đłď¸âđ Flag Day Parade
Wave your teamâs colors and reflect on our journey! Letâs march together, raising flags for new ideas, lowering those that slow us down, and celebrating what already flies high. Unite our progress under banners of collaboration and improvement!
Template Columns
đŠ Hoist New Flags
Share new practices or initiatives our team should proudly raise and start.
Base column: Startâł Lower Worn Banners
Identify habits, processes, or tools we should retire and stop saluting.
Base column: Stopđ Keep Flags Flying
Celebrate the strengths and routines worth keeping at full mast in our workflow.
Base column: ContinueAbout this template
The Flag Day Parade retrospective energizes your team to reflect on new ideas, retire ineffective habits, and celebrate what works well. Use this vibrant, parade-inspired format to encourage open, collaborative discussions about process improvement.
When to use this template
Use this template when your team needs to reinvigorate continuous improvement, especially after major milestones, shifts in direction, or if engagement has dipped.
How to facilitate
Start with a quick introduction explaining the flag theme and column meanings to set a positive, collaborative tone.
Conduct a short icebreaker to get everyone thinking about team wins and areas for change.
Invite team members to contribute to the âHoist New Flagsâ column by proposing new initiatives, practices, or tools the team should try.
Ask the team to add cards to âLower Worn Bannersâ by identifying anything thatâs become outdated or is holding the team back.
Encourage additions to âKeep Flags Flyingâ to recognize effective processes and celebrate team strengths.
Group similar ideas, discuss the most impactful flags in each column, and prioritize a few actions or experiments for the next iteration.
Summarize key takeaways and assign ownership for agreed action items to maintain accountability.
End with a quick round of gratitude or appreciation to boost morale and reinforce the teamâs unity.
Pro Tips
Encourage quieter team members to share their thoughts first to set an inclusive tone.
Connect each 'new flag' to a specific next step to keep momentum after the meeting.
Make time to discuss why some banners need retiringâdig into root causes to avoid repeat issues.
Visually celebrate wins by displaying the âKeep Flags Flyingâ column in team spaces or channels post-retrospective.
FAQ
What if the team struggles to suggest new flags?
Prompt with specific questions, like areas you wish worked better or new tech you want to explore. Consider sharing examples to break the ice.
How do we avoid the same actions piling up in the 'Lower Worn Banners' column?
Review past retros before the meeting to spot recurring banners. Facilitate deeper discussion on root causes and set firm steps to address them.
Whatâs the best way to celebrate wins from 'Keep Flags Flying'?
Turn team strengths into visible artifactsâshare kudos, highlight in sprint reviews, or use them as guiding principles for future work.
Can this format work for large teams?
Yes, but consider splitting into smaller groups for brainstorming, then reconvening to share highlights for more focused discussions.
At a glance
- Duration
45â60 min
- Team Size
4-12 people
- Columns
3 columns
- Base Format
Start, Stop, Continue
Tags
Ready to get started?
Use this template to run your next retrospective