🪑🎩 Taskmaster Trials
Step into the Taskmaster’s lair! Review your sprint like a team of quirky contestants, sharing triumphs, hilarious mishaps, and clever learnings. Let’s impress the Taskmaster and score big points for continuous improvement!
Template Columns
🏆 Prize Tasks (Liked)
Reveal the moments or actions that truly deserved Taskmaster points this sprint.
Base column: Liked🤔 Confounding Tasks (Learned)
Share insights from unexpected lessons or challenging puzzles encountered.
Base column: Learned🧩 Missing Kit (Lacked)
Identify tools, skills, or support that could have made our tasks easier.
Base column: Lacked🎯 Next Task Brief (Longed For)
Describe the creative ideas or opportunities you wish to try next round.
Base column: Longed ForAbout this template
Taskmaster Trials is a playful, creative retrospective where your team reviews the last sprint through the lens of a quirky competition, spotlighting triumphs, challenges, gaps, and new ideas.
When to use this template
Use this format when your team needs an energy boost or a fresh way to reflect on achievements, puzzles, and learning opportunities. It's ideal after a sprint with lots of ups, downs, or experimentation.
How to facilitate
Welcome everyone to the 'Taskmaster Trials' and set the scene for a lighthearted, creative session focused on teamwork and learning.
Briefly explain each column so participants know where to share task-related stories, lessons, gaps, and ideas.
Invite all team members to add their thoughts to each column, encouraging them to think about moments deserving praise, tricky challenges, missing supports, and creative wishes.
Allow time for everyone to read through the posted items, then discuss each column together, celebrating wins and unpacking learnings.
As a group, brainstorm actions and experiments for the next sprint, focusing on items in 'Missing Kit' and 'Next Task Brief.'
Wrap up by awarding lighthearted 'Taskmaster Points' to especially impactful contributions, fostering a sense of accomplishment and fun.
Pro Tips
Encourage storytelling with humor – playful anecdotes can spark better engagement and creative solutions.
Use virtual props (like GIFs or images) to liven up the session and make it memorable.
Periodically switch up who plays 'Taskmaster' to keep the experience fresh and inclusive.
Celebrate not just big wins, but also small improvements and inventive solutions.
FAQ
How can we prevent the session from going off-topic with too much humor?
Set clear timeboxes for each section and gently remind the team to focus on learnings and improvements after humorous sharing.
What if the team feels uncomfortable sharing mistakes or missing elements?
Lead with your own example and create a psychologically safe environment by emphasizing that Taskmaster points are for honest reflection, not just success stories.
Can this template work for non-software teams?
Yes, the format is flexible and suits any group tackling collective tasks or projects, not just software teams.
Want a custom template?
Create a retrospective template tailored to your team's needs with our AI-powered generator
At a glance
- Duration
45–60 min
- Team Size
4-10 people
- Columns
4 columns
- Base Format
Liked, Learned, Lacked, Longed For
Tags
Ready to get started?
Use this template to run your next retrospective