🏕️🔥 Campfire Chronicles

Gather around the campfire to reflect on our trek: spark new ideas, extinguish obstacles, and keep the journey warm and steady.
45–60 min
4-12 people
Based on: Start, Stop, Continue
🏕️🔥 Campfire Chronicles

Template Columns

🚀 Ignite New Trails

Identify fresh practices to launch our adventure forward.

Base column: Start
🛑 Douse the Embers

Highlight habits that smolder and hinder our progress.

Base column: Stop
🌲 Keep the Campfire Burning

Celebrate the routines that keep our team warm and productive.

Base column: Continue

About this template

A themed retrospective that helps teams ignite fresh ideas, douse counter‑productive habits, and celebrate ongoing strengths, using a campfire metaphor.

When to use this template

Best for teams that need a creative boost after a sprint or project phase, especially when morale and continuous improvement are priorities.

How to facilitate

1

Introduce the campfire metaphor, explain the three columns, and set a timer for each discussion segment

2

Invite participants to add sticky notes to the virtual board: ideas to ignite new trails, habits to douse, and practices to keep burning

3

Group similar notes together and briefly discuss each column, starting with Ignite New Trails

4

Allow the team to vote on the most impactful items in Ignite and Douse columns using dot voting

5

Turn the top voted Ignite and Douse items into concrete action items, assigning owners and due dates

6

Close by highlighting the Keep the Campfire Burning items and doing a quick appreciation round

Pro Tips

Set a visible timer for each column to keep energy high

Prompt quieter members to share via the chat or a quick round‑robin to ensure all voices are heard

Add a campfire background or sound effect to the video call to reinforce the theme

FAQ

What if the team runs out of ideas for Ignite New Trails?

Prompt them with guiding questions like ‘What did we wish we could have done differently?’ or use silent brainstorming for a few minutes to generate fresh thoughts.

How do we handle dominant voices taking over the discussion?

Facilitate a round‑robin or use the chat for input, and remind the group to respect the timer and give space to all contributors.

Can this format be shortened for a 30‑minute session?

Yes, combine the discussion of Ignite and Douse columns, limit voting to a single round, and focus on one or two high‑impact actions instead of a full list.

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At a glance

  • Duration

    45–60 min

  • Team Size

    4-12 people

  • Columns

    3 columns

  • Base Format

    Start, Stop, Continue

Tags

team building
continuous improvement
action-oriented
reflection
remote-friendly

Ready to get started?

Use this template to run your next retrospective