☢️💥 Nuclear Fallout

Brace for impact! In this post‑apocalypse retro, we assess our shelter’s defenses, identify radiation leaks, and reinforce the protocols that keep our project alive.
45–60 min
4-12 people
Based on: Start, Stop, Continue
☢️💥 Nuclear Fallout

Template Columns

☢️ Initiate Containment

Identify new safety measures or practices to begin protecting our project from future fallout.

Base column: Start
🛑 Halt Meltdowns

Stop any processes that cause unnecessary chaos or burnouts, preventing project meltdowns.

Base column: Stop
🔧 Maintain Shield

Keep up the resilient practices that safeguard our workflow and sustain momentum.

Base column: Continue

About this template

A post‑apocalypse themed retro that identifies new safety measures, stops harmful practices, and reinforces resilient habits to keep the project alive.

When to use this template

Use when the team feels burnout, chaotic processes, or recent setbacks threaten project stability.

How to facilitate

1

Introduce the nuclear fallout theme, explain the three columns and their purpose

2

Give each participant a few minutes to write individual ideas on virtual sticky notes for each column

3

Group similar ideas together and discuss each column, focusing on new safety measures, stopping meltdowns, and maintaining shields

4

Vote on the most critical items in each column using dot voting or a simple poll

5

Turn the top‑voted items into concrete action items with clear owners and due dates

6

Summarize the commitments, capture them in the team tracker, and close with a quick pulse check

Pro Tips

Use visual icons (radiation, shield) on the digital board to keep the theme engaging

Limit each participant to three items per column to keep discussion focused

Turn voting into a “radiation level” scale to highlight the most critical issues

Record action items in a shared tracker immediately after the retro

FAQ

What if the team is unfamiliar with the nuclear metaphor?

Explain briefly that it’s a fun framing for safety and resilience; the focus stays on concrete actions, not the theme.

How many items should we aim for per column?

Aim for 5‑7 items total; too many can dilute focus, too few may miss key issues.

What if we can’t agree on what to stop?

Facilitate a quick dot‑vote to surface the most disruptive practices, then discuss compromises or incremental improvements.

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At a glance

  • Duration

    45–60 min

  • Team Size

    4-12 people

  • Columns

    3 columns

  • Base Format

    Start, Stop, Continue

Tags

team health
risk management
action-oriented
post‑mortem
engagement

Ready to get started?

Use this template to run your next retrospective