🎅🎄 Santa's Workshop Retro
Ho ho ho! Gather around Santa’s workshop to unwrap our sprint’s triumphs, spot the frosty mishaps, and craft new toys for smoother deliveries ahead.
Template Columns
🎁 Joyful Gifts
Celebrate the successes that made our sprint feel like a gift‑wrapped triumph.
Base column: What Went Well🧊 Frosty Hiccups
Identify the chilly setbacks that froze our progress.
Base column: What Went Wrong🔧 Elf Workshop
Plan improvements to fine‑tune our sleigh for the next delivery.
Base column: What We Want to ImproveAbout this template
A festive sprint retrospective that highlights successes, identifies setbacks, and plans improvements using a holiday‑themed board.
When to use this template
Great for end‑of‑sprint reviews when you want a light‑hearted, inclusive atmosphere that still drives concrete actions.
How to facilitate
Begin by playing a short holiday jingle and briefly explain the three columns and their festive meanings
Ask participants to add sticky notes to the Joyful Gifts column describing what made the sprint feel like a gift‑wrapped triumph
Invite everyone to write brief, honest observations on the Frosty Hiccups column about anything that slowed progress
Move to the Elf Workshop column and have the team brainstorm concrete ideas to improve the next sprint, using the holiday metaphor for building better toys
Facilitate a quick dot‑vote where each person places three votes on the ideas they consider most valuable
Turn the top‑voted ideas into clear action items with owners and due dates, and record them on the board
Close the retro by sharing a holiday cheer, thanking the team, and reminding them of the next sprint’s start date
Pro Tips
Use a virtual whiteboard with holiday stickers or icons to keep energy high and visual interest
Encourage silent brainstorming for Frosty Hiccups to surface hidden issues before discussion
Limit each sticky note to one concise sentence to keep the conversation focused
FAQ
What if the team is too large for a single session?
Split the group into two smaller circles, each with its own board, and then merge the top ideas in a brief plenary to ensure everyone is heard.
How do we handle sensitive topics in Frosty Hiccups?
Allow anonymous sticky notes or a private chat to capture delicate issues, and address them with empathy during the discussion.
Can we reuse the board for multiple sprints?
Yes, archive the previous sprint’s notes in a separate folder and start a fresh board each sprint to keep focus while preserving history.
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At a glance
- Duration
45–60 min
- Team Size
4-12 people
- Columns
3 columns
- Base Format
What Went Well, What Went Wrong, What We Want to Improve
Tags
Ready to get started?
Use this template to run your next retrospective