🎆🇺🇸 4th of July Spark Spectacular
Light up our agile journey like the 4th of July! Reflect on our project’s fireworks (successes), fizzles (challenges), and ways we can make the next celebration even brighter together.
Template Columns
🎇 Firework Highlights
Celebrate the moments that shined bright and propelled our project forward.
Base column: What Went Well🧨 Duds & Sputters
Share the fizzles, misfires, and blockers that dimmed our progress.
Base column: What Went Wrong🎆 Next Year's Parade
Offer fun ideas and actions to make our next sprint’s show even better.
Base column: What We Want to ImproveAbout this template
The 4th of July Spark Spectacular retrospective uses a festive theme to celebrate wins, address challenges, and generate creative actions for continuous improvement.
When to use this template
Use this format when your team needs to re-energize, recognize achievements, and reignite motivation following a crucial sprint, project milestone, or tough delivery.
How to facilitate
Welcome the team and introduce the Spark Spectacular theme to set a fun, celebratory tone.
Briefly explain each column so everyone understands Firework Highlights are for wins, Duds & Sputters for obstacles, and Next Year's Parade for improvements.
Give participants time to add reflections to each column, encouraging vibrant and honest contributions.
Invite everyone to read through the notes, then facilitate group discussion, starting with highlights to build positivity.
Transition to Duds & Sputters, helping the team explore root causes and share learnings openly without blame.
Focus on Next Year’s Parade, brainstorming creative and actionable steps together to address challenges and amplify future success.
Vote as a team to prioritize one or two improvements to action in the next cycle, and assign owners if applicable.
Recap commitments and thank the team for their energy, ending on an optimistic outlook for the next 'parade'.
Pro Tips
Invite team members to share success stories aloud to amplify recognition and morale.
Use themed visuals or music to boost engagement and keep the energy festive throughout the session.
Encourage all voices during Duds & Sputters by using anonymous notes or chat features to surface tough issues.
Tie Next Year's Parade actions directly to observed challenges to ensure the team sees real progress.
Include a quick round of gratitude at the end to build camaraderie and close on a high note.
FAQ
What if people focus only on the negatives?
Start with celebrations to build momentum and encourage a balance of all columns. Remind the group that recognizing wins is as vital as improvement.
How do I handle sensitive issues raised in Duds & Sputters?
Address issues constructively, focusing on processes over people. Offer to take delicate topics offline if a public discussion isn’t appropriate.
What if the team struggles to suggest ideas in Next Year's Parade?
Kickstart brainstorming with prompts or link new actions directly to identified challenges. Encourage even small or experimental improvements.
At a glance
- Duration
50–60 min
- Team Size
4-12 people
- Columns
3 columns
- Base Format
What Went Well, What Went Wrong, What We Want to Improve
Tags
Ready to get started?
Use this template to run your next retrospective