The Go Live Gala retrospective is a festive framework designed to help teams celebrate their launch, discuss improvements, and identify winning practices to carry forward.

When to use this template

This format is perfect right after a major launch or project milestone when the team needs to celebrate progress and reflect constructively.

How to facilitate

Begin the retro with quick highlights of the go live celebration to set a positive and festive tone

Introduce each column and encourage the team to think about new actions to start, things to stop, and successes to continue

Have everyone add their thoughts to each column, using examples from the recent launch

Invite team members to present their notes, elaborating on why each item matters

Facilitate a collaborative discussion to surface themes, capture insights, and prioritize actions

Work with the team to select 2-3 concrete next steps from the discussion

End by recognizing team achievements and sharing appreciation

Pro Tips

Use upbeat music or launch-themed visuals to enhance the vibe and energize participants

Encourage everyone to share not just successes, but also small improvements and lessons learned

After prioritizing actions, assign owners to ensure follow-through and accountability

Mix positive story sharing with critical feedback for a balanced and motivating session

FAQ

How do we keep the retro celebratory but still address tough topics?

Mix light-hearted moments with open invitations for candid feedback—set ground rules for respectful sharing upfront.

What if we have a lot of items in the 'Start' and 'Stop' columns?

Group similar items and collaboratively prioritize which actions are most urgent or achievable for the next period.

Is this format only for software releases?

No, it works for any big team milestone or project go live—adapt the context as needed.

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At a glance

Duration
40–55 min
Team Size
4-12 people
Columns
3 columns
Base Format
Start, Stop, Continue

Ready to get started?

Use this template to run your next retrospective

🎉🚦 Go Live Gala

Raise a toast to our big launch! This Go Live Gala retro lets us celebrate victories, acknowledge bumps, and fine-tune our next steps to keep the party going. Let’s reflect, dance through learnings, and set the stage for continued success!

Template Columns

🎬 Curtain Up! (Start)

🔕 Last Call (Stop)

🥂 Encore! (Continue)

About this template