🚗🌴 Los Angeles Traffic Jam Session
Welcome to the LA freeway of retros! Merge onto the project highway, navigate smooth rides and traffic jams, and signal your ideas for a faster, safer journey ahead. Let’s keep our workflow moving!
Template Columns
🌞 Smooth Cruising Lanes
Highlight the moments our project moved as swiftly as a clear LA freeway.
Base column: What Went Well🚧 Gridlock Spots
Share the bottlenecks and slowdowns that stalled our progress, just like traffic jams on the 405.
Base column: What Went Wrong⛽️ Pit Stop Improvements
Suggest upgrades and smart moves to keep our project traffic flowing better.
Base column: What We Want to ImproveAbout this template
The LA Traffic Jam Session is a fun, themed retrospective that helps teams reflect on what enabled progress, identify project bottlenecks, and collaboratively brainstorm pragmatic improvements for smoother workflow.
When to use this template
Use this retrospective format when your team needs to boost engagement, pinpoint process slowdowns, or when visualizing workflow as a journey will resonate and motivate the group.
How to facilitate
Welcome everyone and introduce the traffic jam metaphor, setting a relaxed but focused tone.
Briefly explain each column: highlight smooth successes, identify bottlenecks, and propose process improvements.
Give the team dedicated time to add sticky notes in each column, focusing on specific examples.
Ask participants to cluster similar items to spot recurring themes or root causes, encouraging discussion as needed.
Facilitate group discussion starting with positive 'Smooth Cruising Lanes,' then analyze 'Gridlock Spots,' and conclude with potential actions in 'Pit Stop Improvements.'
Guide the team to prioritize top improvement ideas and assign clear ownership for next steps.
Wrap up by reflecting on the metaphor: how can the team keep the freeway clear and moving between retros?
Pro Tips
Prompt for specific stories or recent sprints rather than generic answers to keep feedback actionable.
Address both team culture and process bottlenecks—sometimes gridlocks are people-related, not just technical.
Keep the pace lively, using the LA traffic angle to inject energy and humor during quieter moments.
Ask quieter members which lanes (columns) they’re driving in to foster participation without pressure.
FAQ
What if the conversation gets stuck in negativity around traffic jams?
Acknowledge frustrations, but redirect the group toward constructive solutions in the Pit Stop Improvements column to maintain momentum.
How can I keep the discussion balanced across all columns?
Time-box each section and actively ask for input in 'Smooth Cruising Lanes' to celebrate wins as much as addressing problems.
Can this template work for remote or hybrid teams?
Yes, it is well-suited for online use in Kollabe and works smoothly with distributed teams using collaborative boards.
What outcomes should I expect from this retrospective?
Look for prioritized improvement actions, better clarity on recurring bottlenecks, and a refreshed, collaborative team outlook.
At a glance
- Duration
40–55 min
- Team Size
4-12 people
- Columns
3 columns
- Base Format
What Went Well, What Went Wrong, What We Want to Improve
Tags
Ready to get started?
Use this template to run your next retrospective