What is the Sailboat Retrospective?
The Sailboat Retrospective asks your team to picture itself as a boat heading for a destination. It's a simple metaphor, and it gets people talking about forces they'd struggle to name in a plain "what went well" list. The board has five areas. The goal is where you're heading. Wind is whatever pushes the team forward, anchors are what slow it down, and rocks are the risks ahead that could sink you if nobody steers around them. The sun covers the things that keep morale up. Because one board covers both what's behind you and what's ahead, the sailboat retrospective works well when your team has drifted from its goals or is tired of the usual formats. It lets you talk about risks before they land, as well as the problems you've already hit.
Sailboat Retrospective Format
Goal
What are we working toward?
The goal represents the team's destination. Encourage participants to think about both short-term and long-term objectives. Help the team align their vision and ensure everyone understands where they're heading.
Wind
What is pushing us forward?
Wind represents positive forces helping the team move forward. Guide the discussion to identify enabling factors, resources, and practices that are working well. This helps reinforce successful behaviors and processes.
Anchor
What is holding us back?
Anchors represent impediments slowing the team down. Encourage honest discussion about obstacles while maintaining a constructive tone. Focus on identifying actionable solutions rather than just listing problems.
Rocks
What risks do we face?
Rocks represent potential future risks and challenges. Help the team think proactively about what could go wrong and develop mitigation strategies. Focus on both technical and non-technical risks.
Sun
What is making us feel good?
The sun represents positive elements boosting team morale. Encourage sharing of achievements, recognition, and positive experiences. This helps build team spirit and identifies what should be maintained or expanded.
When to use this retrospective
- When your team has retrospective fatigue and needs a visual format to get people talking again
- At project milestones or quarterly reviews, to check progress and plan the next stretch
- When you want to discuss the risks ahead as well as the problems you've already hit
- For teams new to retrospectives, who benefit from a clear metaphor to guide the discussion
Suggested icebreaker questions
- If your current project was a type of boat, what would it be and why?
- What's your favorite memory of being near water (ocean, lake, river)?
Want a warm-up your team plays, not just answers out loud? Browse free icebreakers →
Ideas and tips for your retrospective meeting
- Explain the metaphor before anyone writes a note, so everyone knows what each part of the boat stands for
- Keep the picture visible all session so people place each note against the part of the boat it belongs to
- Give the anchors and rocks as much time as the wind and sun, so the session doesn't turn into a list of complaints
- Go around the room for each area so quieter team members get a turn
- Finish by picking the actions with the most impact that the team can actually carry out
- Split larger teams into breakout rooms so everyone gets a chance to contribute
Frequently asked questions
What is a sailboat retrospective?
How do you run a sailboat retrospective?
When should you run a sailboat retrospective?
What's the difference between anchors and rocks?
Is the sailboat retrospective the same as the speedboat retrospective?
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