Coat of Arms Retrospective Template
An engaging team icebreaker with a creative twist that helps remote teams connect on a deeper level while having fun. This virtual Coat of Arms activity transforms the traditional "get to know you" exercise into an interactive experience where team members interpret each other's visual identity shields.
What Is the Coat of Arms Template?
The Coat of Arms is a visual icebreaker that invites team members to create a personal heraldic shield representing their identity, values, and characteristics. Unlike standard introductions, this activity adds an engaging twist: after creating their shields, participants interpret and present someone else's Coat of Arms to the group, leading to amusing misinterpretations and insightful discussions.
Each shield contains specific sections for participants to complete:
- My Symbol: A personal icon or representation
- My Colors: Colors that represent the individual (on both sides)
- My Role: Professional position or team function
- My Skills: Key strengths and capabilities
- My Animal: An animal they identify with
- My Values: Core principles that guide them
- My Motto: A personal slogan or guiding phrase
Benefits & When to Use
This template is particularly valuable for:
- Onboarding new team members in remote or hybrid environments
- Building connections within newly formed agile or product teams
- Refreshing team dynamics after organizational changes
- Breaking the ice before intensive sprint planning or quarterly planning sessions
- Creating psychological safety in distributed teams
The activity helps uncover hidden talents, shared values, and personal stories that might not emerge in typical work conversations, strengthening team bonds and improving collaboration.
How to Run a Coat of Arms Session (30-45 minutes)
Introduction (3 minutes)
- Explain that participants will create personal Coat of Arms shields and then interpret someone else's creation
- Clarify the purpose: deepening team connections in a fun, visual way
Shield Selection (2 minutes)
- Have each participant select one of the blank Coat of Arms templates
- Copy and paste templates if additional shields are needed
Setup (1 minute)
- Start a Meeting in Metro Retro
- Ensure drawing tools, image uploading, and text functions are enabled
Shield Creation (10 minutes)
- Participants fill each section of their shield using drawings, images, or text
- Encourage creativity and authenticity in their representations
Pairing & Interpretation (3 minutes)
- Pair team members to review each other's shields
- Partners examine the visual elements and prepare to present their interpretation
Group Presentation (20 minutes for a group of 8)
- Each person presents their interpretation of their partner's Coat of Arms
- After each presentation, the shield creator can clarify any misinterpretations
- This reveal often creates moments of laughter and deeper understanding
Reflection (5 minutes)
- Discuss any surprising revelations or common themes
- Highlight how the team's diversity of backgrounds and values contributes to its strength
Tips for a Successful Session
- Participation Guidance: Emphasize that artistic skill isn't important—simple stick figures or emojis work perfectly
- Balanced Content: Encourage a mix of professional attributes (skills, role) and personal elements (values, motto)
- Presentation Timing: Keep presentations brief (2-3 minutes per person) to maintain energy
- Screenshot Keepsake: Consider saving the completed shields as a team artifact to revisit
- Psychological Safety: Make it clear that participants control how much they want to share about their interpretations
- Distributed Teams: For fully remote teams, consider using breakout rooms for the pairing phase
- Facilitate Inclusively: Ensure quieter team members have equal opportunity to present
This fun, visual activity transforms standard team introductions into a memorable experience that builds connections while revealing the unique personalities that make up your development or product team.
