🎶 Musical Jam Session
Strike up the band! In this musical retro, we’ll compose our team’s next hit by sharing which notes to add, silence, or keep playing for perfect harmony. Let’s sync up for an encore-worthy sprint!
Template Columns
🎵 Start New Melodies
Suggest fresh ideas or practices we should introduce to make our team’s music shine.
Base column: Start🔇 Stop Sour Notes
Identify habits or blockers that are out of tune and should be cut from our setlist.
Base column: Stop🎹 Continue the Rhythm
Highlight what’s working well and should remain part of our project symphony.
Base column: ContinueAbout this template
The Musical Jam Session retrospective uses a music metaphor to help teams explore new ideas, eliminate pains, and reinforce strengths for improved teamwork. Share what to start, stop, and continue to keep your project in perfect harmony.
When to use this template
Use this format near the end of a sprint or project phase to inspire creative thinking and encourage collaboration, especially when your team needs a fresh, engaging approach to reflection.
How to facilitate
Welcome everyone and introduce the musical theme, explaining each column as a part of composing the team's next great performance.
Set the ground rules for discussion and encourage participation by inviting team members to brainstorm honestly and creatively.
Provide time for silent reflection. Ask each person to add cards to 'Start New Melodies,' 'Stop Sour Notes,' and 'Continue the Rhythm' columns based on their experience.
Invite everyone to review all submissions, either by reading aloud or silently, and highlight any clarifications needed for ambiguous notes.
Lead a group discussion: cluster similar items and explore the reasons behind each suggestion, prioritizing the most impactful changes.
Use team voting to identify which 'melodies' to start, which 'sour notes' to remove, and key rhythms to sustain as action items.
Collaboratively agree on next steps and assign responsibilities for implementing the selected improvements.
Wrap up with a quick feedback round—ask if the format helped the team get in sync and leave on a high note.
Pro Tips
Use playful musical analogies to create a relaxed, open atmosphere and spark creative insights.
Encourage quieter voices by framing contributions as parts of a song—every instrument matters.
Keep the tempo steady but don’t rush; allow for deeper reflection if a topic strikes a chord with the team.
FAQ
What if team members don’t resonate with the musical metaphor?
Briefly explain the theme is for fun and creative thinking—focus on the core columns and let team members contribute in whatever language feels natural.
How do we handle too many ideas in the 'Start' or 'Stop' columns?
Cluster similar suggestions and prioritize as a group. Remind everyone it's better to choose a few actionable changes than overwhelm the team.
What’s the best way to make action items stick after the session?
Assign clear owners and deadlines, then revisit progress in your next team meeting to keep improvements in the spotlight.
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At a glance
- Duration
40–55 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