Love, Wish & Wonderland Retrospective

Love, Wish & Wonderland retrospective format

Love

What do you genuinely value and want to keep?

Use this lens to surface the practices, behaviors, and wins the team appreciates and wants to protect. Encourage participants to be specific and to recognize people by name. Highlighting what's working reinforces positive habits and builds the psychological safety needed for honest reflection later in the session.

Wish

What changes or improvements would you like to see?

This is the space for constructive aspirations — what people wish were different, better, or possible. Frame wishes as forward-looking rather than complaints, and ask the team to consider what's within their control. Cluster similar wishes and vote so you can prioritize the most impactful improvements to turn into actions.

Wonderland

What bold 'what if' ideas could we explore?

Wonderland is the imaginative, no-limits zone. Invite the team to dream big and suspend practical constraints — the goal is to spark breakthrough ideas and creative experiments. Capture even the wild suggestions; some of the best innovations start as playful 'what ifs'. You can later evaluate which dreams are worth piloting.

Actions

What will we commit to doing next?

Translate the most compelling loves, wishes, and wonderland ideas into clear, owned, and time-bound actions. Keep the list short and realistic so commitments are achievable before the next session. Assign an owner to each item and revisit them at the start of your next retrospective to maintain accountability.

When to use this retrospective

• When a team needs a refreshing, creative alternative to a standard sprint retrospective.
• After reaching a milestone or completing a project, to celebrate wins and dream about what's next.
• When morale or energy is low and you want to rebuild positivity and engagement.
• At the start of a new initiative where imaginative, blue-sky thinking is valuable.
• When you want to balance appreciation with both practical improvements and bold innovation.

Suggested icebreaker questions

• If your team had a magic wand, what one thing would you instantly change about how you work?
• What fictional place or story world best represents your team right now, and why?

Ideas and tips for your retrospective meeting

• Set the tone early — explain that Wonderland is judgment-free so people feel safe sharing wild ideas.
• Start with Love to build positive energy before moving into wishes and dreams.
• Use anonymous contributions to ensure quieter or more junior team members share openly.
• Timebox each section so the imaginative Wonderland phase doesn't crowd out concrete actions.
• Group and vote on ideas to surface the themes that matter most to the whole team.
• Always convert the top wishes and wonderland ideas into owned actions so the session drives real change.

Frequently asked questions