Lunar New Year Reflections Retrospective

Close out the old year and set fresh goals together.

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Sweep It Away

What old habits or frustrations should we leave behind?

Let's leave behind those last-minute scope changes that derailed our sprints.
I want to sweep away the habit of skipping our daily standups.
Too many meetings that could have been a quick message. Time to clear them out.
Lucky Wins

What went well and brought us fortune this past year?

Launching the new feature ahead of schedule was a huge win for us.
Our pairing sessions really lifted code quality across the team.
We finally cracked the deployment process and it's been smooth since.
Gratitude & Red Envelopes

Who or what are we grateful for this year?

Grateful to Mai for always jumping in to help debug under pressure.
Thank you to the whole team for covering while I was on leave.
I appreciated how supportive everyone was during the tough release week.
Wishes for the New Year

What do we hope to achieve in the year ahead?

I'd love for us to ship our first major release before mid-year.
My wish is for fewer interruptions and more deep-focus time.
Let's grow our test coverage so releases feel less stressful.

What is the Lunar New Year Reflections retrospective?

Lunar New Year is a time for fresh starts in many communities across East and Southeast Asia and around the world. The Lunar New Year Reflections retrospective borrows a few of its traditions to help your team close out one cycle and start the next with clear goals. The board has four columns, each tied to a custom of the season. Sweep It Away comes from cleaning the house before the new year to clear out bad luck: the team names the habits and frustrations it wants to leave behind. Lucky Wins celebrates the successes and lucky breaks of the past year. Gratitude & Red Envelopes draws on the custom of giving red envelopes for good fortune, and it's the place to thank colleagues. Wishes for the New Year captures hopes and goals for the year ahead, which you then turn into actions. You don't need to celebrate Lunar New Year to run it. Some teams use it as a year-in-review in January or February, and others use it any time they want a reset that mixes recognition with planning. Say in your intro that the theme is a way in and the conversation is about your team's work.

Lunar New Year Reflections retrospective format

Sweep It Away

What old habits or frustrations should we leave behind?

This column draws on the custom of cleaning the house before the new year to sweep out bad luck. Invite the team to name what isn't working for them anymore: the processes, habits and friction they're ready to drop. Keep it honest and blameless, and frame it as making room for better things.

Lucky Wins

What went well and brought us fortune this past year?

Like the symbols of prosperity that fill the season, this column celebrates the achievements, lucky breaks and successes of the past year. Ask for both big milestones and small everyday wins, and for the people and decisions behind them.

Gratitude & Red Envelopes

Who or what are we grateful for this year?

Red envelopes are given to pass on good fortune. Use this column for recognition: invite people to thank colleagues, acknowledge support and name the moments that made the work meaningful. Keep it warm and personal.

Wishes for the New Year

What do we hope to achieve in the year ahead?

This column captures the team's hopes and goals for the coming year, in the spirit of new year wishes. Ask for ideas that are ambitious but doable, then look for themes you can turn into shared goals and next steps.

When to use this retrospective

  • Around Lunar New Year, to mark a seasonal reset with your team.
  • As a year-in-review retrospective when you want a celebratory, reflective tone instead of a standard sprint review.
  • When morale needs a lift through thanks, recognition and a sense of a fresh start.
  • To kick off annual planning by deciding what to leave behind and what to aim for.

Suggested icebreaker questions

  • Which animal of the Lunar New Year zodiac best matches your work style, and why?
  • What is one tradition or food you associate with celebrating a fresh start?

Want a warm-up your team plays, not just answers out loud? Browse free icebreakers →

Ideas and tips for your retrospective meeting

  • Set the scene with a short note on the Lunar New Year customs behind each column, so everyone understands the theme.
  • Be inclusive. Acknowledge that not everyone celebrates Lunar New Year, and frame the session as a chance for any team to reflect and reset.
  • Give everyone a moment of quiet thinking time before sharing in Gratitude & Red Envelopes, so the thanks are specific.
  • Keep Sweep It Away blameless by focusing on processes and habits, not people.
  • Turn Wishes for the New Year into actions: group similar hopes, vote and give each priority an owner and a timeline.
  • Timebox each column so you still have energy for the forward-looking discussion at the end.

Frequently asked questions

What is a Lunar New Year Reflections retrospective?
It's a seasonal retrospective that uses Lunar New Year traditions to help your team let go of old frustrations, celebrate wins, thank each other and set goals for the year ahead.
When should I run this retrospective?
It works best around Lunar New Year, or as a year-in-review session when you want a celebratory, forward-looking tone before planning the coming year.
Do team members need to celebrate Lunar New Year to take part?
No. The format draws on Lunar New Year traditions, but the questions are about reflection, thanks and fresh starts, which any team can relate to.
How long does this retrospective take?
Most teams finish in 45 to 60 minutes, depending on team size and how much discussion each column generates.
How is it different from a standard sprint retrospective?
A sprint retro looks at one iteration. This format takes a wider view of the past year and gives as much time to celebration and thanks as to improvement.
How do I turn the reflections into actions?
Group similar ideas in Wishes for the New Year, vote on priorities, and give each one an owner and a timeline so your intentions become next steps.

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