🛠️🍔 Labor Day Picnic
Let’s fire up the grill and celebrate our efforts! Just like a great Labor Day picnic, it takes teamwork to savor success. Share what we should start, stop, and continue to make our project a true team feast!
Template Columns
🔥 Fire Up the Grill (Start)
Suggest fresh ideas or habits we should kick off for an even better teamwork cookout.
Base column: Start🚫 Skip the Burnt Burgers (Stop)
Identify practices we should leave behind to avoid spoiling our project’s picnic.
Base column: Stop🍉 Keep the Good Vibes (Continue)
Highlight what’s making our picnic great and worth repeating for more project fun.
Base column: ContinueAbout this template
The Labor Day Picnic retrospective uses a fun, picnic-themed format to help teams reflect on what to start, stop, and continue for greater collaboration and project success.
When to use this template
Use this retrospective at project milestones or after a sprint when you want to mix up reflection with a light-hearted, seasonal touch and foster open sharing.
How to facilitate
Welcome everyone and set the stage by introducing the picnic theme, emphasizing the shared goal of savoring team successes and improvements.
Present the three columns: Fire Up the Grill (Start), Skip the Burnt Burgers (Stop), and Keep the Good Vibes (Continue). Clarify what type of feedback fits under each category.
Give everyone a few minutes to add their thoughts to each column independently, encouraging honest and constructive input.
Invite team members to review the board and briefly explain their points, grouping similar items together as you go for better discussion flow.
Facilitate a focused discussion on each column, digging deeper into the reasons behind each suggestion and exploring actionable next steps.
Prioritize a few key actions to try in the next sprint or cycle, making sure everyone is clear on commitments.
Wrap up by celebrating current successes (Keep the Good Vibes) and thank the team for their spirit and contributions.
Pro Tips
Sprinkle in fun picnic-themed icebreakers to get everyone in a positive and engaged mindset.
Use timers for the brainstorming phase to keep energy high and the process efficient.
Encourage quieter team members by inviting them to share or by using anonymous input features for honest feedback.
Connect each 'Start' or 'Stop' item to a concrete action or owner to boost follow-through.
FAQ
What if we're stuck on what to put in 'Start' or 'Stop'?
Prompt the team by asking about recent challenges or new ideas they’ve considered but not yet tried. Encourage reflecting on small changes, not just big shifts.
How do we keep the session from becoming repetitive if we use 'Start, Stop, Continue' regularly?
Refresh the format with seasonal themes or different facilitation methods. Leverage the picnic concept to spark creative thinking and make the experience feel new.
What if team members only focus on negatives in the 'Stop' column?
Balance the discussion by celebrating wins in the 'Continue' column first. Remind everyone of the goal to build on the team’s strengths and enjoy successes together.
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At a glance
- Duration
35–50 min
- Team Size
3-10 people
- Columns
3 columns
- Base Format
Start, Stop, Continue
Tags
Ready to get started?
Use this template to run your next retrospective