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KPT Retrospectives: Turn Keep and Problem into a Concrete Try

Summary

Learn to run a KPT retrospective with concrete events, useful practices, small owned experiments, and a follow-up that examines what actually changed.

Published

Give Each KPT Experiment an Action and Review Date

KPT stands for Keep, Problem, and Try: practices to continue, problems observed, and changes to test. Its useful output is an executable experiment beyond three filled columns.

Describe events and conditions rather than judging people. Add an owner and review date to the change, then examine its result.

Describe Concrete Situations in Keep and Problem

JaSST material presents KPT around continuation, problems, and subsequent trials. (JaSST 2019: Review and KPT materials) Record the practice and context for Keep, and the event and impact for Problem.

Use actual events such as supplying review material early or returning a request with missing data. Keep uncertain causes labeled as assumptions.

Define Try as a Small Output with an Owner

Turn improve coordination into an action such as agreeing required fields and a sharing date. Check the owner’s capacity and authority.

Limit experiments to relevant questions. A useful Keep practice can also be tested in another context.

Start the Next Review with the Experiment’s Result

Review the change in the problem alongside execution. If the result is unclear, revise the test conditions or measures.

A missing explanation in public instructions can become a Try item, with a website update owner and defined content.

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Frequently asked questions

Q: Does KPT collect only problems?

A: No. Retain useful practices and their conditions for potential reuse.

Q: How many Try items should we create?

A: Choose a number the team can execute and assess with available capacity.

Q: Can I record a problem with an unknown cause?

A: Yes. Record the event and impact; investigation can become the next action.

Q: What if the same problem returns?

A: Review execution and conditions, then revise the response or responsibilities.

Sources

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