Sherlock retrospective

Retrospective Idea – What to do next is elementary with this creative retro idea.

What is the Sherlock retrospective?

The Sherlock retrospective can be a fun way to help a team unravel the mysteries of a particularly puzzling sprint. Like Sherlock, team members are encouraged to put emotion aside and examine the facts. This easy retro can be a helpful tool to help teams solve tricky problems with calm and logic as they generate ideas.

This creative sprint idea can help to focus the team on the facts. It encourages curiosity to unpack the previous sprint, and looks at the lessons it taught in your retrospective meetings.

As a Scrum Master, you can modify this retrospective template if you have a team of mystery buffs. If they prefer Miss Marple, the Hardy Boys or Veronica Mars, like all of our agile templates, the Sherlock retrospective can be easily customized.

Sherlock retrospective format

Case closed

What did we solve? What did we deliver? What was the end point we reached?

Clues

What helped us on the way? What did we discover? Who guided us to help us close the case?

Elementary

What have we learned? What can we build on for next time?

Puzzles

What remains a mystery? What is still yet to be explained? Are there any ‘why?’ questions that are outstanding?

Suggested icebreaker questions for the Sherlock retrospective

  • What good mystery novel or film would you recommend and why?
  • When have you jumped to a conclusion only to have the facts prove you wrong?
  • When solving a mystery, which is more important, the ‘how’ or the ‘why’?

Retro Warm Up

Apply the Sherlock Holmes mind set to one of these mysteries.

Ideas and tips for your Sherlock retrospective

  • If you’re thinking of theming a retrospective, here’s your chance. ‘Time’ can be used to inspire what the team wears, the icebreaker you choose or simply a fun retro activity.
  • Model curiosity amongst the team. Use questions such as ‘Could you tell us more about that?’ and ‘What could that mean for us in the future?’.
  • Keep your team agreements in view during your retrospective. Remember you can add to them at any time.
  • Seeking to support a psychologically safe space? Switch up your retrospective to allow participants to offer their input anonymously – all voices will be heard at the same volume and ideas rather than the person who suggested them will be the focus.
  • Make the most of your presentation mode and drill down into ideas at the brainstorming, grouping as well as the discussion stages of your retrospective. This will let those who contributed the input the chance to explain and feel heard.

How to run a Sherlock retrospective in TeamRetro

Start Your Session in a Click

Log into TeamRetro and choose your template. Customise questions and the workflow to create your perfect retro for your team.

Create Your Team Easily – No Separate Accounts Needed

Invite your team in seconds via email, link, or Slack. Role based permissions and SSO options available.

Brainstorm Individually – Free From Bias

Encourage open and honest input with anonymous brainstorming. Set the mood with background music, give teams space to think independently, and keep the session flowing with built-in timers.
Grouping of ideas after brainstorming in a retrospective meeting

Smart Grouping for Faster Insights

Easily drag and drop similar ideas or let AI suggest groupings to save time. Choose between facilitator-led or participant-led grouping to match your team’s workflow.
Grouping of ideas after brainstorming in a retrospective meeting

Fair, Flexible, and Fast Voting

Keep votes private and unbiased with multiple voting options. Once voting is complete, TeamRetro automatically sorts results, helping your team focus on what matters most.
Grouping of ideas after brainstorming in a retrospective meeting

Engage, React, and Capture Key Insights

Walk your team through ideas one by one with Presentation Mode. Stay in sync, spark real-time discussions, and capture feedback with comments, live reactions, and polls—all in one place.

Grouping of ideas after brainstorming in a retrospective meeting

Turn Ideas Into Action

Propose next steps with team buy-in, get AI-powered action suggestions, and keep everything in one place. Committed actions sync to your personal dashboard and integrate with your workflow tools—keeping you on track.

Grouping of ideas after brainstorming in a retrospective meeting

Save, Share, and Stay on Track

Get quick AI-powered summaries, add facilitator notes, and store retrospectives in your library for easy access. Schedule your next session and track published actions to keep your team accountable at the next retro.

Grouping of ideas after brainstorming in a retrospective meeting

Turn Team Data into Actionable Insights

Uncover trends, common themes, and key engagement metrics at a glance. Track sentiment shifts, analyze conversations, and monitor completed actions to drive continuous improvement.