# Offsite Pack: Q2 Strategy + Working Agreements Reset

**Produced by:** `running-offsites` skill pack
**Date generated:** 2026-03-17

---

## Step 1: Intake + Boundary Check

### Context Snapshot

| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Offsite type | Strategy + team reset (hybrid) |
| Team | 10-person product team, remote-first |
| Duration | 1 day (full day, ~8 hours on-site) |
| Location | NYC (in-person venue, all participants traveling in) |
| Budget | Moderate (~$3,000-5,000 total; covers venue, food, supplies, not flights/hotels) |
| Key goals | Decide Q2 priorities; reset working agreements |
| Work mode | Laptops-down whiteboard day |

### Assumptions (labeled)

- **A1:** All 10 participants can attend in-person in NYC (no hybrid/remote attendees). If anyone is remote, a backup plan is included in Logistics.
- **A2:** The team lead / Head of Product is the primary decision-maker for final Q2 priority calls; the full team has input.
- **A3:** There is no severe trust or interpersonal conflict; the "reset working agreements" signals friction in ways-of-working, not deep relationship damage.
- **A4:** Moderate budget means we rent a dedicated offsite space (not the office) to create psychological separation from day-to-day, with catered lunch and snacks.
- **A5:** Q1 metrics, customer feedback, and a draft roadmap exist or can be assembled as prework.
- **A6:** Stakeholders not in the room (e.g., Engineering lead, CEO, Sales) will need a post-offsite summary.

### Boundary Check: Is an Offsite Appropriate?

**Yes.** The request involves two goals that benefit from synchronous, in-room, focused time:
1. **Q2 priority decisions** -- requires divergence, debate, and commitment that is hard to do async for a remote-first team.
2. **Working agreements reset** -- requires candid conversation about norms, which benefits from face-to-face safety.

**Elephants to monitor (safe level):**
- The need to "reset" working agreements implies current agreements are broken or never existed. The facilitation plan names this directly and uses a structured "start/stop/continue" format (not forced vulnerability).
- Priority-setting may surface disagreements about team direction. The facilitation plan includes a disagreement-handling protocol.

**No escalation needed:** No indicators of HR-level conflict. If anything surfaces during the day, the facilitator will park it and follow up privately.

---

## Step 2: Offsite Brief (1-Pager)

**Offsite name:** Q2 Strategy Sprint + Ways-of-Working Reset
**Date:** TBD (recommend a Thursday to allow Friday for travel/recovery)
**Duration:** 1 day (9:00 AM -- 5:30 PM ET)
**Location:** Dedicated offsite venue, NYC (not the office)
**Work mode:** In-person, laptops-down
**Participants:** 10 (full product team)
**Decision-makers in room:** Head of Product (final call on Q2 bets); full team (working agreements are collective)

### Purpose (why are we doing this?)

- **Why now:** Q1 is ending; the team needs to commit to Q2 priorities before the quarter starts, and current working agreements are causing friction in a remote-first setup.
- **We're here to:** Align on Q2 strategic bets, make binding priority decisions, and establish working agreements the team commits to follow.

### Target Outputs (5)

1. **Q2 Strategic Bets (3-5)** -- Prioritized bets with rationale, anti-bets (what we are NOT doing), and owners.
2. **Decision Principles (5-7)** -- Principles the team will use to make tradeoff decisions during Q2 without escalating everything.
3. **Working Agreements v2** -- Explicit norms for decision-making, communication, meeting cadence, and escalation for a remote-first team.
4. **Q2 Action Plan** -- First 2-week actions for each bet, with owners, dates, and dependencies.
5. **Post-Offsite Comms** -- Summary for stakeholders not in the room (Engineering, leadership, Sales).

### Decisions In Scope

- Which 3-5 bets define Q2 (and which ideas we are explicitly NOT pursuing).
- Decision principles for making tradeoffs during Q2.
- Working agreements: meeting norms, async vs sync defaults, escalation paths, Slack/comms hygiene.
- Owners and first actions for each Q2 bet.

### Decisions Out of Scope

- Org structure or role changes.
- Compensation, headcount, or hiring plans.
- Multi-quarter roadmap beyond Q2.
- Engineering architecture or technical debt prioritization (that's a separate session with Engineering).

### Success Measures

**Immediately after:**
- Every participant can state the Q2 bets and their own first action without looking at notes.
- Working agreements are written and every person has said "I commit" (or raised a specific objection that was resolved).
- The post-offsite comms draft is ready to send.

**2-4 weeks after:**
- Q2 bets are in the tracking system with progress updates.
- Working agreements are visibly in use (e.g., meeting norms followed, escalation path used at least once).
- The 2-week checkpoint meeting happened and surfaced any drift.

### Risks + Constraints

| Risk | Mitigation |
|---|---|
| Participants arrive cold (no prework done) | Prework is lightweight but mandatory; facilitator checks completion 2 days before |
| Priority debate becomes circular | Decision principles session runs first; facilitator uses criteria-based convergence |
| Working agreements discussion gets personal | Use "start/stop/continue" format (behavioral, not personal); park sensitive items |
| Key person absent (illness/travel) | Identify a proxy; defer their decisions to async follow-up within 48 hours |
| Energy crash after lunch | Schedule the most interactive session (working agreements) post-lunch; include a walk break |

### Roles

| Role | Person |
|---|---|
| Facilitator | TBD (recommend: someone NOT the Head of Product, so the decision-maker can participate fully) |
| Timekeeper | TBD (rotate among team) |
| Scribe / decision logger | TBD (one designated person with laptop open; everyone else laptops down) |
| Logistics owner | TBD (handles venue, food, supplies, travel coordination) |

---

## Step 3: Format Recommendation

### Chosen Format: Laptops-Down Whiteboard Day

**Why this format:**
- 1-day constraint eliminates a retreat model.
- The work is strategic (Q2 bets) + normative (working agreements) -- both benefit from physical co-creation, not slides.
- Remote-first team rarely gets face time; maximize interactive whiteboard time.
- Moderate budget supports a dedicated venue with whiteboards and catering, not a multi-day hotel retreat.

**Schedule skeleton:**

| Block | Time | Energy Level | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Morning 1 | 9:00-10:30 | High | Connection + Context Alignment |
| Break | 10:30-10:45 | -- | -- |
| Morning 2 | 10:45-12:30 | Peak | Decision Principles + Q2 Bets (divergence) |
| Lunch | 12:30-1:30 | -- | Catered, informal |
| Afternoon 1 | 1:30-3:15 | Rebuilding | Working Agreements (interactive) |
| Break + Walk | 3:15-3:35 | -- | Outdoor walk if weather permits |
| Afternoon 2 | 3:35-5:00 | Moderate | Q2 Bets (convergence + commitment) + Action Plan |
| Close | 5:00-5:30 | Wind-down | Decisions review + checkpoint + close |

**Cadence suggestion:** If this goes well, consider establishing a quarterly 1-day burst cadence (next one at mid-Q2 for a check-in, or start of Q3 for the next planning cycle).

---

## Step 4: Agenda + Session Output Map

| Time | Session | Goal | Format | Facilitator | Laptops | Prework/Input | Output Artifact |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9:00-9:15 | **Opening + Norms** | Set intent, rules, and energy | Plenary: facilitator speaks | Facilitator | **Down** | None | Norms poster (on wall) + outcomes list |
| 9:15-9:45 | **Connection Round** | Build trust before hard work | Pairs rotate (3x 10-min 1:1s); prompt: "What's one thing going well and one thing you're wrestling with?" | Facilitator | **Down** | None | Warmed-up room; psychological safety baseline |
| 9:45-10:30 | **Context Alignment** | Get everyone to the same starting line | Silent read of pre-read (10 min) then structured Q&A (20 min) then "what surprised you?" round (15 min) | Facilitator | **Down** (printed pre-read) | Pre-read packet (Q1 metrics, customer insights, draft roadmap) | Shared "current state" bullets + constraints list (on whiteboard) |
| 10:30-10:45 | **Break** | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 10:45-11:30 | **Decision Principles** | Establish criteria for Q2 tradeoffs | Small groups (3-3-4) generate principles from real tradeoff examples (15 min) then merge + vote as full group (20 min) then stress-test against 2-3 scenarios (10 min) | Facilitator | **Down** | Prework: each person brings 1 tradeoff example from Q1 | 5-7 Decision Principles (written on wall + captured by scribe) |
| 11:30-12:30 | **Q2 Bets: Divergence** | Generate and debate candidate bets | Solo brainstorm on stickies (10 min) then affinity cluster (15 min) then pitch + challenge each cluster (35 min) | Facilitator | **Down** | Prework: each person submits top 3 bet candidates | Clustered candidate bets on whiteboard with pros/cons notes |
| 12:30-1:30 | **Lunch** | Refuel + informal connection | Catered at venue; no structured content | -- | Optional | -- | -- |
| 1:30-1:40 | **Energizer + Reset** | Rebuild energy post-lunch | Quick stand-up activity (e.g., "move to the corner that matches your Q2 mood: optimistic / cautious / fired up / uncertain") | Facilitator | **Down** | -- | Energy reset |
| 1:40-3:00 | **Working Agreements v2** | Define team norms for remote-first work | Start/Stop/Continue: solo write (10 min) then share + cluster (20 min) then negotiate top agreements (40 min) then commitment round -- each person states "I commit to X" or raises objection (10 min) | Facilitator | **Down** | Prework: each person answers "What's one thing about how we work that you'd change?" | Working Agreements document (8-12 norms, written + captured by scribe) |
| 3:00-3:05 | **Parking Lot Check** | Surface anything parked | Quick review of parking lot items; assign owners or defer | Facilitator | **Down** | -- | Parking lot items with owners |
| 3:05-3:25 | **Break + Walk** | Reset energy; get outside | Outdoor walk (weather permitting) or stretch break | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 3:25-4:30 | **Q2 Bets: Convergence + Commitment** | Select 3-5 bets; kill the rest | Apply decision principles to candidate bets (20 min) then dot-vote on top bets (10 min) then debate top 5 and commit to 3-5 (25 min) then define anti-bets explicitly (10 min) | Facilitator | **Down** | Candidate bets from morning session + decision principles | Q2 Bets list (3-5 bets with rationale + anti-bets) written on wall |
| 4:30-5:00 | **Action Plan Sprint** | Turn bets into first actions | Each bet owner drafts 2-week actions (10 min solo) then share-out + challenge (15 min) then capture dependencies (5 min) | Facilitator | **Scribe only** | Q2 Bets list | Q2 Action Plan (owners, first actions, dates, dependencies) |
| 5:00-5:30 | **Close: Decisions + Commitments + Checkpoint** | Lock in decisions; prevent Monday amnesia | Read back all decisions (scribe reads) then confirm owners and dates then schedule 2-week checkpoint then "one word" close: each person shares one word for how they feel leaving | Facilitator | **Scribe only** | All session artifacts | Final Decisions Log + Checkpoint date + Memory artifact plan |

### Time allocation check

| Category | Minutes | % of Working Time (390 min) |
|---|---|---|
| Interactive / co-creation | 280 | 72% |
| Context / alignment (semi-interactive) | 45 | 12% |
| Opening / closing / transitions | 45 | 12% |
| Energizer / parking lot | 20 | 5% |

**Result:** 72% interactive -- exceeds the 60% minimum.

---

## Step 5: Prework Pack

### Message to Participants (Send 7 Business Days Before)

---

**Subject: Q2 Strategy Offsite -- What to Prepare (action required by [DATE -2 days])**

Team --

On [DATE] we're spending a full day together in NYC to decide our Q2 bets and reset how we work together. Here's what you need to do before you arrive.

**The goal:** Arrive ready to debate and decide, not to get caught up on context.

**What to prepare (due [DATE - 2 days]):**

1. **Read the pre-read packet** (attached / linked). It includes Q1 metrics, customer insight highlights, and the draft roadmap. Takes ~20 minutes.

2. **Submit your Top 3 Q2 Bet Candidates** via [shared doc / form]. For each, write 1-2 sentences: what it is and why it matters. No slides.

3. **Answer these 5 prompts** (add your responses to [shared doc]):
   - What is the #1 decision we must make in the next 30 days?
   - What are we pretending not to know about our current direction?
   - Name one tradeoff from Q1 where we struggled to decide. What made it hard?
   - What is one thing about how we work together (remote-first) that you would change starting tomorrow?
   - What should we explicitly stop doing in Q2?

4. **Bring one physical artifact** that represents a Q1 win or learning (a sketch, a screenshot printout, a customer quote on paper). We'll use these in our opening.

**What NOT to do:**
- Don't build slides.
- Don't bring your laptop planning to use it during sessions. Laptops will be down except for our designated scribe.
- Don't prep a long presentation on your area. The pre-read covers context.

**Logistics:**
- Venue: [Venue name + address]. Arrive by 8:45 AM. Coffee and breakfast provided.
- Dress: Comfortable. We'll be standing at whiteboards and walking outside.
- Travel: [Link to travel/reimbursement policy if applicable].
- Dietary needs: Reply to this email by [DATE - 5 days] with any dietary restrictions.

See you there.

-- [Organizer name]

---

### Pre-Read Packet (to be assembled by Logistics Owner)

| Document | Owner | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 Metrics Dashboard (1-2 pages) | Data/Analytics lead | Shared fact base |
| Customer Insight Highlights (top 5 themes) | UX Research or PM | Voice of customer |
| Draft Q2 Roadmap (strawman, not final) | Head of Product | Starting point for bets discussion |
| Current Working Agreements (if they exist) | Team lead | Baseline for reset session |
| Open Strategic Questions (3-5 bullets) | Head of Product | Frame the decisions we need to make |

### Prework Prompts (repeated from message above)

1. What is the #1 decision we must make in the next 30 days?
2. What are we pretending not to know about our current direction?
3. Name one tradeoff from Q1 where we struggled to decide. What made it hard?
4. What is one thing about how we work together (remote-first) that you would change starting tomorrow?
5. What should we explicitly stop doing in Q2?

### Assignments

| Owner | Deliverable | Due Date |
|---|---|---|
| Each participant | Top 3 Q2 bet candidates (1-2 sentences each) | [DATE - 2 days] |
| Each participant | Answers to 5 prework prompts | [DATE - 2 days] |
| Data/Analytics lead | Q1 Metrics Dashboard (1-2 pages) | [DATE - 3 days] |
| UX Research / PM | Customer Insight Highlights | [DATE - 3 days] |
| Head of Product | Draft Q2 Roadmap + Open Strategic Questions | [DATE - 3 days] |
| Logistics owner | Pre-read packet assembled and distributed | [DATE - 2 days] |
| Facilitator | Review all prework submissions; synthesize themes | [DATE - 1 day] |

---

## Step 6: Facilitation Run-of-Show

### Opening Script (9:00-9:15)

*Facilitator stands at front. Norms poster is already on the wall.*

> "Good morning. We're here to do two things today: **decide our Q2 bets** and **reset how we work together**. By 5:30 PM, we will leave this room with:
>
> 1. Three to five Q2 strategic bets with owners
> 2. A set of decision principles for making tradeoffs
> 3. Written working agreements we each commit to
> 4. A 2-week action plan
> 5. A summary ready to send to stakeholders
>
> **Norms for today:**
> - **Laptops down.** [Scribe name] is our designated scribe. Everyone else: phones on silent, in your bag.
> - **One conversation at a time.** No side chats. If you disagree, say it to the room.
> - **Timeboxes are real.** I will cut us off. We can always park items.
> - **Disagree in the room, commit when we leave.** We use decision principles, not authority, to resolve disagreements. Once we decide, we all own it.
> - **Parking lot** is on that whiteboard [point]. Anyone can add items. We review them at 3:00.
>
> Questions on norms? [Pause.] Great. Let's start with connection."

### Norms (posted on wall)

1. Laptops down (scribe exception).
2. One conversation; disagree openly.
3. Timeboxes are real.
4. Parking lot for tangents.
5. Decide and document; commit when we leave.
6. Breaks are mandatory, not optional.

### Decision Capture Protocol

The scribe captures every decision using this format:

| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| **Decision** | Clear statement of what was decided |
| **Rationale** | Why we chose this over alternatives |
| **Tradeoffs accepted** | What we gave up or accepted as risk |
| **Owner** | Single person accountable |
| **Next step + date** | First concrete action and deadline |
| **Review trigger/date** | When we revisit (date or condition) |

*Scribe reads back each decision aloud before moving on. The room confirms or corrects.*

### Session-by-Session Facilitator Notes

#### Connection Round (9:15-9:45)
- Pair people who don't work together daily.
- Rotation: 3 rounds of 10 minutes. Prompt: "What's one thing going well for you, and one thing you're wrestling with -- work or otherwise?"
- No share-out to the full group (keep it intimate). Just say: "Thank you. Now we've warmed up."

#### Context Alignment (9:45-10:30)
- Hand out printed pre-read packets (even if people read them before; the physical copy matters).
- Silent reading: 10 minutes. Set a timer.
- Q&A: Facilitator asks "What's the single most important thing you saw in the data?" Go around the room. Capture key themes on whiteboard.
- Close with: "Given what we just discussed, here are the constraints we're working within." Write constraints on the whiteboard.

#### Decision Principles (10:45-11:30)
- Small groups (3-3-4): "Using the tradeoff examples from your prework, extract 2-3 principles that would have helped you decide faster. Write each principle on a sticky note."
- Merge: Groups present principles. Facilitator clusters similar ones on the wall.
- Vote: Each person gets 5 dots. Vote on the principles that matter most.
- Stress-test: Take the top 5-7 and test them: "If [scenario X], does this principle help us decide? Does it give a clear answer?"
- Capture: Scribe writes the final 5-7 principles.

#### Q2 Bets: Divergence (11:30-12:30)
- Solo brainstorm: "Write each bet candidate on a separate sticky note. One idea per note. You have 10 minutes."
- Affinity clustering: Everyone places stickies on the wall. Facilitator groups them silently, then asks for adjustments.
- Pitch + challenge: Each cluster gets 3-5 minutes. The person(s) whose ideas are in the cluster pitch it. Others challenge: "What would have to be true for this to work? What's the risk?"
- No decision yet. This is divergence. Mark energy/enthusiasm levels informally.

#### Working Agreements v2 (1:40-3:00)
- Start/Stop/Continue: Each person silently writes stickies (10 min):
  - GREEN: things we should **start** doing
  - RED: things we should **stop** doing
  - YELLOW: things we should **continue** doing
- Share + cluster: Place on wall. Facilitator clusters. Read themes aloud.
- Negotiate: For each top cluster, the facilitator asks: "What's the specific agreement? Can someone propose the exact wording?" Discuss and refine.
- Target: 8-12 working agreements covering:
  - Meeting norms (cameras, agendas, async defaults)
  - Communication (Slack response times, deep work blocks, escalation)
  - Decision-making (who decides what; when to escalate)
  - Feedback (how to give it; cadence)
- Commitment round: Go around the room. Each person says: "I commit to these agreements" or "I have a concern about [specific agreement]." Resolve concerns or note them for follow-up.

#### Q2 Bets: Convergence + Commitment (3:25-4:30)
- Apply decision principles: "For each candidate cluster from this morning, evaluate it against our principles. Does it pass? Write 'yes/no/maybe' on each."
- Dot vote: Each person gets 5 dots. Vote on the bets you believe we must pursue.
- Debate top 5: Facilitator leads discussion on the top-voted bets. Use a "2 minutes for, 2 minutes against" format for contested bets.
- Commit: Head of Product makes the final call on which 3-5 bets we pursue. State each bet aloud. Scribe captures.
- Anti-bets: "What are we explicitly NOT doing? Name 3-5 things we're saying no to." Capture these -- they're just as important.

#### Action Plan Sprint (4:30-5:00)
- Each bet owner takes 10 minutes to draft on paper:
  - First 2-week action items
  - Dependencies on others in the room
  - Known blockers
- Share-out: Each owner has 2 minutes to present. Others add dependencies.
- Scribe captures the action plan.

#### Close (5:00-5:30)
- Scribe reads back ALL decisions (bets, principles, working agreements, action items). Room confirms.
- Confirm checkpoint: "We'll meet on [DATE + 2 weeks] to review progress. [Owner] will set up the calendar invite."
- Memory artifact: "I'll send the decisions summary, photos of the whiteboards, and the action plan within 24 hours."
- One-word close: Go around the room. "Share one word for how you're feeling right now."
- Thank the room. Done.

### Handling Disagreement

If debate stalls on a bet or agreement:

1. **Name it:** "We're stuck on [topic]. Let me restate what we agree on and where the disagreement is."
2. **Apply principles:** "Which of our decision principles applies here? What does it tell us?"
3. **Timebox:** "We have 5 more minutes on this. If we can't resolve it, I'm going to ask [Head of Product] to make the call, or we'll assign a 2-person working group to propose 2 options by [date]."
4. **If it gets personal:** "Let's separate the idea from the person. What are the tradeoffs of Option A vs Option B? Let's write them on the board."

### Parking Lot Protocol

- Physical whiteboard in the corner labeled "PARKING LOT."
- Anyone can add an item at any time (write it on a sticky, put it on the board).
- At 3:00 PM, facilitator reviews: assign an owner and a next step for each item, or explicitly defer it ("We're not handling this today; [Owner] will follow up by [date]").

---

## Step 7: Logistics Plan + Checklist

### Venue / Space

| Item | Details | Status |
|---|---|---|
| **Venue type** | Dedicated offsite space (NOT the office). NYC options: Breather, Convene, The Yard, or similar. | [ ] Book by [DATE - 3 weeks] |
| **Room capacity** | 12-15 people (buffer for comfort) | [ ] Confirm |
| **Room setup** | Large open room with movable tables. Cabaret/cluster seating for small groups, NOT boardroom rows. Space to stand at walls. | [ ] Confirm layout |
| **Whiteboards** | Minimum 2 large whiteboards or wall-mounted whiteboard film. If not available, bring large sticky easel pads (3 pads minimum). | [ ] Confirm or order |
| **Breakout space** | One additional small room or hallway nook for sidebar conversations. | [ ] Confirm |
| **Accessibility** | Wheelchair accessible entrance, elevator if not ground floor, accessible restroom. Ask team in advance for any specific needs. | [ ] Survey team; confirm venue |
| **Natural light** | Prefer rooms with windows. A windowless room drains energy fast. | [ ] Confirm |

### Supplies

| Item | Quantity | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Sticky notes (3x3, assorted colors: green, red, yellow, blue) | 6 packs | [ ] Order/buy |
| Markers (thick, for whiteboards) | 12 (assorted colors) | [ ] Order/buy |
| Markers (thin, for stickies/paper) | 10 (black Sharpies) | [ ] Order/buy |
| Dot stickers (for voting) | 100 (5 colors) | [ ] Order/buy |
| Easel pads (large sticky-back) | 3 pads | [ ] Order/buy |
| Painter's tape (for hanging paper on walls) | 2 rolls | [ ] Order/buy |
| Printed pre-read packets | 10 copies | [ ] Print by [DATE - 1 day] |
| Printed agenda (1-page) | 10 copies | [ ] Print by [DATE - 1 day] |
| Name tags (if team doesn't all know each other well) | 10 | [ ] Optional |
| Timer (phone or physical) | 1 | [ ] Facilitator brings |
| Camera/phone for whiteboard photos | 1 | [ ] Scribe/logistics owner |
| Power strips / phone chargers | 2 strips | [ ] Bring |
| HDMI adapter + backup dongle | 1 set | [ ] Bring (emergency use only) |

### Food + Breaks

| Meal/Snack | Time | Details | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| **Breakfast / coffee** | 8:45-9:00 | Coffee, tea, pastries, fruit. Available as people arrive. | [ ] Order from venue or caterer |
| **Morning snack** | 10:30-10:45 | Refill coffee + light snacks (nuts, bars) | [ ] Include in catering order |
| **Lunch** | 12:30-1:30 | Catered lunch at venue. Family-style or boxed. Include vegetarian, vegan, and GF options by default. | [ ] Order by [DATE - 1 week]; collect dietary needs |
| **Afternoon snack** | 3:05-3:25 | Energy snacks (fruit, chocolate, trail mix) + water | [ ] Include in catering order |
| **Water** | All day | Pitchers or bottles in room. Refill at breaks. | [ ] Confirm with venue |

**Dietary constraints:** Collected via prework email. Default: include vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and nut-free options.

**Estimated catering budget:** $800-$1,200 for 10 people (NYC pricing).

### Travel

| Item | Details | Status |
|---|---|---|
| **Arrival** | Ask all to arrive by 8:45 AM at venue. | [ ] Communicate in prework email |
| **Departure** | Offsite ends at 5:30 PM. Optional team dinner at 6:30 PM (see below). | [ ] Communicate |
| **Hotels (if needed)** | For those flying in: book within [budget per night] at a hotel near venue. Share a recommended hotel list. | [ ] Send hotel recs by [DATE - 2 weeks] |
| **Flights (if needed)** | Book per company travel policy. Arrive day before; depart day after (or evening of). | [ ] Remind team by [DATE - 3 weeks] |
| **Local transport** | Provide venue address + nearest subway/transit directions. Mention ride-share option. | [ ] Include in logistics email |
| **Reimbursement** | Link to company reimbursement policy / Expensify instructions. | [ ] Include in prework email |

### Tech (Minimal -- This Is a Laptops-Down Day)

| Item | Details | Status |
|---|---|---|
| **WiFi** | Confirm venue has WiFi (for scribe and emergencies). Get password in advance. | [ ] Confirm |
| **Shared doc** | Set up a shared Google Doc or Notion page for the scribe to capture decisions in real-time. Share link with all participants. | [ ] Create by [DATE - 1 day] |
| **Photo capture** | Scribe or logistics owner photographs every whiteboard at end of each session. | [ ] Assign |
| **Projector/screen** | NOT needed by default (laptops down). Have adapter available in case of emergency. | [ ] Bring adapter |
| **Comms break plan** | Two 5-minute Slack/email check windows: 10:30 AM break and 3:05 PM break. Facilitator announces. | [ ] Build into agenda |

### Contingencies

| Scenario | Plan |
|---|---|
| **Key person is absent (illness/travel)** | Identify a proxy for their decisions. Defer any decisions that absolutely require them; handle async within 48 hours. Do not cancel the offsite for one absence. |
| **Venue falls through** | Backup: book a large conference room at a coworking space (WeWork, Industrious) or use someone's apartment with a large living room. Have 1 backup venue identified. |
| **Energy drops hard after lunch** | Facilitator has 3 energizer options ready (stand-up activity, walk break, change of room configuration). The working agreements session is designed to be high-participation. |
| **Debate gets heated or personal** | Facilitator uses disagreement protocol (name it, apply principles, timebox, park if needed). If it involves interpersonal conflict, park it: "Let's take this offline. [Head of Product] and I will follow up with both of you this week." |
| **Prework not done** | Facilitator checks 2 days before. Send a direct reminder to anyone who hasn't submitted. On the day: extend context alignment by 15 minutes and compress lunch by 15 minutes. |
| **AV/tech fails** | We don't depend on AV. All work is analog (whiteboards, stickies, paper). The scribe's laptop is the only tech required. |
| **Weather (outdoor walk)** | If weather is bad, replace the walk break with an indoor stretch break and a room reconfiguration (move chairs, change seating). |

### Optional: Team Dinner

| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| **Time** | 6:30 PM (1 hour after offsite ends; gives people time to decompress) |
| **Venue** | Restaurant near offsite venue. Book for 10. Moderate price point (~$60-80/person). |
| **Vibe** | Celebratory. No work talk required. This is connection time. |
| **Budget** | ~$700-$900 including drinks and tip. |

### Budget Summary (Estimated)

| Category | Estimate |
|---|---|
| Venue rental (full day) | $1,000-$2,000 |
| Catering (breakfast, lunch, snacks) | $800-$1,200 |
| Supplies (stickies, markers, easel pads, etc.) | $100-$150 |
| Printing | $20-$30 |
| Optional: team dinner | $700-$900 |
| **Total (without dinner)** | **$1,920-$3,380** |
| **Total (with dinner)** | **$2,620-$4,280** |

*Note: Travel and lodging are separate and depend on how many people are flying in.*

---

## Step 8: Post-Offsite Output Pack

### Decisions Log (Template -- fill in during/after offsite)

| # | Decision | Rationale | Tradeoffs Accepted | Owner | Next Step + Date | Review Trigger/Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| D1 | Q2 Bet 1: [e.g., "Launch self-serve onboarding for SMB segment"] | [Why this bet; what data supports it] | [What we gave up: e.g., "Delaying enterprise features by 4 weeks"] | [Name] | [First action] by [Date] | Mid-Q2 check: [Date] |
| D2 | Q2 Bet 2: [TBD] | | | | | |
| D3 | Q2 Bet 3: [TBD] | | | | | |
| D4 | Anti-bet: [e.g., "We are NOT building a mobile app in Q2"] | [Why not] | [What we accept: customer requests will go unaddressed] | N/A | Communicate to Sales/CS | N/A |
| D5 | Decision Principle: [e.g., "When in doubt, optimize for activation over retention in Q2"] | [Rationale] | [What this means we deprioritize] | Team | Use in weekly prioritization | End of Q2 |
| D6 | Working Agreement: [e.g., "All meetings have agendas shared 24h in advance or the meeting is canceled"] | [Why this matters for remote-first] | [Overhead of writing agendas] | Team | Start enforcing [Monday after offsite] | 2-week checkpoint |
| D7-D12 | [Additional working agreements] | | | | | |

### Action Plan

| # | Action | Owner | Due Date | Dependencies | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A1 | Write Q2 Bet 1 brief (1-page problem/solution/metrics) | [Bet 1 owner] | [Date + 1 week] | Q1 metrics finalized | Not started |
| A2 | Write Q2 Bet 2 brief | [Bet 2 owner] | [Date + 1 week] | Customer research summary | Not started |
| A3 | Write Q2 Bet 3 brief | [Bet 3 owner] | [Date + 1 week] | Engineering capacity estimate | Not started |
| A4 | Send post-offsite comms to stakeholders | [Head of Product] | [Date + 1 day] | Decisions log finalized | Not started |
| A5 | Publish working agreements to team wiki/Notion | [Team lead] | [Date + 2 days] | Agreements finalized by scribe | Not started |
| A6 | Set up Q2 bets in tracking system (Linear/Jira/Notion) | [PM or TPM] | [Date + 3 days] | Bet briefs drafted | Not started |
| A7 | Schedule 2-week checkpoint meeting | [Facilitator] | [Date + 1 day] | Calendar availability | Not started |
| A8 | Publish memory artifact (photos + 1-page summary) | [Scribe / Logistics owner] | [Date + 2 days] | Whiteboard photos captured | Not started |
| A9 | Share anti-bets list with Sales/CS (so they know what's NOT happening) | [Head of Product] | [Date + 3 days] | Decisions log finalized | Not started |
| A10 | Follow up on parking lot items | [Assigned owners per item] | [Date + 1 week] | Parking lot captured | Not started |

### Follow-Up Comms Draft

---

**To:** Product Team + Key Stakeholders (Engineering Lead, CEO, Sales Lead)
**Subject:** Q2 Strategy Offsite -- Decisions, Bets, and Next Steps

Team --

On [DATE], the product team spent a full day together in NYC to align on Q2 and reset how we work. Here is what we decided.

**Q2 Strategic Bets (what we're committing to):**
1. **[Bet 1 name]** -- [1-sentence description]. Owner: [Name].
2. **[Bet 2 name]** -- [1-sentence description]. Owner: [Name].
3. **[Bet 3 name]** -- [1-sentence description]. Owner: [Name].

**What we're NOT doing (anti-bets):**
- [Anti-bet 1]: [Why not, in 1 sentence].
- [Anti-bet 2]: [Why not].

**Decision Principles for Q2:**
We established [5-7] principles to guide tradeoff decisions this quarter so we can move faster without escalating everything. [Link to full principles doc].

**Working Agreements (effective immediately):**
We reset our team norms. Key changes: [list 2-3 most important new agreements]. Full list: [Link to working agreements doc].

**What happens next:**
- Bet briefs due by [Date + 1 week].
- Bets set up in [tracking tool] by [Date + 3 days].
- **2-week checkpoint:** [Date + 2 weeks] to review progress on bets and working agreements.

**Open questions (still being worked):**
- [Open question 1]
- [Open question 2]

Full decisions log and whiteboard photos: [Link to shared doc].

If you have questions or concerns about any of these decisions, reach out to [Head of Product] by [Date + 3 days]. After that, we're moving forward.

-- [Head of Product / Facilitator name]

---

### Memory Artifact Plan

**Format chosen:** Photos of whiteboards + 1-page narrative summary.

**Contents:**
1. Photo of the "Current State + Constraints" whiteboard
2. Photo of the "Decision Principles" wall
3. Photo of the "Q2 Bets" whiteboard (with anti-bets)
4. Photo of the "Working Agreements" wall
5. 1-page narrative: "What we aligned on, what we chose, what we're doing next"

**Published to:** Team Notion/Wiki + Slack channel
**Published by:** [Scribe / Logistics owner]
**Deadline:** Within 24 hours of offsite

### Review Checkpoints

| Checkpoint | Date | Purpose | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|
| **2-week check-in** | [Date + 2 weeks] | Are bet briefs done? Are working agreements being followed? Any early blockers? | Facilitator |
| **Mid-Q2 review** | [Date + 6 weeks] | Are bets on track? Do we need to adjust? Are decision principles holding? | Head of Product |
| **End-of-Q2 retro** | [End of Q2] | Did we achieve what we set out to? What worked about the offsite format? Plan next one. | Team lead |

---

## Risks, Open Questions, and Next Steps

### Risks

| Risk | Likelihood | Impact | Mitigation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prework not completed by majority of team | Medium | High -- wastes first 90 min of offsite on context | Facilitator checks 2 days before; sends direct reminders; extends context alignment if needed |
| Q2 bets debate becomes political (pet projects) | Medium | Medium -- weak bets chosen for wrong reasons | Decision principles session runs BEFORE bets; criteria-based convergence, not authority-based |
| Working agreements feel like "rules" and don't stick | Medium | High -- defeats purpose of reset | Commitment round requires each person to verbally commit; 2-week checkpoint reviews adherence |
| Head of Product dominates and team doesn't voice disagreement | Low-Medium | High -- false alignment | Facilitator ensures HoP speaks last in key rounds; small-group work before plenary |
| Post-offsite follow-through drops (Monday amnesia) | High | High -- entire offsite wasted | 24-hour comms deadline; 2-week checkpoint; memory artifact published to shared space |

### Open Questions

1. **Who is the facilitator?** Strongly recommend someone who is NOT the Head of Product, so the decision-maker can participate fully. Could be a senior PM, a Design lead, or an external facilitator.
2. **Exact date?** Recommend a Thursday (Friday is recovery/travel day). Coordinate with the team's sprint cycle to avoid disrupting an active sprint.
3. **Which venue in NYC?** Need to book 3+ weeks in advance. Suggest evaluating Breather, Convene, or The Yard for the right size and budget.
4. **Are there any team members who can't travel to NYC?** If so, we need to decide: include them remotely (with significant facilitation overhead) or find a date when all 10 can attend.
5. **Are stakeholders (Engineering, CEO, Sales) expecting to give input on Q2 bets before the offsite?** If so, add their input to the pre-read packet.
6. **Does the team have existing working agreements?** If yes, include them in the pre-read as the baseline. If no, the session starts from scratch (which is fine but takes slightly longer).

### Next Steps

| # | Action | Owner | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Confirm offsite date | Head of Product | ASAP |
| 2 | Assign facilitator, scribe, timekeeper, logistics owner | Head of Product | [Date - 4 weeks] |
| 3 | Book venue | Logistics owner | [Date - 3 weeks] |
| 4 | Send prework email to team | Facilitator / Logistics owner | [Date - 7 business days] |
| 5 | Collect dietary restrictions and accessibility needs | Logistics owner | [Date - 2 weeks] |
| 6 | Order catering | Logistics owner | [Date - 1 week] |
| 7 | Buy supplies (stickies, markers, easel pads, dot stickers) | Logistics owner | [Date - 3 days] |
| 8 | Print pre-read packets + agendas | Logistics owner | [Date - 1 day] |
| 9 | Assemble and distribute pre-read packet | Logistics owner + content owners | [Date - 7 business days] |
| 10 | Check prework completion; send reminders | Facilitator | [Date - 2 days] |
| 11 | Synthesize prework themes for facilitator prep | Facilitator | [Date - 1 day] |
| 12 | Run the offsite | Facilitator + full team | [Date] |
| 13 | Send post-offsite comms | Head of Product | [Date + 1 day] |
| 14 | Publish memory artifact | Scribe / Logistics owner | [Date + 2 days] |
| 15 | Schedule and run 2-week checkpoint | Facilitator | [Date + 2 weeks] |

---

## Quality Gate: Self-Assessment

### Checklist Verification

**1) Offsite Brief checklist**
- [x] Purpose is a single sentence and includes "why now"
- [x] Target outputs are 5 artifacts (not feelings)
- [x] Decisions in scope are explicit; out-of-scope items are named
- [x] Participants list includes decision makers
- [x] Success measures include "immediately after" and "2-4 weeks after"
- [x] Risks include team dynamics and missing inputs/data

**2) Agenda checklist**
- [x] Every session has an output artifact
- [x] 72% of time is interactive/co-creation (exceeds 60% minimum)
- [x] "Laptops down" blocks are explicit (scribe exception defined)
- [x] Breaks are scheduled (10:30, 12:30, 3:05)
- [x] Day starts with connection (Connection Round) and ends with follow-through (Close)

**3) Prework checklist**
- [x] Prework reduces context-setting time
- [x] Prompts are specific and require thought
- [x] Assignments have owners and due dates
- [x] Sensitive topics are handled safely

**4) Facilitation checklist**
- [x] Opening script names purpose, outputs, and norms
- [x] Decision capture fields are defined (all 6 fields)
- [x] Disagreement handling plan exists
- [x] Parking lot mechanism exists with owner assignment during close

**5) Logistics checklist**
- [x] Room setup supports whiteboards and breakouts
- [x] Supplies are explicitly listed
- [x] Accessibility needs are accounted for
- [x] Contingency plan exists (7 scenarios covered)

**6) Post-offsite follow-through checklist**
- [x] Decisions log is complete with owners + next steps
- [x] Action plan has due dates and dependencies
- [x] Follow-up comms draft is ready
- [x] Checkpoint date is scheduled (2 weeks)
- [x] Memory artifact is defined and publishable within 24 hours

### Rubric Self-Score

| Criterion | Score | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| 1) Scope + boundaries | 2 | Clear when to use/not use; conflict boundaries explicit; neighboring skills referenced |
| 2) Input contract | 2 | Minimum inputs explicit; missing info handled with 6 labeled assumptions |
| 3) Outputs are artifact-first | 2 | Every deliverable is concrete; output order defined; every session produces a named artifact |
| 4) Agenda quality | 2 | Timed agenda; 72% interactive; every block has output; breaks and connection included |
| 5) "Defrag the day" | 2 | Laptops down explicit in norms, script, and agenda; scribe pattern defined; physical tools; comms breaks defined |
| 6) Prework protects time | 2 | Pre-read, prompts, and assignments; participants arrive ready to decide |
| 7) Facilitation runnable | 2 | Full run-of-show with opening script, norms, decision capture, breakout instructions, disagreement handling |
| 8) Logistics frictionless | 2 | Complete checklist: venue, supplies, food, travel, tech, accessibility, 7 contingencies |
| 9) Memory + follow-through | 2 | Decisions log, action plan, comms draft, memory artifact, 3 checkpoint dates |
| 10) Safety + realism | 2 | No forced vulnerability; elephants named at safe level; escalation path defined; realistic about what offsite can fix |
| **Total** | **20/20** | |

---

*End of Offsite Pack.*