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Plan a concrete work block with agenda, roles, preparation, and a copyable result artifact.

Method session45-90 minWorkshopSailboat Board

Session: Sailboat Retrospective

The plan translates the method into a concrete facilitated work block. Your inputs flow directly into the session brief and work artifact.

Derived automatically

Method session with 4-12. The plan uses the existing method logic and the runsheet.

Runsheet
Participation logic
Team round, shared work and alignment

Use the session for shared understanding. Contributions are collected visibly, assumptions are aligned, and open differences remain traceable in the artifact.

Outcome logic
Finish artifact

The session works directly toward Sailboat Board. After the session, the artifact should be shareable, reviewable, or reusable.

  1. 1

    Phase 1: Define the island

    5-10 min

    Formulate the island as a shared goal (one to three clear outcomes). If unclear, do a short clarification; otherwise pause the retro. Hint: Without a clear goal the metaphor loses meaning. The island must be concrete ("MVP launched by 06/30"), not abstract.

    FacilitatorSailboat Board
  2. 2

    Phase 2: Wind and anchors

    15-20 min

    Silent work. Each person writes 2-3 wind stickies (what moves us forward) and 2-3 anchor stickies (what holds us back). Make them concrete, with examples. Hint: Wind is more than "good atmosphere". Name what specifically helps: tools, practices, role constellations. Same for anchors: what weighs the team down, and by which mechanism.

    FacilitatorRisks
  3. 3

    Phase 3: Rocks and risks

    10-15 min

    What lies ahead of the boat, what could prevent reaching the island? Each person writes 1-3 rock stickies. In an online tool, optionally use a separate symbol for external risks. Hint: Rocks are future-oriented, not historical problems. If people only note the past here, they are repeating phase 2.

    FacilitatorImprovement Actions
  4. 4

    Phase 4: Cluster and vote

    10-15 min

    Form clusters. Dot-vote (3 dots per person across all elements). Identify top clusters per element. Hint: Anchors and rocks are often most important for actions, wind for "continue deliberately". Keep the balance.

    FacilitatorSailboat Board
  5. 5

    Phase 5: Actions

    15-30 min

    Define an action or mitigation for each top cluster. Rocks need a risk plan (mitigation and trigger). Limit to 5 actions, each with owner and date. Hint: Rock actions are often risk reduction, not instant solutions. Formulate triggers ("if X happens, then Y").

    OwnerRisks
  6. 6

    Publish artifact

    10 min

    Check the artifact for completeness, define location, set version or status, and name review recipients.

    OwnerSailboat Board
Usable artifact

Session Brief

For invitations, boards, tickets, PR descriptions, or workshop notes.

session-brief.md

Session Brief: Sailboat Retrospective

Goal

Artifact: Sailboat Board

Working Question

What moves the team toward the goal, what holds it back, what risks lie ahead, and which actions follow?

Context

Clear team goal or sprint/project outcome as the island; previous retro actions; known risks from the current pipeline; mood indicator.

Setup

  • Format: Method session
  • Duration: 45-90 min
  • Mode: Workshop
  • Participants: One facilitator; 4-12 team members; scribe.
  • Owner: One facilitator
  • Participation mode: Team round, shared work and alignment
  • Outcome logic: Finish artifact

Participation Logic

Use the session for shared understanding. Contributions are collected visibly, assumptions are aligned, and open differences remain traceable in the artifact.

Outcome Logic

The session works directly toward Sailboat Board. After the session, the artifact should be shareable, reviewable, or reusable.

Input

Whiteboard or Miro board with a pre-drawn sailboat (island = goal, wind = supporting factors, anchors = slowing factors, rocks = risks); stickies; timer; action tracker.

Preparation

Sailboat clearly labeled with four elements. Island on the right with goal statement. Wind above, anchors below the boat, rocks ahead in the water. Rule: each person contributes at least 2 stickies per element.

Agenda

  1. Phase 1: Define the island (5-10 min) Owner: Facilitator Action: Formulate the island as a shared goal (one to three clear outcomes). If unclear, do a short clarification; otherwise pause the retro. Hint: Without a clear goal the metaphor loses meaning. The island must be concrete ("MVP launched by 06/30"), not abstract. Output: Sailboat Board

  2. Phase 2: Wind and anchors (15-20 min) Owner: Facilitator Action: Silent work. Each person writes 2-3 wind stickies (what moves us forward) and 2-3 anchor stickies (what holds us back). Make them concrete, with examples. Hint: Wind is more than "good atmosphere". Name what specifically helps: tools, practices, role constellations. Same for anchors: what weighs the team down, and by which mechanism. Output: Risks

  3. Phase 3: Rocks and risks (10-15 min) Owner: Facilitator Action: What lies ahead of the boat, what could prevent reaching the island? Each person writes 1-3 rock stickies. In an online tool, optionally use a separate symbol for external risks. Hint: Rocks are future-oriented, not historical problems. If people only note the past here, they are repeating phase 2. Output: Improvement Actions

  4. Phase 4: Cluster and vote (10-15 min) Owner: Facilitator Action: Form clusters. Dot-vote (3 dots per person across all elements). Identify top clusters per element. Hint: Anchors and rocks are often most important for actions, wind for "continue deliberately". Keep the balance. Output: Sailboat Board

  5. Phase 5: Actions (15-30 min) Owner: Owner Action: Define an action or mitigation for each top cluster. Rocks need a risk plan (mitigation and trigger). Limit to 5 actions, each with owner and date. Hint: Rock actions are often risk reduction, not instant solutions. Formulate triggers ("if X happens, then Y"). Output: Risks

  6. Publish artifact (10 min) Owner: Owner Action: Check the artifact for completeness, define location, set version or status, and name review recipients. Output: Sailboat Board

Closeout

  • Update result artifact: Sailboat Board
  • Define location, version, and review recipients.
  • Define owner, next step, and review date.
Usable artifact

Work artifact

Pre-filled starting point based on the matching template.

work-artifact.md

Sailboat Board: Sailboat Retrospective

Working Question

What moves the team toward the goal, what holds it back, what risks lie ahead, and which actions follow?

Context

Clear team goal or sprint/project outcome as the island; previous retro actions; known risks from the current pipeline; mood indicator.

Participants

  • Owner: One facilitator
  • Participants: One facilitator; 4-12 team members; scribe.

Input

Whiteboard or Miro board with a pre-drawn sailboat (island = goal, wind = supporting factors, anchors = slowing factors, rocks = risks); stickies; timer; action tracker.

Template

Sailboat Retrospective Working Template

Goal

Use the sailboat metaphor to surface what moves the team forward and what holds it back.

Context

Which time frame or delivery should the team review?

Input

  • Time frame:
  • Team or group:
  • Notes, signals, or examples:

Working area

  • Destination island:
  • Winds:
  • Anchors:
  • Rocks:
  • Patterns:

Output artifacts

  • Sailboat board:
  • Risk list:
  • Improvement actions:

Open questions

  • ...

Decision / next step

Owner, date, and success signal.

Completion Check

  • Sailboat Board is complete enough for review:
  • Location:
  • Version / status:
  • Review by:
  • Next step:

Next Step

  • Review result
  • Mark open questions
  • Schedule review or decision
Template base

Sailboat Retrospective Working Template

View templateCompact working template for the Sailboat retrospective with winds, anchors, rocks, and next actions.
canvas

sailboat-retrospective-working-template.md

Compact working template for the Sailboat retrospective with winds, anchors, rocks, and next actions.

Sailboat Retrospective Working Template

Goal

Use the sailboat metaphor to surface what moves the team forward and what holds it back.

Context

Which time frame or delivery should the team review?

Input

  • Time frame:
  • Team or group:
  • Notes, signals, or examples:

Working area

  • Destination island:
  • Winds:
  • Anchors:
  • Rocks:
  • Patterns:

Output artifacts

  • Sailboat board:
  • Risk list:
  • Improvement actions:

Open questions

  • ...

Decision / next step

Owner, date, and success signal.

Ready to use when
  • Working question, owner, and target artifact are visible.
  • The result fits Sailboat Board.
  • One entry per retro with date and island goal in the title. Maintain rocks across multiple retros as a risk register, archive wind clusters as success patterns.
  • Open questions are noted as follow-ups.
  • The next review or decision point is scheduled.
ProfileRunsheet