Meme Madness Retrospective

Stop, Start, Continue, told through memes your team knows.

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Stop (The "This is Fine" Meme)

What should we stop doing that's quietly burning us down?

We need to stop having daily standups that turn into 45-minute status meetings. It's giving 'This is Fine' while the sprint burns around us.
Stop adding scope mid-sprint without a conversation. Every time it happens I feel like the dog in the flaming room.
We should stop skipping the retro when things get busy. That's exactly when we need it most.
Start (The "Distracted Boyfriend" Meme)

What shiny new ideas or practices should we finally commit to?

Start doing proper pair programming sessions, not just 'can you look at this for a sec?' over a screen share.
We should start using a team working agreement. I've seen other teams do it and honestly? Jealous.
Start celebrating small wins in our team channel. A little recognition goes a long way and costs nothing.
Continue (The "One Does Not Simply" Meme)

What's working so well it would be chaos to stop?

Continue the end-of-sprint demo. Seeing the work come together is genuinely motivating and the stakeholders love it.
One does not simply stop our Friday async update. It keeps everyone in the loop without another meeting.
Keep the no-blame culture in our bug reviews. It makes it so much easier to be honest about mistakes.

What is the Meme Retrospective?

The Meme Madness Retrospective takes the classic Stop, Start, Continue format and gives each column a meme your team probably already shares in chat. The humor gives people a softer way into feedback that might otherwise feel awkward to raise, and it makes the session easier to remember. The board has three columns. Stop uses the "This is fine" dog sitting in a burning room: what are you putting up with that's quietly causing damage? Start uses the "Distracted Boyfriend" meme for the new practices the team keeps eyeing but hasn't adopted. Continue uses "One Does Not Simply" for the habits that are working so well it would be a mistake to drop them. People can reference other memes in their notes too, as long as there's a real point underneath. It suits teams that already share memes in Slack or Teams, and teams tired of running the same retro. Close each column with at least one concrete action, so the laughs lead somewhere.

Meme Retrospective Stop Start Continue format

Stop (The "This is Fine" Meme)

What should we stop doing that's quietly burning us down?

Stop asks the team to name habits, processes or behaviors that cause friction or waste, even ones everyone has quietly put up with. The This is Fine dog sets the tone: what are we pretending is okay when it isn't? Remind the team that naming a problem is the first step to fixing it, and look for items several people raise.

Start (The "Distracted Boyfriend" Meme)

What shiny new ideas or practices should we finally commit to?

Start is for new ideas, tools or practices the team wants to adopt. Use the Distracted Boyfriend meme as the frame: what have we been eyeing but never committed to? Ask about things people have seen work elsewhere or keep meaning to try. Don't overload the team with starts. Help it pick one or two it can realistically adopt next sprint.

Continue (The "One Does Not Simply" Meme)

What's working so well it would be chaos to stop?

Continue covers the practices and rituals that are working and should be protected. Frame it with One Does Not Simply: these are the things you can't walk away from. Teams often rush this column, so encourage generous recognition and ask people to name the specific people or processes that made a difference.

When to use this retrospective

  • After a sprint or project phase with a mix of highs and lows. The humor helps the team talk about both without getting defensive.
  • For remote or hybrid teams that already share memes in team channels, so the format feels familiar.
  • When team morale needs a lift and you want a retro people look forward to.
  • When the team has run the same format for a while and needs a fresh way to surface the same important feedback.
  • When onboarding new team members to your retros. The light tone makes it easier for everyone to contribute.

Suggested icebreaker questions

  • If your last sprint were a meme, which one would it be and why?
  • What's a meme that perfectly describes your current relationship with your to-do list?

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

Ideas and tips for your retrospective meeting

  • Share a relevant meme in your intro. It signals that humor is welcome.
  • Encourage people to reference real meme formats in their notes, such as Drake pointing or Expanding Brain, but remind them the feedback underneath should still be genuine and actionable.
  • Watch for a session that's all laughs and no actions. Close each column by agreeing on at least one concrete next step.
  • If some people don't follow meme culture, share a few examples beforehand or do a two-minute primer at the start, so no one feels left out.
  • Use dot voting to pick the most important items in each column.
  • Keep the session to 60 minutes or less. The format keeps energy up, but it fades fast if the meeting drags.

Frequently asked questions

What is a meme retrospective?
It's a Stop, Start, Continue retrospective where each column is framed by a popular meme: This is Fine, Distracted Boyfriend and One Does Not Simply. The memes make feedback lighter and easier to share.
What columns does the Meme Madness Retrospective use?
Three. Stop, framed by the This is Fine dog, is for what's quietly hurting the team. Start, framed by Distracted Boyfriend, is for new practices to commit to. Continue, framed by One Does Not Simply, is for what's working.
When should a team run a meme retrospective?
Use it when the team needs a lighter tone to surface honest feedback, such as after a stressful sprint, or when you want to vary your regular Stop, Start, Continue retros.
What if some people don't know the memes?
Describe each meme in a sentence at the start, or share the images beforehand. The column prompts work on their own, so nobody needs to be a meme expert to contribute.
How long does a meme retrospective take?
Keep it to 60 minutes or less. Three columns with a short timebox each, plus voting and actions, fits comfortably in that.

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