomes.
Move on to 'Secrets Uncovered,' encouraging the team to surface valuable lessons or surprising discoveries from the sprint.
Shift to 'The Gaps in the Plan' where agents pinpoint missing resources, support, or processes that limited success.
Explore 'Next Objective' and have the team describe what changes would elevate the team’s performance in the coming iteration.
Review all categories, cluster similar points, and open a discussion to prioritize a few concrete improvement actions.
Wrap up by assigning action items and closing with a light-hearted IMF debrief that reinforces the sense of mission accomplished.
Pro Tips
Lean into the secret agent theme with background music or fun code names to boost engagement.
Encourage specific examples when discussing successes or gaps for clearer insights.
Limit brainstorming time for each column to keep the session focused and dynamic.
Follow up on action items from the 'Next Objective' column at the start of your next retro to show accountability.
FAQ
How do I keep the team engaged with the theme?
Set the tone early with a playful introduction, encourage creative agent code names, and use fun visuals or sound effects related to Mission Impossible.
What if the team struggles to identify gaps?
Prompt with specific questions about missed resources, communication breakdowns, or workflow obstacles, and normalize discussing setbacks as opportunities to grow.
How many action items should we commit to from 'Next Objective'?
Focus on one to three actionable and achievable objectives for the next sprint to maintain momentum without overwhelming the team.
Is this format suitable for every sprint?
It works best as an occasional retro to inject energy or after particularly tough or ambitious sprints, rather than as your regular template.
At a glance
- Duration
45–60 min
- Team Size
4-10 people
- Columns
4 columns
- Base Format
Liked, Learned, Lacked, Longed For
Tags
Ready to get started?
Use this template to run your next retrospective