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Hot Air Balloon Retro template: free online board

It’s a sunny day and the team is taking a leisurely hot air balloon ride. Hot air lifts you up, sandbags weigh the basket down, storm clouds on the horizon could ruin the trip, and sunny skies ahead are the good things to look forward to. Half retrospective, half futurespective.

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When to use it

• A calm, positive retro after a stable period
• You want the team to look ahead as well as back
• New team members who need a gentle format

What goes in each column

🔥 Hot air — what lifts us

What helped us reach the goal and pushed the balloon higher? For example: Daily demo kept everyone aligned

🎒 Sandbags — what weighs us down

What slowed us down or held us back? For example: Too many meetings on Wednesdays

⛈️ Storm clouds — risks ahead

What risks could ruin the next part of the trip? For example: Key teammate goes on leave next month

☀️ Sunny skies — good things ahead

What coming up makes us feel good and excited? For example: New analytics tool arrives next sprint

How to run it

1. Set the scene (3 minutes). “Imagine it’s a nice sunny day and we’re taking a leisurely ride in a hot air balloon. What happens with too many heavy sandbags? How much hot air do we need? What might the weather do to us?”
2. Silent writing (10 minutes). “Add cards to all four areas. Two look back, two look forward.”
3. Hot air & sandbags (15 minutes). “First the past: what lifted us, what weighed us down?”
4. Clouds & sunny skies (10 minutes). “Now the future: what storms are coming, and what are we looking forward to?”
5. Vote & act (10 minutes). “Which sandbag do we throw overboard first? Which storm do we prepare for?”

Facilitator tips

• Sunny skies keeps the energy positive — don’t skip it
• Pair each storm cloud with at least one preparation idea

Use this template free →

Warm up first with a free team game.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Hot Air Balloon Retro template free?

Yes. You can run it on RetroLift for free, with no account and no ads. Your team joins from one link or QR code.

How long does a Hot Air Balloon Retro retrospective take?

Plan on 45 to 60 minutes for a team of up to about ten people. Smaller teams can finish sooner.

Can a remote team use Hot Air Balloon Retro?

Yes. Everyone writes cards from their own laptop or phone, votes, and agrees on action items on the same live board.

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