🍕 Pizza Party
Let's toss some dough and build the perfect project pie! Reflect on what toppings (actions) we should add, remove, or keep for our team’s recipe for success.
Template Columns
🍅 Fresh Ingredients
Share new ideas or improvements to add to our process, just like selecting fresh toppings for a pizza.
Base column: Start🛑 Expired Toppings
Discuss practices or attitudes that are no longer working and should be removed from the mix.
Base column: Stop🧀 Cheese That Melts
Highlight actions or practices that are already working well and should continue to stick like gooey cheese.
Base column: ContinueAbout this template
The Pizza Party retrospective uses a fun, food-based metaphor to help teams reflect on what to start, stop, and continue doing for improved outcomes.
When to use this template
This template is perfect for teams looking for a playful yet insightful method to identify actionable strategies while reflecting on team practices.
How to facilitate
Begin by setting the tone with the pizza metaphor, explaining the purpose of each column and how it relates to creating the perfect team 'recipe'.
Invite team members to brainstorm individually on sticky notes or a digital board, listing ideas for each of the three categories: fresh ingredients, expired toppings, and cheese that melts.
Review each column together, grouping similar items and discussing their implications while ensuring everyone's voice is heard.
Prioritize the most impactful or feasible actions for each category, aligning as a team on next steps or commitments.
Wrap up by reflecting briefly on the retrospective’s process, gathering feedback to improve future sessions, and celebrating the positive outcomes discussed.
Pro Tips
Use relevant pizza-related prompts or examples to spark ideas and make the activity engaging.
Balance critical discussions of 'expired toppings' with positive reinforcement around 'cheese that melts'.
Encourage concrete and specific examples rather than abstract concepts to ensure actionable insights.
FAQ
What if my team finds the theme too whimsical?
Focus on the structure behind the metaphor and adapt the language to align better with the team’s culture.
How can I ensure balanced participation in discussions?
Rotate speaking turns or use a round-robin approach to allow everyone to contribute equally.
At a glance
- Duration
45-60 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