🕵️‍♂️ Mystery Detectives: The Case of Lost Performance
Step into your detective shoes and help crack the case! Let’s investigate what’s changed in our performance, uncover hidden clues, and solve the mystery together for a triumphant comeback.
Template Columns
🔍 Clues to Investigate (Start)
Suggest new actions or behaviors we should start to help us solve the performance mystery.
Base column: Startđźš« Red Herrings (Stop)
Identify habits, processes, or distractions we need to stop that may be derailing our success.
Base column: Stop🕰️ Proven Methods (Continue)
Highlight reliable actions and strategies we should keep applying to build our way back to peak performance.
Base column: ContinueAbout this template
The Mystery Detectives retrospective lets teams take an investigative approach to uncover root causes of declining performance, identify unhelpful distractions, and reaffirm effective strategies.
When to use this template
This format works best when a team senses a dip in performance, focus, or morale and wants to collaboratively analyze recent changes to get back on track.
How to facilitate
Begin by setting the investigative tone—invite everyone to put on their detective hats and frame the session as a collaborative search for clues behind shifting performance.
Invite team members to add observations in the Clues to Investigate column, encouraging open-minded exploration of new actions, hypotheses, or changes that could help.
Shift focus to the Red Herrings column and ask the team to call out habits, distractions, or processes that may be wasting time or leading the team astray.
In the Proven Methods column, have the group list reliable actions or strategies that should continue to be used for stability and consistent results.
Review all collected items together; facilitate a discussion to spot patterns, hidden connections, or strong theories about lost performance.
Collaboratively prioritize the most valuable clues and agree on actionable next steps, ensuring key Red Herrings are addressed and Proven Methods reinforced.
Close with a reflection on the detective process—invite the team to share what they found insightful and commit to concrete actions for the next sprint.
Pro Tips
Draw connections between 'clues' and 'red herrings' to identify root causes, not just symptoms.
Encourage shy team members by assigning 'lead investigator' roles to rotate each round.
Use storytelling—frame observations as if reporting to a detective team to engage creativity and remove blame.
Timebox discussions to keep momentum, especially when exploring complex clues.
Summarize findings at the end so the team sees a clear action plan and renewed sense of purpose.
FAQ
How do we prevent this retro from becoming a blame session?
Focus on 'clues' and systemic issues, not individual actions. Emphasize that everyone is a detective, searching for causes together—not culprits.
What if team members feel stuck or can't identify any clues?
Prompt with guiding questions, such as 'What’s changed recently?' or give examples to spark ideas. Allow some silence for reflection.
How can we ensure actions are taken after identifying clues and red herrings?
Translate discoveries into specific, owner-assigned action items. Check on progress in the next retrospective.
At a glance
- Duration
45–60 min
- Team Size
4-10 people
- Columns
3 columns
- Base Format
Start, Stop, Continue
Tags
Ready to get started?
Use this template to run your next retrospective