Oh Canada Retrospective

A Canadian-themed retro for wins, puzzles and thanks.

Try this retrospective live

True North

What went strong and reliable for us this sprint?

Our daily standups stayed crisp and focused, and they really kept us aligned.
The new deployment pipeline ran without a hitch all sprint.
Pairing on the tricky auth bug saved us days of work.
Eh? What Slowed Us Down

What left us puzzled, frustrated or stuck this sprint?

Unclear acceptance criteria meant we reworked two stories.
Too many context switches between projects killed our focus.
The staging environment was down for half the sprint.
New Frontiers

What fresh ideas or experiments should we try next?

Let's try a no-meeting Wednesday to protect deep work.
We could rotate who runs the standup each day.
Adopt a definition of ready before pulling stories in.
Maple Syrup Moments

Who or what do we want to give thanks for, eh?

Huge thanks to Priya for jumping in on the production fire.
Shout-out to the QA team for their lightning-fast turnaround.
Grateful for Marc covering my tasks while I was out sick.

What is the Oh Canada Retrospective?

The Oh Canada Retrospective gives your sprint review a friendly Canadian theme. Four prompts borrow from familiar Canadian icons, from the True North to maple syrup and that all-purpose "eh?", and each one maps to a standard retrospective question. The theme gives people something to smile about, and the questions still get to what happened in the sprint. The board has four columns. True North covers what was strong and reliable this sprint. Eh? What Slowed Us Down is for what left you puzzled, frustrated or stuck. New Frontiers holds the fresh ideas and experiments to try next, and Maple Syrup Moments is where you thank the people and moments that made the sprint better. Because thanks get their own column, recognition doesn't get squeezed into the last two minutes. Use it when your team needs a change from its usual format, to mark Canada Day, or for a distributed team that would enjoy a bit of personality in its retros. The outcome is the same as any good retrospective: agreed actions with owners.

Oh Canada retrospective format

True North

What went strong and reliable for us this sprint?

True North is a line from Canada's anthem. This column is about what kept the team on course and what it wants to keep doing. Celebrate the wins, big or small, and recognize the practices, decisions and people that helped.

Eh? What Slowed Us Down

What left us puzzled, frustrated or stuck this sprint?

This is the place to surface friction, blockers and confusion without blame. Approach it with curiosity, not complaint: what made us go 'Eh?' Ask people to be specific so issues can turn into actions.

New Frontiers

What fresh ideas or experiments should we try next?

Inspired by Canada's wide-open wilderness, this column invites bold ideas and experiments for the next sprint. Encourage creative thinking, and favor small, testable changes over sweeping overhauls.

Maple Syrup Moments

Who or what do we want to give thanks for, eh?

Sweet like maple syrup, this column is for gratitude. Make space for shout-outs to teammates, supportive partners or moments that made the sprint better. Recognition keeps people engaged and builds team spirit.

When to use this retrospective

  • When you want a themed twist on your regular sprint retrospective to keep it fresh.
  • Around Canada Day, or whenever you want to celebrate with a Canadian team.
  • For distributed or Canadian teams that like a relaxed, inclusive tone.
  • When team energy is low and a playful theme can get people talking again.
  • As a celebration-focused retro after a big milestone or successful release.

Suggested icebreaker questions

  • If you could only eat one Canadian food for the rest of your life, would it be poutine, maple syrup, or a butter tart?
  • What's the most 'Canadian' thing you've done this week, eh?

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

Ideas and tips for your retrospective meeting

  • Lean into the theme early. A friendly 'eh?' or a maple leaf on the board helps everyone relax.
  • Timebox each column so the theme doesn't stretch the discussion.
  • Allow anonymous contributions in Eh? What Slowed Us Down so people feel safe raising blockers.
  • Turn the thanks in Maple Syrup Moments into ongoing recognition, not a one-off.
  • Group similar ideas before voting so the actions with the most impact rise to the top.
  • Close the loop by turning New Frontiers ideas into concrete actions with owners and due dates.

Frequently asked questions

How long does the Oh Canada Retrospective take?
Plan for 45 to 60 minutes with a team of five to eight. Adjust the time per column if your team is larger or wants a longer discussion.
When should I use this themed retrospective?
Use it when you want to refresh your usual format, celebrate a milestone or mark a day like Canada Day. It also helps when a team is tired of the same meeting every sprint.
How is it different from a Start, Stop, Continue retro?
It covers similar ground (what's working, what isn't and what to try) but adds a Canadian theme and a separate column for thanks.
Do participants need to be Canadian to enjoy it?
No. Anyone can follow the theme, though Canadian teams may enjoy the references most.
Can I run this retro with a remote team?
Yes. In TeamRetro everyone can add ideas, group them, vote and discuss in real time or asynchronously, so it works well for distributed teams.
How do I make sure the fun theme still produces results?
Vote on the top items and turn them into action items with owners. The theme keeps people talking, and the follow-through is what changes things.

Related templates

WWE Smackdown Showdown Retrospective

Tag-team your sprint review with a wrestling theme.

Working, Not Working Retrospective

Sort what's working from what isn't, then fix it.

Quarterly Retrospective

Step back from the sprints and review the whole quarter.

Baby Steps Retrospective

Pick one small change your team will actually finish.

Ready to run this retrospective?Try this retrospective live