DAKI Retrospective
A retrospective format that asks the team to reflect across four dimensions: what to Drop (stop doing entirely), Add (start doing), Keep (continue doing well), and Improve (do better). More action-oriented than Start/Stop/Continue — the explicit 'Improve' category pushes teams toward concrete enhancement rather than just elimination.
How to run it
- 1
Divide the board into four quadrants: Drop, Add, Keep, Improve.
- 2
Individual silent reflection (5 min): each person writes sticky notes for each quadrant.
- 3
Share and cluster: go quadrant by quadrant, read notes aloud, group similar themes.
- 4
Dot vote on the top 2-3 items in each quadrant.
- 5
For each top item: agree on one concrete action, an owner, and a due date.
- 6
Close with a quick check-out: one word describing how the team feels about the session.
Tips
The 'Drop' quadrant is where teams get honest — protect psychological safety there.
Don't let the 'Keep' quadrant become self-congratulation. It should inform what to protect during improvements.
Limit actions to what the team controls — don't assign actions to people outside the room.
Review previous retro actions at the start before adding new ones.
Variations
KALM variant: Keep, Add, Less of, More of. Good for teams who find 'Drop' too binary for habits they want to reduce rather than eliminate.
Where it fits
Related methods
Frequently asked questions
When should I use DAKI Retrospective?â–¾
Use DAKI Retrospective when you want to: Sprint retrospectives; Team improvement; Agile ceremonies; Quarterly team reviews.
How long does DAKI Retrospective take?â–¾
DAKI Retrospective typically takes 45–75 minutes.
How many participants does DAKI Retrospective work for?â–¾
DAKI Retrospective works best for groups of 3–20 participants.
What materials do I need for DAKI Retrospective?â–¾
To run DAKI Retrospective you will need: Whiteboard or Miro board divided into 4 quadrants, Sticky notes, Pens.
How difficult is DAKI Retrospective to facilitate?â–¾
FacilitationMethods.faqA5Easy
Plan your next workshop with AI
Workshop Weaver helps you combine methods like DAKI Retrospective into a complete, timed agenda in minutes.
Try it freeMethod descriptions on Workshop Weaver are original content written by our team, based on established facilitation practices. This method was inspired by work from Workshop Weaver.