Method guide · Work with a structured grid
Stop, Start, Continue
Use when reflection needs to produce concrete next-cycle actions while reducing burdens and retaining practices that already work.
- People
- 2–30
- Base procedure time
- 30 minutes
- Recording
- Shared record
Purpose: Reflect and learn; Make a decision.
English guide
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How this method works
Use three columns—start, stop and continue—to select actions for the next cycle. Use when completed work produces only impressions rather than improvement decisions, work keeps being added without reducing burdens, or effective habits are easily overlooked. Separate individual observations into the three choices, cluster duplicates and select one move per column, keeping evaluation distinct from the next experiment. The output is a three-column record of concrete start/stop/continue actions, owners and deadlines or observation points. This is not suitable on its own for investigating causes or approving resource allocation across departments.
Phase schedule
Minutes are cumulative from the start of the base plan, not a live timer. Read scaling for any additional time. Phase controls do not advance automatically.
Use the arrow keys, Home or End while these controls have focus. The complete phase schedule remains below, including without JavaScript.
- Set the cycle0–3 minutes from the start (3 minutes)
Action: Set. Participation: Everyone.
Recording not separately specified for this phase
- Write in three columns3–10 minutes from the start (7 minutes)
Action: Write. Participation: Individually.
Individual record
- Organise contributions10–18 minutes from the start (8 minutes)
Action: Organise. Participation: Everyone.
Shared record
- Choose next actions18–26 minutes from the start (8 minutes)
Action: Choose. Participation: Everyone.
Shared record
- Record commitments26–30 minutes from the start (4 minutes)
Action: Record. Participation: Everyone.
Shared record
Facilitation steps
- For 3 minutes, present the cycle to reflect on and one question shared by all three columns.
- For 7 minutes, each person writes one item per sticky note in the appropriate column.
- For 5 minutes, note authors share their key points with everyone one person at a time.
- For 3 minutes, organise only notes with the same meaning into clusters within each column.
- For 4 minutes, choose one concrete action from each column to try in the next cycle.
- For 4 minutes, decide the concrete first implementation step for each of the three selected actions.
- For 2 minutes, record an owner and deadline or observation point for the three selected actions.
- For 2 minutes, read the three records together, including owners and observation points.
If something changes
If
After 3 minutes of individual writing, more than half of the participants have at least 2 empty columns.
Then
Use recent events to write one provisional item in each column.
If
After 6 minutes of action selection, any column has not been narrowed to one action.
Then
Choose the item with the most concrete change that can be observed in the next cycle.
Preparation
Materials
- Three-column Start/Stop/Continue sheets: one A3 sheet per group plus one for whole-group consolidation
- Sticky notes: about 9 per person, in three colours or labelled with column names
- Dark pens: one per person
- Owner-and-deadline record fields: one per column, 3 fields in total
Room and setup
- One work surface per group, large enough to gather around its three-column sheet
- One whole-group consolidation surface with three columns for the groups’ candidates
- Space to rearrange at least 15 sticky notes in each column
Adjust for people and time
With 2 people, alternate reading the notes. Before selecting, the other person must paraphrase every candidate in the three columns. With up to 6 people, use one three-column sheet. With more than 6 people, split into groups of no more than 6, with each group choosing one item per column. Together, display each group’s three selections, narrow each column to one item and retain an owner and deadline or observation point. At 30 people, work with 15 items from 5 groups.
Safety and non-applicable situations
Keep evaluation separate from the next experiment, and record owners with deadlines or observation points. Do not use this on its own to investigate causes or approve cross-department resource allocation.
Manuscript's recorded references
These translate the original manuscript's source and rights claims. They remain separate from any current-page notice below; they do not establish new verification.
- Australian Public Service Commission: Retrospectives — Start/Stop/Continue
https://www.apsprofessions.gov.au/guides-and-resources/modern-ways-working/agile/retrospectives
CC BY 4.0 adaptation; changes made
- © Commonwealth of Australia — disclaimer and copyright
- CC BY 4.0
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