Sailboat
Set sail on our project’s waters, catching the wind of successes, dropping anchors on obstacles, and charting actions for smoother voyages ahead.
Template Columns
Wind
Identify the forces that propelled us forward this sprint.
Base column: WindAnchors
Highlight the issues that held us back or slowed progress.
Base column: AnchorsActions
Define concrete steps to navigate future challenges and improve flow.
Base column: ActionsAbout this template
The Sailboat retrospective visualizes what pushed the team forward, what held it back, and actionable steps to steer future work.
When to use this template
Use when you want a vivid, metaphor‑driven view of progress and impediments, especially after a release or at the end of a sprint.
How to facilitate
Gather the team in a shared virtual board and draw a simple sailboat diagram with wind, anchors, and actions sections.
Ask each participant to write individual sticky notes for Wind: things that helped the team move faster or delivered value.
Collect the Wind notes, group similar ideas, and discuss why they were effective.
Repeat the process for Anchors, encouraging honest input about blockers, delays, or frustrations.
Facilitate a brief discussion to prioritize the most critical anchors and brainstorm concrete actions to address them.
Write the agreed actions in the Actions column, assign owners, and set due dates before closing the session.
Pro Tips
Limit each participant to three notes per column to keep the board focused and manageable.
Use color‑coded emojis or icons on virtual sticky notes to quickly differentiate wins from pain points.
After the session, export the board as a PDF and place it in the project’s knowledge base for future reference.
FAQ
What if the team struggles to identify positive 'Wind' items?
Prompt them with specific examples like completed stories, smooth handoffs, or helpful tooling, and remind that even small wins count.
How do we handle dominant voices taking over the discussion?
Use a round‑robin format for sharing notes and set a timer for each contribution, ensuring equal participation.
What if actions are too vague or lack owners?
Apply the SMART criteria to each action, and explicitly assign a team member and a deadline before moving the note to the Actions column.
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At a glance
- Duration
45–60 min
- Team Size
4-12 people
- Columns
3 columns
- Base Format
Wind, Anchors, Actions
Tags
Ready to get started?
Use this template to run your next retrospective