🌴☀️ Long Weekend Escape
Get into vacation mode as we unwind and reflect on our project journey. Celebrate the wins, lament the setbacks, and identify those frustrations that clouded our sunny days. Let's plan for a more refreshing sprint ahead!
Template Columns
🌞 Happy Escapes
Celebrate the moments that brought joy and success, just like a sunny day on a long weekend.
Base column: Glad🌧️ Rainy Blues
Reflect on the disappointments or misses that felt like an unanticipated rainstorm over the weekend.
Base column: Sad🌪️ Tempest Troubles
Share the frustrations and obstacles that felt like storms, disrupting the relaxation of the weekend.
Base column: MadAbout this template
The Long Weekend Escape retrospective encourages teams to unwind and reflect on the highlights, challenges, and frustrations of their work, drawing parallels to a relaxing (or chaotic) vacation.
When to use this template
Use this template after completing a challenging sprint or project phase when the team needs to decompress and recuperate.
How to facilitate
Start by setting the mood and explaining the vacation metaphor for this retrospective.
Share a brief personal story or photo that resonates with a relaxing weekend or vacation to help the team connect emotionally.
Introduce each column, explaining its metaphorical meaning and inviting team members to share examples.
Encourage team members to write their reflections on virtual sticky notes under each column.
Review the collected notes for each column collaboratively, discussing patterns or surprises.
Identify 1–2 actionable improvements based on the insights gathered from the discussion.
Conclude by revisiting the relaxing metaphor and celebrating progress or learnings.
Thank everyone for their participation and transition back to normal operations positively.
Pro Tips
Play calming or nature-themed background music to set a relaxing atmosphere.
Encourage team members to bring a coffee or their favorite drink to contribute to the informal vibe.
Use visuals like a tropical beach background to reinforce the vacation metaphor.
FAQ
How can I ensure all team members participate?
Engage everyone with an opening icebreaker question about their dream vacation. This helps set the tone and encourages involvement.
What if the group tends to dwell on negatives?
Balance the discussion by spending adequate time celebrating wins before addressing frustrations.
How do I handle heated emotions?
Acknowledge strong feelings respectfully and guide the conversation towards identifying actionable resolutions.
At a glance
- Duration
45–60 min
- Team Size
3-10 people
- Columns
3 columns
- Base Format
Glad, Sad, Mad
Tags
Ready to get started?
Use this template to run your next retrospective