Keep, Problem, Try (KPT) Retrospective
What is this activity?
Keep, Problem, Try (KPT) is a simple and powerful retrospective format. It helps teams reflect on their past work and plan for small improvements. The idea is to look at what’s working well, what isn’t, and what you’d like to experiment with in the next sprint or project. This technique was first introduced by Alistair Cockburn, one of the co-authors of the Agile Manifesto. Over time, it has become popular among product and software teams—especially in Japan—and has even been used by companies like Toyota. It’s a great format when your team wants to improve how you work without getting into too much detail or emotion. KPT helps you stay focused on what matters most: learning and improving a little each time. Example: - Keep: Daily stand-ups helped us stay aligned. - Problem: Code reviews are taking too long. - Try: Use timers during reviews to keep them short.
No limit
Template created by: EasyRetro Team - Has been used 1 times
Keep, Problem, Try (KPT) Template
🟢 Keep
Things that went well and helped the team. What should we continue doing?
🔴 Problem
Things that caused issues or didn’t work well. What should we stop or fix?
🟡 Try
New ideas or experiments to test. What could we try next time?
How to conduct this activity
To run a Keep, Problem, Try retrospective, ask your team to add notes in three simple columns. 1. Start with “Keep” – What worked well in the last sprint or project? These are habits, tools, or actions the team wants to continue. 2. Move to “Problem” – What didn’t go so well? Here, the team shares things that caused delays, confusion, or stress. 3. End with “Try” – What new ideas or solutions could help the team improve? This is where you plan experiments or changes for the next cycle. Once all cards are added, read them together, group similar items, and talk about the most important ones. End the session by picking action items from the “Try” column and assigning owners to follow up in the next sprint. This format is fast, focused, and easy to understand—even for teams new to retrospectives.
Create Free Board
See more templates like this!
- 0 uses
Pizza Retro
This fun retrospective format is all about pizza! It helps your team reflect on the last sprint in a light and engaging way. Each column represents a different “pizza topping” choice, like what to ke... - 0 uses
Plus, Minus, Equals
Plus - What could be added that would help you to be more productive? Minus - What could be eliminated or changed that slows you down or creates roadblocks? Equals - If you were granted one wish in re... - 0 uses
Questions Comments Concerns Retrospective
The Questions / Comments / Concerns retrospective is a reflective format that creates space for curiosity, feedback, and emotional check-ins. It encourages team members to express doubts, share genera...
