# Draw Your Feelings Participants draw a quick image, object, or symbol showing how they feel entering the meeting. They post the sketch and share brief reflections in pairs or as a group. **Time:** 10 minutes. UWT suggested standard 10-minute running time for the 5-15 minute band in source notes. **People:** 4 to 24. Individual drawing followed by pairs or whole-group visual tour ## Choose this exercise **Purpose:** Give participants a visual, non-verbal way to express their current state before tackling agenda topics. **Use it when:** At the start of a retrospective, team check-in, or planning session to take the emotional temperature of the room. **Skip it when:** When team members face acute interpersonal conflict or when the meeting requires an immediate, task-focused briefing without personal reflection. ## Materials and tools - One blank index card or sticky note (at least 3x3 inches) per person - One felt-tip pen or marker per person - Wall space, whiteboard, or tabletop for displaying drawings - Countdown timer ## Before participants arrive 1. Clear a central table, wall, or whiteboard where everyone can see posted cards. 2. Place one index card and one marker at each seat. 3. Set up digital whiteboard with drawing cards enabled if running online. ## Say this to open Before we look at our agenda, we will do a short visual check-in. Take an index card and draw a simple picture that shows how you feel right now coming into this meeting. It can be a weather symbol, an animal, a vehicle, or an abstract shape. Artistic skill does not matter. You have three minutes to sketch. ## How to run it ### 1. Prompt and individual sketching (3 minutes) Distribute drawing materials. Read the prompt and start a 3-minute timer. Participants sketch individually in silence. Emphasize that stick figures, simple shapes, and metaphoric objects are welcome. Remind people that participation is voluntary; anyone may write a word, use a pre-existing shape, or leave the card face down. ### 2. Post drawings (2 minutes) Ask everyone to bring their cards to the central board or table. Participants post or lay down their sketches without speaking, then take a moment to look at the collected images. ### 3. Pair or whole-room sharing (3 minutes) For groups larger than 8, have people turn to a neighbor and share what their drawing represents for 90 seconds each. If there is an odd number of participants, form one trio with 60 seconds per person. For groups of 8 or fewer, conduct a quick round where each person who wishes to speak explains their drawing in one sentence. Anyone may pass by saying 'Pass'. ### 4. Facilitator summary and transition (2 minutes) Call attention to patterns across the board, such as heavy weather versus clear skies, or low energy versus high velocity. Connect the overall mood to how the team will pace today's work, then transition directly into the main agenda. ## Debrief questions - What common patterns or contrasts do you notice across our drawings today? - How might our current energy levels affect how we work together during this session? **Finished output:** A shared board or surface displaying everyone's check-in drawings, providing an immediate snapshot of team mood. ## Remote Use a digital whiteboard (such as EasyRetro or Miro) with drawing cards enabled. Give participants 3 minutes to draw using the digital pen tool, or draw on a scrap piece of paper and hold it up to the camera or upload a photo. Display all cards on a single board. For groups over 8, use breakout pairs (or one trio for an odd count) for 3 minutes to share before returning to main room. ## Hybrid In-person participants draw on paper cards and post them on a shared wall. Remote participants use the digital whiteboard or hold their sketch to their camera. The facilitator projects the digital board in the physical room and points a camera at the physical wall, or photographs physical cards to upload onto the shared digital board so both audiences see all cards simultaneously. ## Access and participation choices - Participants who do not wish to draw can write a single word, choose an emoji, or select a pre-drawn shape. - Sharing the meaning of the drawing aloud is completely optional; passing requires no explanation. ## If the session gets stuck **Participants stall because they claim they cannot draw.** Remind the room that stick figures, basic squiggles, clouds, and battery bars are ideal. The drawing is a symbol, not an art competition. **One person begins oversharing sensitive personal grievances during the share phase.** Acknowledge the feeling briefly ('Thank you for sharing where you are at today') and gently steer the group to the next turn to protect the time boundary. ## Terms used here - Check-in: A brief opening exercise to gauge participant state of mind before opening formal agenda discussions. ## Sources and adaptation Observed in EasyRetro templates and cataloged on FunRetrospectives as an agile check-in exercise. Retained core mechanic from EasyRetro template: participants draw a quick symbolic picture (such as a vehicle or weather) to express current feelings instead of relying only on words. UWT added explicit step pacing (10 minutes total), pairing and trio rules for odd group counts, specific hybrid integration, and pass options. [EasyRetro](https://easyretro.io/templates/draw-your-feelings/) [FunRetrospectives](https://www.funretrospectives.com/draw-your-feelings/?utm_source=ScrumMasterToolbox) Current run sheet: https://unitedwetransform.com/exercises/draw-your-feelings/