Diamond or Charcoal Retrospective Game

Gauging team member’s feelings about a project or part of the project is a great way to start meetings. Diamond or Charcoal allows you to gauge your team’s feelings in a fun and unique sprint retrospective game.

What is Diamond or Charcoal?

This retro activity is a great addition to your retrospective repertoire. To start, the facilitator will draw a diagonal line, place a diamond at the highest point and charcoal at the lowest. Then, you will ask team members how they feel about the project based on the scale of charcoal to diamond. After plugging in everyone’s feelings on the scale, the team can discuss what the majority is feeling and address any issues. 

When Should Diamond or Charcoal be Used?

Diamond or charcoal is a great activity when you want to gauge how team members are feeling about the project. It allows everyone to use a scale that is not very common and have fun doing it. Additionally, being able to discuss feelings about the project, whether that is anxiety or confidence, allows everyone to be on the same page and help each other get out of a difficult obstacle. 

What Makes Diamond or Charcoal Helpful?

This activity is a great opportunity for team members to open up to each other since you can discuss your feelings about the project honestly. Additionally, this agile retro idea is very helpful because it allows all members to get on the same page during or at the beginning of a project.