💀🦴 Skeleton Crew
Brave the haunted decks with your agile Skeleton Crew! Let’s unearth buried strengths, shake off the cobwebs of bad habits, and keep our ship on course with bones that support our journey. Skeletons, assemble for a bony boost to our project’s health!
Template Columns
🦴 Assemble New Bones
Share new practices or habits we should add to strengthen our crew.
Base column: Start🎃 Drop the Dead Weight
Identify old habits and blockers to leave behind in our haunted hull.
Base column: Stop💀 Keep the Backbone
Highlight the practices that keep our skeleton team strong, resilient, and agile.
Base column: ContinueAbout this template
The Skeleton Crew retrospective helps agile teams identify which practices to keep, which habits or blockers to drop, and what new approaches to introduce for ongoing improvement.
When to use this template
Use this format when your team needs a fun, themed way to reassess habits and practices—especially after a rough sprint, major delivery, or when tackling persistent issues.
How to facilitate
Set the scene with the Skeleton Crew theme and explain the column meanings to bring energy and fun to the session.
Invite each team member to add cards to each column: Assemble New Bones for new practices or habits to try, Drop the Dead Weight for blockers or outdated routines, and Keep the Backbone for strengths the team should retain.
Allow everyone to review the board, then ask participants to group similar items and clarify any unclear notes.
Facilitate an open discussion on the top items in each column, identifying action items for new practices to try and habits to discard.
Prioritize which new practices will be experimented with and which blockers will be addressed in the next sprint.
Capture clear ownership and next steps for each agreed action before closing the session with a quick team check-out.
Pro Tips
Lean into the theme with fun backgrounds or sound effects to keep engagement high and reduce meeting fatigue.
Prompt quieter teammates by asking questions like ‘Who has a new bone to suggest?’ or ‘What’s been weighing us down?’ to ensure everyone has a voice.
Time-box each section to keep the energy up and ensure you reach action agreements before closing.
Invite participants to share examples when naming habits—concrete stories help make blockers and best practices real for everyone.
FAQ
What if the same blockers come up every time?
Treat recurring blockers as urgent. Ask why they're persisting—break them into smaller issues or escalate if needed to create real change.
How do I help my team suggest new practices?
Share examples from other teams or recent articles. Use prompts like ‘What support do we need to be braver?’ or ‘Which small habit would make work smoother?’
What if the theme feels too silly for some participants?
Introduce the theme as an optional energizer. Remain flexible—focus on the column purpose if the team prefers a more neutral approach.
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At a glance
- Duration
30–40 min
- Team Size
3-8 people
- Columns
3 columns
- Base Format
Start, Stop, Continue
Tags
Ready to get started?
Use this template to run your next retrospective