Retrospective of the Three Little Pigs

The retrospective of the three little pigs is a workshop format based on the tale and structured around three houses. The straw house represents what is barely standing and could collapse at any moment, the wooden house represents what is fairly solid but still requires work, and the brick house represents what is robust and of which the team is proud. The wolf can be added to highlight external threats that could blow down the houses. This format serves to share a collective diagnosis, prioritise vulnerabilities, and decide on concrete actions for strengthening.

Walkthrough

1. 1

   Set the framework and the houses

   5 min

   The facilitator displays three clearly visible columns, each illustrated by a house: straw, wood, and bricks. They say: "We will look at our work period as a village to strengthen: what is fragile, what is progressing, and what is solid." They clarify that the goal is not to judge individuals, but to identify situations, practices, or risks. Participants observe the display and ask their questions for clarification before starting.

   Tip — Draw or display the three houses: the visual representation makes sorting much more intuitive and avoids abstract debates from the start.

2. 2

   Explain the categories

   5 min

   The facilitator states the four possible zones with their exact definitions. "Straw house: what is barely standing and could collapse at any moment. Wooden house: what is fairly solid but still requires work. Brick house: what is robust and of which we are proud. The wolf, if we use it, represents external threats that could blow down our houses." They check that everyone knows where to place their ideas.

   Tip — Provide a fictitious and neutral example if the group hesitates, but avoid suggesting a real team topic: you risk steering the entire collection.

3. 3

   Individual writing on post-its

   8 to 10 min

   Each participant writes their ideas individually, one idea per post-it, linking them to the period or topic of the retrospective. The facilitator says: "Note what you are really observing: vulnerabilities in straw, points to strengthen in wood, solid successes in bricks, and possibly threats in the wolf. " Participants work in silence to avoid the influence of the faster or more expressive individuals. The facilitator keeps the pace and gently prompts those who are stuck.

   Tip — Emphasise 'one idea per post-it': this will make grouping and voting much smoother later on.

4. 4

   Share and place the post-its

   10 to 15 min

   Participants take turns briefly reading a post-it, explaining it in one or two sentences, and then placing it in the corresponding house or in the wolf if that area is used. The facilitator ensures that sharing remains factual and asks: "What does this post-it concretely refer to? Where does it make the most sense?" Others listen and may ask for a short clarification, without opening the debate yet. The goal is to make the collective map visible.

   Tip — Quickly rotate the speaking turn post-it by post-it rather than person by person until the end: this maintains attention and balances contributions.

5. 5

   Group similar themes

   7 to 10 min

   The facilitator suggests bringing together post-its that discuss the same topic or symptom. They say: "We are not removing anything; we are grouping to better see the themes. If two ideas seem related, let’s place them side by side and give them a simple title." Participants validate or correct the groupings, especially when the meaning of a post-it is ambiguous. This step transforms a list of observations into a few readable work areas.

   Tip — Do not seek perfect groupings: if a post-it creates debate, leave it separate rather than losing the group's energy.

6. 6

   Vote for priorities

   5 to 8 min

   The facilitator invites the group to choose the topics to address as a priority, paying particular attention to the straw houses. They say: "Vote for what deserves our energy now, especially what risks collapsing if we do nothing." Participants vote on the post-its or groupings according to the method chosen by the facilitator. Once the voting is complete, the facilitator identifies with the group the top topics and checks that they are well understood.

   Tip — Before voting, remind that voting for a topic is not blaming someone: it is choosing where the team best protects its system.

7. 7

   Define strengthening actions

   10 to 15 min

   The group transforms the priorities into concrete actions, starting with strengthening the selected straw houses. The facilitator asks: "What simple action would make this house less fragile? Who needs to be involved? How will we know it’s better?" Participants formulate applicable decisions and avoid vague intentions like 'better communication'. The facilitator notes the visible actions, then confirms the collective commitment before closing.

   Tip — If an action seems too large, have it reduced immediately: a small completed strengthening is better than an ambitious project forgotten.

Variants

• Without the wolf: focus the workshop solely on the three houses if the group needs a very simple format or if time is short.
• With the wolf: add a zone dedicated to external threats to distinguish what the team can directly control from what needs to be monitored, escalated, or anticipated.
• Remotely: use a collaborative whiteboard with four visual zones. Participants first write their post-its in silence, then move them themselves during the sharing.
• Focused retrospective: limit the post-its to a single topic, such as a project, delivery, or specific period, to obtain more targeted actions.