The Paranormal Investigation retrospective brings a playful, spooky twist to reflection by uncovering successes, setbacks, and improvements in your team’s workflow.

When to use this template

Use this format when your team needs a creative boost, during seasonal events like Halloween, or when you want to inject energy into your regular retrospectives.

How to facilitate

Welcome everyone and introduce the theme, encouraging the team to embrace a fun, investigative mindset.

Review the three columns and their spooky inspirations: share successes in Ectoplasmic Triumphs, discuss setbacks in Phantom Pitfalls, and propose improvements in Spells for the Future.

Give team members quiet time to add notes anonymously to each column, encouraging them to share both the obvious and the unexpected.

Invite participants to read out and discuss items in each column, starting with triumphs to build positive momentum.

Facilitate open discussion around phantom pitfalls, making sure everyone feels safe to uncover deeper issues.

Lead a brainstorming session in the Spells for the Future column, turning identified challenges into concrete next steps.

Prioritize improvement suggestions as a group and assign clear owners or next actions before wrapping up.

Pro Tips

Lean into the theme by encouraging participants to have a little spooky fun—it can make the team more open and creative.

Ask questions that prompt exploration, like 'What haunted us most?' or 'Which spells protected our progress?'

If participation in the pitfalls column is low, invite quieter team members to share their observations anonymously first.

Keep the focus on learning, not blame, when discussing setbacks.

FAQ

What if the theme feels too silly for my team?

Remind the group that playfulness can foster openness and creativity, but adapt the tone if necessary to fit your team’s culture.

How can I keep the discussion productive despite the playful theme?

Encourage the team to lean into the metaphors for open sharing, but guide each topic back to actionable insights and next steps.

What if someone dominates the conversation?

Set clear expectations about sharing time and invite quieter voices to share, especially during the anonymous input phase.

Want a custom template?

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At a glance

Duration
45–60 min
Team Size
4-10 people
Columns
3 columns
Base Format
What Went Well, What Went Wrong, What We Want to Improve

Ready to get started?

Use this template to run your next retrospective

👻🔮 Paranormal Investigation

Step into the haunted house of our project! With spectral eyes, let's discover the ghostly successes, mysterious mishaps, and spells for improvement. Hold your EMF meters high and let's reveal what’s lurking in our workflow!

Template Columns

👻 Ectoplasmic Triumphs

🕯️ Phantom Pitfalls

🔮 Spells for the Future

About this template