Aladdin's Agile Adventure Retrospective

Aladdin's Agile Adventure retrospective format

Treasures Found

What wins or successes did we discover this sprint?

These are the gold and jewels in the Cave of Wonders: the achievements, breakthroughs and good moments your team found. Celebrate big and small wins, and recognize individual and team contributions. Ask people why something felt like treasure, so the team can repeat it.

Traps and Tricks

What obstacles, blockers or sneaky problems slowed us down?

These are the traps, dead ends and Jafar-style tricks that got in the team's way. Keep it blameless and focused on what made the work harder than it needed to be. Look for traps that keep coming back, since they may need a systemic fix instead of a one-off patch.

Three Wishes

If the genie granted three wishes, what would we improve?

Time to rub the lamp. Ask the team for the improvements or changes it wishes it had. These wishes become the seeds of your action items. Welcome practical wishes and ambitious ones, since the bold wishes often show what the team really needs.

Magic Carpet Ride

Where do we want to go next and what's our first step?

This is the ride ahead: the team's next steps and direction. Help the group turn its wishes and lessons into concrete, owned actions, and agree who will do what before the next sprint takes off.

When to use this retrospective

• When your standard sprint retro has gone stale and the team needs a new setting to get talking.
• After a major milestone or release, to look back on it in a way people will remember.
• When you want quieter team members to open up. A story lowers people's guard.
• For end-of-quarter or seasonal retros, where a themed format adds a sense of celebration.
• When you're introducing a newer team to retrospectives and want something approachable.

Suggested icebreaker questions

• If a genie granted you one work-related wish right now, what would you ask for?
• Which fictional character would you most want on your team and why?

Want a warm-up your team plays, not just answers out loud? Browse free icebreakers →

Ideas and tips for your retrospective meeting

• Open with a line or two of story so everyone knows how each column maps to the Aladdin theme.
• Keep it light without losing focus. Timebox each column, since the goal is still real actions.
• Ask for specifics in Treasures Found and Traps and Tricks, so wins can be repeated and obstacles fixed.
• Dot-vote the Three Wishes so the team puts its energy into the improvements that matter most.
• Make sure every Magic Carpet Ride action has a clear owner and a due date before you close.
• Rotate the facilitator each time you run a themed retro, so the sessions don't all feel the same.

Frequently asked questions