The Haunted Sprint template is a Halloween retrospective for the end of a sprint. Treats and tricks capture what went well and what surprised the team, ghosts name the problems that keep coming back, and potions turn the discussion into experiments for the next sprint.
Four columns
- Treats: What went well and is worth celebrating
- Tricks: What surprised us, good or bad
- Ghosts: Problems that keep coming back sprint after sprint
- Potions: What we will try next, written as small experiments
The theme keeps the mood light, while the columns still lead to the same outcome as any good retrospective: a short list of actions with owners.
How to facilitate
- Open with a one word check-in about the sprint so everyone speaks early
- Give people five minutes of silent writing before anyone reads cards aloud
- Keep the costumes optional: the theme is a warm-up, not a requirement
- Vote on the cards that matter most before discussing them
- Finish with no more than three actions, each with one owner
When to use this template
This template works well for:
- The last sprint retrospective in October
- Teams that want a fresh format after many Start, Stop, Continue sessions
- Remote teams looking for an easy, playful icebreaker
