Temperature reading retrospectives & continuous learning

A large, realistic diagram drawn on a white wall. The top half is a horizontal timeline handwritten labeled 'Timeline of Events', filled with a dense cluster of multi-colored sticky notes. The bottom half is a chart hand-written titled 'Energy Timeline', featuring seven horizontally distinct, hand-drawn, squiggly lines, each in a different colour, showing dramatic rises and sharp falls. The style is photorealistic, with sharp focus on the detailed textures of the paper and ink.

Inspired by Virginia Satir’s Temperature Reading, expanded with timelines for real organisational retrospectives

This choreography combines a factual sequence of events, the team’s shifting energy, and a structured reflection process. It grounds discussion in reality, captures both what happened and how it was experienced, and turns that into actionable learning.

The flow

  1. Timeline of events — map the key milestones, decisions, and incidents.

  2. Energy timeline — layer in how the team’s energy rose and dipped along the way.

  3. Temperature reading — reflect on what went well, what did not, what was learned, open questions, and next actions.

The result is a retrospective that surfaces hidden dynamics, strengthens collective insight, and builds the capacity for continuous learning and the next choreographies.