🏝️🗺️ Treasure Hunt Adventure
Ahoy, explorers! Embark on a retro quest to unearth hidden gems (successes), dodge pitfalls (challenges), and map out paths for richer discoveries in our next sprint. Let’s uncover our project’s hidden treasures together!
Template Columns
💎 Discovered Gems
Share the valuable successes and achievements we’ve unearthed during our journey.
Base column: What Went Well🕳️ Hidden Traps
Reveal the obstacles or setbacks that caught us off guard this sprint.
Base column: What Went Wrong🧭 New Maps to Chart
Suggest new strategies or ideas to help us navigate toward even greater rewards next time.
Base column: What We Want to ImproveAbout this template
Treasure Hunt Adventure is a themed retrospective that guides your team to celebrate successes, uncover hidden project challenges, and collaboratively chart creative solutions for the next sprint.
When to use this template
Use this format at the end of a sprint or project milestone when you want to energize the team with a playful adventure theme and inspire honest, collaborative reflection.
How to facilitate
Introduce the Treasure Hunt Adventure theme, explaining the meaning of each column and setting a positive, adventurous tone for the session
Ask everyone to reflect silently, then add their notes under Discovered Gems, Hidden Traps, and New Maps to Chart, encouraging creative ideas and specific examples
Review the collected feedback as a team, starting with successes to build momentum, then moving to obstacles and finally improvement ideas
Facilitate a group discussion to dive deeper into the most significant notes, encouraging questions and clarifications to ensure shared understanding
As a team, decide on 2–3 concrete action items based on the New Maps to Chart suggestions, assigning ownership and due dates where possible
Close by acknowledging team contributions and celebrating the discoveries and strategies unearthed during your adventure
Pro Tips
Encourage team members to use storytelling or adventure-themed language to make sharing more engaging and memorable
If discussion stalls, ask probing questions (like 'How did we spot that gem?' or 'What signs might have helped us avoid this trap?') to spark insights
Summarize the action items visually, perhaps as part of a 'treasure map,' so the team can track progress across sprints
Rotate the 'captain' (facilitator) each retro to give everyone a chance to lead the adventure and bring fresh perspective
FAQ
What if team members feel uncomfortable with the adventure theme?
Remind everyone that the theme is meant to make reflection more fun and welcoming, but all input is valued—encourage participants to approach it in their own style.
How do we keep discussions focused and avoid getting lost in the stories?
Guide conversations to link stories to specific successes, challenges, or improvement opportunities tied to actual team outcomes and project goals.
What if we have too many action items to address?
Prioritize 2–3 actions that will have the greatest impact and revisit lower-priority items in future retrospectives.
At a glance
- Duration
40–60 min
- Team Size
4-10 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