Retro Magazine: A Refreshing Spin on Retrospectives
A Stimulating Approach to Team Reflections that Promotes Engagement
Retrospectives: a familiar routine to reflect on past experiences and lessons learned. We’ve all been there, replaying that same format over and over again and wondering if the office plants have secretly started to judge us for it. But what if I told you there’s a way to shape these sessions into a team-building experience instead?
Enter Retro Magazine — a simple twist that revitalizes retrospectives.
Creating a Different Vibe
Imagine this: a buzzing room, teammates armed with sticky notes and markers, leaving the laptops behind. We’re assembled like editors in a publication company, working together to create a captivating cover story for our fictional company magazine. This narrative would tell the tale of our mission’s journey and accomplishments.
Setting the Stage with DIY Creativity
Craving something beyond the usual templates from platforms like Miro and Metro Retro, I set my sights on a fresher approach. With newfound inspiration from the digital world, I came up with the idea of a Retro Magazine. Like an editor-in-chief unveiling a fresh layout, I presented the empty magazine to the team and explained that it was up to us to fill these pages with our journey.
Page 1: Unveiling the Team’s Journey
Since Retro Magazine is all about storytelling, we started off by sharing our achievements and reliving the moments that shaped our mission. Then, like true pros, we turned those memories into our success story, giving us a fresh perspective on our journey.
Page 2: Famous Quotes — Shared Moments of Wisdom and Laughs
Here’s the next page of our magazine, where we shared all the funny jokes and witty remarks from the mission. Though we’d love to reveal the hilarious and insightful quotes from this part of our retrospective, most of it will remain a team secret. Some quotes were inside jokes, others candid observations. This segment became a retrospective highlight as it kept the spirits high and had each and every one of us laughing our socks off.
Page 3: Passing Down Life Lessons
As the retro continued, we shared what we learned, offering advice based on our experience. These insights weren’t just for us — they’re there for future teams to learn from, helping them avoid the same mistakes and ensuring smoother missions ahead.
Page 4: Capturing the Journey in Art
Then it was time to create the cover image. We started by sketching our journey on paper, taking turns to draw something — capturing the ups, the downs, and everything in between. Later on, we refined it by using design tools, bringing our image to life!
Page 5: Expressing Thankfulness
In the spirit of gratitude, we thanked each other for our dedication and also expressed our appreciation to the mentors who guided us through challenges. And yes, we even gave a shout-out to our friendly food delivery couriers who made sure we stayed energized during intense work sessions.
Celebration Continues: Pizza Time!
After our awesome retrospective, we had an epic pizza-making session. We laughed, shared stories, and created culinary delights together.
A Note of Caution: Context Matters
Remember, Retro Magazine suits success stories. For challenging missions, a more serious reflection might be needed. Align your approach with your team’s situation.
Ready to try it out as well? Templates Await!
If you’re eager to give the Retro Magazine a whirl, I’ve included the templates to help you kick-start your journey. Bring your team’s story to life in a format that’s as engaging as it is reflective. But if you happen to possess some nifty Photoshop skills, don’t hesitate to create your magazine from scratch!
If you would like to be a part of our innovative team, check out our open positions at https://www.scoro.com/careers/
