Classic

DAKI (Drop, Add, Keep, Improve) retrospective template

Free DAKI retrospective template: Drop, Add, Keep, Improve. Run it online with hidden cards, voting and no sign-up.

Use this template — free, no sign-up

Opens a new board with these columns, right in your browser.

What is the DAKI (Drop, Add, Keep, Improve) retrospective?

DAKI asks four practical questions: what should we Drop, what should we Add, what should we Keep, and what should we Improve. It is close to Start, Stop, Continue but adds Improve for things that are worth keeping only if they get better, such as a stand-up that runs long or a flaky deploy pipeline.

The columns

  1. Drop
  2. Add
  3. Keep
  4. Improve

When to use it

Use DAKI when your process has accumulated clutter: meetings, checklists or tools that nobody questions. It is also good after a team change, when old habits need re-examining.

How to run it in Peel in 5 steps

  1. Create a DAKI board and share the link; participants join with a name and an animal avatar.
  2. Write silently. Encourage people to be specific in Drop, naming the meeting or step they would remove.
  3. Reveal and group cards. Move Improve cards that are really Drop candidates to Drop, and discuss them openly.
  4. Dot-vote, then discuss the top items, starting with Drop for quick wins.
  5. Create actions with owners and dates. Note one Keep as a team agreement worth writing down.
Use this template — free, no sign-up

Frequently asked questions

When should something go in Improve rather than Drop?

If the thing has a clear purpose but works badly, Improve. If nobody can say why it exists, Drop.

How many people can join?

Any number. Peel boards are free with unlimited participants.

All templates →