Start Stop Continue Exercise for Teams (With Debrief)
Do you want to conduct the Start Stop Continue Exercise with your teams?
This simple retrospective technique helps teams reflect on their processes, identify areas for improvement, and create actionable plans. It is rooted in the principles of continuous improvement, often seen in agile methodologies. The framework encourages open feedback by categorizing actions into three simple groups: things to start doing, things to stop doing, and things to continue doing. This structure makes feedback focused, constructive, and forward-looking.
In this article, let’s see how you can facilitate this powerful activity with your teams.
Here is an overview of the sections in this article:
- The primary objective of the activity.
- Five distinct variations of the exercise, including the classic version.
- Practical tips for successful facilitation.
- Frequently asked questions about the exercise.
Objective of the Activity
The Start Stop Continue exercise is a feedback mechanism designed to drive process improvement within a team. Its structure helps groups assess their current practices, pinpoint inefficiencies, and reinforce positive behaviors.
Let’s explore the key objectives of this activity.
Foster Open Communication
The exercise creates a safe space for team members to share their perspectives without fear of judgment. By asking for feedback in three distinct categories, it guides the conversation toward constructive outcomes. It encourages honest dialogue about what is working and what is not, which can strengthen team trust. This open channel helps surface underlying issues that might otherwise go unaddressed.
Identify Actionable Improvements
A core goal is to move beyond general complaints toward specific, actionable steps. The “Start” category generates new ideas and initiatives. The “Stop” category targets habits or processes that are inefficient, redundant, or detrimental. This focused approach ensures that the team leaves the session with a clear understanding of what changes need to be made. The output is a practical to-do list for improvement.
Reinforce Positive Behaviors
The “Continue” category is crucial for morale and stability. It allows the team to recognize and celebrate its successes. Acknowledging what is going well validates positive contributions and reinforces effective habits. This element ensures that successful practices are not accidentally discarded while the team pursues new changes. It helps maintain momentum by highlighting the team’s strengths.
Promote a Culture of Continuous Improvement
Regularly conducting this exercise embeds a mindset of continuous improvement into the team’s culture. It teaches the team to be reflective and proactive about its own development. This iterative process of reflection, feedback, and action is fundamental to agile and lean principles. It empowers teams to take ownership of their workflows and constantly seek better ways of working together.
Enhance Team Alignment
By discussing what to start, stop, and continue, the team collectively defines its path forward. This shared process ensures everyone is on the same page regarding priorities and goals. It aligns individual perspectives with the team’s overall objectives. The resulting action plan is a product of group consensus, which increases buy-in and commitment from all members. This shared understanding is vital for effective collaboration.
5 Variations of the Start Stop Continue Exercise
Here are 5 variations of the Start Stop Continue exercise you can use with your teams.
#1. Classic Start Stop Continue
This is the original and most straightforward version of the activity. It provides a simple framework for teams to give and receive feedback on their processes.
Time: 10-20 minutes
Materials: Whiteboard, sticky notes, and markers
Participants: 3-8 people per group
Instructions
- Divide a whiteboard or digital board into three columns labeled “Start,” “Stop,” and “Continue.”
- Ask each team member to silently generate ideas for each category on sticky notes, using one note per idea, for about 5-7 minutes. For instance, an idea for the “Start” column could be “Start a weekly 10-minute huddle to sync on priorities.”
- Instruct participants to place their sticky notes in the corresponding columns on the board and briefly explain each one to the group.
- Group similar items together to identify key themes, then guide the team to vote on the most important items to create an action plan.
Debrief
- Which action item from our discussion do you think will have the biggest positive impact?
- What potential challenges might we face when trying to implement these changes?
- How can we support each other in following through with these new commitments?
#2. More of/Less of
This variation adjusts the language to feel less absolute than “Stop”. It is useful for refining existing processes rather than completely overhauling them.
Time: 10-20 minutes
Materials: Flip chart paper, pens, and sticky notes
Participants: 3-8 people per group
Instructions
- Create three sections on a flip chart labeled “More of,” “Less of,” and “Continue.”
- Give individuals a few minutes to write down suggestions on sticky notes for what the team should do more of, less of, and continue doing. For example, a “Less of” idea might be “Less time spent on status updates during our main weekly meeting.”
- Ask each person to post their notes in the proper section and share their reasoning with the group.
- Facilitate a discussion to group related ideas, prioritize them through dot voting, and decide on concrete next steps.
Debrief
- What did you learn about our team’s priorities from the “More of” and “Less of” categories?
- How does focusing on “More” and “Less” change the tone of the feedback compared to “Start” and “Stop”?
- Which suggestion from today’s session seems easiest to implement immediately?
#3. Keep, Drop, Add
This version uses action-oriented words that can feel more direct. It is great for project retrospectives where clear decisions need to be made.
Time: 10-20 minutes
Materials: Digital whiteboard, and virtual sticky notes
Participants: 3-8 people per group
Instructions
- Set up a digital whiteboard with three columns: “Keep” (continue), “Drop” (stop), and “Add” (start).
- Allow participants 5 minutes to individually add their thoughts to virtual sticky notes in each column. For example, under “Add,” someone might suggest “Add a formal peer review step before submitting client reports.”
- Have team members present their notes one by one, encouraging brief clarification questions.
- Group the notes by theme, have the team vote on the most impactful items, and assign owners for the selected action points.
Debrief
- How did the “Keep, Drop, Add” language influence the type of feedback shared today?
- Which “Drop” item do you believe will free up the most time for us?
- What is one thing we can do to ensure the “Add” items are successfully integrated into our workflow?
#4. The Sailboat
This metaphorical variation adds a visual and creative element to the exercise. It frames feedback in terms of what moves the team forward and what holds it back.
Time: 10-20 minutes
Materials: A drawing of a sailboat on a whiteboard, sticky notes, and pens
Participants: 3-8 people per group
Instructions
- Draw a large sailboat on a whiteboard, including the wind (pushing it forward) and an anchor (holding it back). Label the wind as “What helps us” and the anchor as “What slows us down.”
- Ask the team to write ideas on sticky notes for each category. For instance, an “Anchor” idea could be “Conflicting priorities from different stakeholders are slowing down our progress.”
- Have participants place their notes on the drawing and explain their points to the team.
- Discuss the themes that emerge and brainstorm solutions for the “anchors” while figuring out how to get more “wind.”
Debrief
- What was the most surprising “anchor” identified by the team?
- How can we amplify the “winds” that are already helping us move forward?
- Looking at our sailboat, what is one immediate action we can take to lighten our anchor?
#5. Rose, Bud, Thorn
This variation uses a metaphor to categorize feedback as positive, potential, and negative. It is a gentle way to structure a feedback session, particularly with newer teams.
Time: 10-20 minutes
Materials: Whiteboard or large paper, and different colored sticky notes
Participants: 3-8 people per group
Instructions
- Create three areas on a whiteboard labeled “Rose” (a success or something positive), “Bud” (an idea with potential), and “Thorn” (a challenge).
- Give each participant a few minutes to reflect and write down at least one Rose, one Bud, and one Thorn on sticky notes. For example, a “Bud” might be “An idea to automate our weekly reporting has potential but needs more research.”
- Ask each person to share their items, placing them in the correct category on the board.
- Lead a discussion focused on appreciating the Roses, exploring the Buds, and finding solutions for the Thorns.
Debrief
- Which “Rose” made you feel the most proud of our team’s work?
- Of the “Buds” we discussed, which one are you most excited to explore further?
- What common themes did you notice among the “Thorns” we identified?
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Tips for Successful Facilitation
Facilitating a Start Stop Continue exercise effectively is key to unlocking its full potential. A well-run session ensures that feedback is constructive, discussions are productive, and the team leaves with a clear, actionable plan.
Here are five tips to help you lead a successful session.
Set a Positive and Trusting Tone
The foundation of any successful feedback session is psychological safety. Begin by explaining the purpose of the activity: to improve processes, not to assign blame. Emphasize that all feedback is valuable and should be delivered respectfully. As a facilitator, model this behavior yourself. Use neutral language, remain impartial, and ensure everyone has a chance to speak. A positive environment encourages honesty and makes participants feel comfortable sharing their true thoughts.
Keep the Focus on Processes, Not People
It is critical to guide the conversation away from personal criticisms. The Start Stop Continue exercise is about evaluating workflows, tools, habits, and team dynamics, not individual performance. If a comment seems directed at a person, gently reframe it to focus on the behavior or process. For example, if someone says, “John is always late with his reports,” you can rephrase it as, “What can we do as a team to ensure all reports are submitted on time?”
Encourage Quiet Brainstorming First
Giving participants time to think and write down their ideas individually before sharing is a powerful technique. This silent brainstorming phase, also known as “nominal group technique,” prevents groupthink and ensures that introverted team members have an equal opportunity to contribute. It also allows for more thoughtful and well-formed ideas. Once everyone has had time to generate their points, you can move on to the group discussion.
Prioritize and Create an Action Plan
A common pitfall is ending the session with a long list of ideas but no clear path forward. The goal is not just to talk but to act. After all ideas have been shared and discussed, guide the team in prioritizing them. Techniques like dot voting, where each person gets a limited number of votes to cast on the items they feel are most important, can be very effective. Once the top priorities are identified, work with the team to create a simple action plan. Define what the action is, who is responsible for it, and when it will be completed.
Follow Up on Action Items
The impact of the exercise diminishes if there is no follow-up. The commitments made during the session must be tracked and reviewed. Schedule a brief check-in during a future team meeting to discuss progress on the action items. This accountability loop demonstrates that the feedback was taken seriously and reinforces the value of the exercise. Following up also helps solidify the culture of continuous improvement, as the team sees tangible results from its reflective efforts.
Final Words
The Start Stop Continue exercise is a simple yet powerful tool for any team looking to improve. Its straightforward structure helps focus conversations on constructive and actionable feedback. By using this framework, you can foster open communication and identify key areas for growth. Regularly applying this method promotes a culture of continuous improvement. This helps your team become more efficient, aligned, and collaborative over time.
FAQ: Start Stop Continue Exercise
You might have these questions in mind.
How often should we conduct the Start Stop Continue exercise?
The ideal frequency depends on your team’s rhythm and project cycles. Many agile teams incorporate it into their bi-weekly or monthly retrospectives. For other teams, conducting it quarterly or at the end of a major project is effective. The key is consistency, so the team gets into a regular habit of reflection and improvement.
What if no one wants to participate?
Low participation can stem from a lack of psychological safety or a feeling that feedback won’t lead to change. To encourage involvement, start by clearly stating the exercise’s purpose and ground rules, emphasizing that it is about processes, not people. Leading by example and having managers share their own start, stop, continue ideas can also help. Ensure you follow up on action items from previous sessions to show that their input is valued.
How do you handle conflict or disagreement during the session?
Disagreements are a natural part of team discussions. As a facilitator, your role is to ensure the conversation remains respectful and productive. Acknowledge different viewpoints and reframe the debate around shared goals. Use a prioritization method like dot voting to let the group democratically decide on the most critical items to address, even if a consensus cannot be reached on every point.
Can this exercise be done with a remote team?
Absolutely. The Start Stop Continue exercise works very well for remote or distributed teams. You can use digital collaboration tools like Miro, Mural, or even a simple shared document with three columns. These tools allow everyone to add their ideas simultaneously on virtual sticky notes. The principles of facilitation, such as setting the tone and creating an action plan, remain the same.
What is the difference between this and other retrospective formats?
While many retrospective formats exist, Start Stop Continue is popular due to its simplicity and action-oriented nature. Unlike more open-ended formats like “What went well? What didn’t go well?”, it directly prompts participants for specific suggestions for change (“Start” and “Stop”). This structure makes it easy for teams to move from reflection to a concrete action plan, making it highly effective for driving tangible improvements.
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