The Meaning of Easter Retrospective

Choose this exercise

Purpose: Categorize recent project experiences into strengths, practices to abandon, and new habits to test.

Use it when: Use during a sprint review or retrospective when a seasonal Easter theme fits the team culture.

Skip it when: Skip in multicultural or multifaith teams where religious holiday framing may cause discomfort or distraction.

Group arrangement: Individual silent reflection, then subgroups of 3 or 4 (with one group of 5 if numbers require), followed by whole-room prioritization

Timing: UWT plan for a complete 45-minute retrospective; source provided column prompts without timing.

Materials and tools

• Physical wall or digital whiteboard divided into three columns: Why Special (tools and processes that worked), The Sacrifice, The Resurrection
• Physical sticky notes in three distinct colors (1 pad per subgroup in person) or digital sticky notes
• Header cards or larger blank sticky notes for cluster titles
• Fine markers (one per participant in person)
• Sticky dot stickers or digital voting stamps (3 per person)
• Timer

Before participants arrive

1. Prepare three columns on the wall or online board: 'Why Special' (tools and processes that worked), 'The Sacrifice' (tools and processes to stop), and 'The Resurrection' (practices to bring to life).
2. Distribute sticky notes, markers, header cards, and voting dots to tables.

Say this to open

Today we will reflect on our recent work using three seasonal prompts. First, 'Why Special', looking at the tools and processes that helped us succeed. Second, 'The Sacrifice', looking at what we are willing to let go of to perform better. Third, 'The Resurrection', looking at new practices we want to bring to life. Treat these prompts strictly as operational lenses on our work. You choose what to write and share.

How to run it

1. Introduce prompts and silent reflection 7 minutes

   Read the three column prompts aloud. Share one neutral example: under The Sacrifice, stopping an unread weekly report; under The Resurrection, testing a 10-minute daily check-in. Participants write silently on sticky notes, one concept per note, aiming for 1 or 2 notes per column. Passing on any column is completely fine.

2. Subgroup review, clustering, and labeling 18 minutes

   Form groups of 3 or 4. If participant numbers leave an extra person, form one group of 5. Participants share their top 1 or 2 notes per column within their subgroup and combine duplicate ideas. Each subgroup posts their selected notes into matching columns on the main board, clusters related topics together, and writes a clear header card above each cluster.

3. Review clusters and vote 10 minutes

   The facilitator reads the posted cluster titles across the board and invites clarifying questions. Each participant then uses their three voting dots or digital stamps to vote on the most vital items to eliminate under The Sacrifice or test under The Resurrection. Participants may distribute dots across multiple items or place several on one item.

4. Assign actions and debrief 10 minutes

   Select the two items with the most votes. Confirm one owner and a trial deadline for each item. Ask one or two debrief questions from the list to close the meeting, recording commitments on the board.

Debrief questions

• Which dropped practice will free up the most capacity immediately?
• What is the first step needed this week to test our chosen new practice?
• Who will track progress on these commitments during our next cycle?

Finished output: A board of clustered team observations with vote totals and at least one assigned operational action item with an owner and deadline.

Remote

Set up the three columns on a shared digital board. Participants post digital sticky notes silently, move into breakout rooms of 3 to 4 to compare and cluster, then return to the main room. Use digital voting stamps for the prioritization round.

Hybrid

All participants post directly to a shared digital whiteboard. In-person participants work on laptops to post notes and vote. If physical sticky notes are used in the room, assign one designated in-room scribe with a laptop to transcribe notes directly to the digital board before the review step. Remote participants speak first during cluster readouts.

Access and participation choices

• Participants may submit written notes silently without reading them aloud.
• Participants may skip personal holiday commentary and write strictly about work processes.
• Participants may choose not to use all three voting dots.

If the session gets stuck

Discussion turns toward religious debates or personal beliefs.

Remind the room that the prompts serve only as metaphors for team work habits, and redirect conversation back to project processes.

Notes in the Sacrifice column criticize individual colleagues rather than systems.

Intervene immediately and rephrase the note into an impersonal workflow constraint or remove the note with the author's consent.

Terms used here

• Retro: A structured team meeting to inspect recent work and agree on practical improvements.