⛵️ Sailboat Journey
All aboard for a sailing adventure! Let’s harness the winds of success, identify anchors holding us back, and chart actions to steer our project toward smoother waters. Ready to set sail for continuous improvement?
Template Columns
💨 Favorable Winds
Highlight the driving forces that propelled our team forward this sprint.
Base column: Wind⚓ Dragging Anchors
Call out blockers or challenges that have slowed our progress on this journey.
Base column: Anchors🗺️ Planned Course Corrections
Propose actionable changes or experiments to help us navigate more efficiently next sprint.
Base column: ActionsAbout this template
The Sailboat Journey retrospective is a nautical-themed format that guides teams to celebrate drivers of success, address blockers, and collaboratively chart actionable next steps.
When to use this template
Use this retrospective when your team needs both recognition of what's working and a focused discussion on overcoming obstacles, especially after complex or challenging sprints.
How to facilitate
Set the scene by describing the sailboat journey metaphor and explain each column for clarity
Invite team members to add cards in Favorable Winds, highlighting what helped the team move forward
Ask everyone to contribute to Dragging Anchors, surfacing issues or blockers that held the team back
Facilitate a group discussion for each column, encouraging elaboration and connections between the items shared
Shift focus to Planned Course Corrections and prompt the team to brainstorm concrete actions or experiments for the next sprint
Prioritize and assign ownership for selected course corrections to ensure follow-through
Close by summarizing key takeaways, thanking participants, and setting the stage for the next voyage
Pro Tips
Anchor the discussion in real, recent examples to keep insights grounded and actionable
Use images or a shared visual of a sailboat to reinforce the metaphor and boost engagement
Rotate the facilitator each retro to bring in fresh perspectives and keep energy up
If the team gets stuck on blockers, encourage cross-team brainstorming rather than staying siloed
FAQ
What if the team struggles to come up with items for Favorable Winds?
Prompt with open questions about what made work easier or what support was especially helpful this sprint. Sometimes the positives are subtle and need nudging.
How do we ensure Proposed Course Corrections lead to real improvements?
Prioritize actions collectively and assign clear owners and timelines. Recap progress at the next retro to reinforce accountability.
What if some team members dominate the discussion?
Set ground rules for balanced participation and use facilitation techniques like round-robins or anonymous card writing to create space for all voices.
How often should we use the Sailboat Journey format?
It's flexible—use it regularly for engaging variety or when you sense the team needs a fresh metaphor for reflection and planning.
At a glance
- Duration
45–60 min
- Team Size
4-10 people
- Columns
3 columns
- Base Format
Wind, Anchors, Actions
Tags
Ready to get started?
Use this template to run your next retrospective