Drop, Add, Keep, Improve retrospective template
DAKI turns a retro into four decisions. Drop what no longer helps, add something new, keep what works and improve what is close to working. Every column leads naturally to an action, which makes it a good format for teams whose retros end without any.
Try it free
Free to start. Your team joins with a link.
When to use it
- Teams whose retros produce talk but few actions
- Reviewing a process, such as how the team plans or reviews code
- A retro after the team has changed how it works
The columns
Drop
What should we stop doing?
For example
- The Friday status email nobody reads
- Estimating bugs in story points
Add
What should we start doing?
For example
- A short written handover for on-call
- Demoing to support before each release
Keep
What is working and should stay?
For example
- The no-meeting Wednesday morning
- Rotating who runs standup
Improve
What is nearly working and needs some attention?
For example
- Sprint planning runs long
- The bug triage rota is uneven
Facilitator tip
Drop is the column people find hardest to fill. Give it an extra minute of quiet writing.
Other formats
- Three Horizons retrospective
- Three Little Pigs retrospective
- 4Ls retrospective: Liked, Learned, Lacked, Longed For
- Anchors and Engines retrospective
- Lean Coffee retrospective
- Mad, Sad, Glad retrospective
- Mountain Climber retrospective
- Original 4 questions retrospective
- Sailboat retrospective
- Starfish retrospective
- Start, Stop, Continue retrospective
- SWOT retrospective
- What Went Well retrospective
- Genie in a Bottle retrospective
- Curse, Blessing, Quest retrospective