Purpose

The Happiness Radar Retrospective measures team satisfaction across multiple work dimensions — such as processes, tools, teamwork, and learning — by having each member rate their happiness on a simple scale. It surfaces patterns of dissatisfaction that might not emerge in open discussion and provides a quantitative baseline for tracking improvement over time.

At a glance

• Group size: 3–15 people
• Duration: 20 minutes
• Difficulty: Beginner
• Facilitation style: Structured
• Setting: Both / Remote-friendly

How to run

1. Define 4–6 categories (e.g., teamwork, tools, processes, learning, pace, communication).
2. Each participant rates their happiness in each category on a scale (e.g., 1–5 or smiley faces) — use a matrix or radar chart (3 minutes).
3. Aggregate the scores visually — mark highs and lows (2 minutes).
4. Discuss: why are certain areas low? What makes the high areas work? (10 minutes).
5. Choose 1–2 low-scoring areas and define concrete improvement actions (5 minutes).

Materials needed

• Pre-printed or digital radar chart / matrix
• Coloured stickers or digital voting
• Markers
• Timer

Pitfalls & common mistakes

• Using too many categories — keep it to 4–6 or the discussion becomes shallow.
• Ignoring high-scoring areas — briefly celebrate them to reinforce good practices.
• Running this every sprint without variety — it loses impact; alternate with other formats.

Inclusion & accessibility

• Use anonymous rating to reduce social pressure.
• Provide numeric and visual scales (numbers + smiley faces) for different cognitive preferences.
• Ensure remote participants can vote equally (use digital polls).

Variations

• Niko-Niko Calendar: track daily happiness over the entire sprint, then review in the retro.
• Team vs. Individual Radar: each person draws their own radar, then overlay for comparison.
• Trend Radar: compare this sprint's radar with the previous one to visualize progress.

When NOT to use this

• When the team needs to deep-dive into a specific incident — use a timeline or Five Whys.
• When morale is critically low and numbers might feel reductive — use a more open, emotional format like Mad Sad Glad.

Source & further reading

• Agile coaching community practices.
• Retromat (retromat.org).