Reflection, learning and knowledge transfer
Capture Learning at Project Close
Reflect on experience from four perspectives and decide what to stop, start, and continue next time.
- People
- 3–15
- Session time
- 150 minutes
- Format
- In person
English session plan
Original program status: draft. Source safety category: Low; this is not a guarantee of safety.
Preparation: Standard preparation. Facilitation team: Three operating roles.
What this session can decide
Decide learning and small actions to retain for next time. Do not address contract evaluation, individual appraisal, or liability for damage.
Outside its scope
- Do not attribute success or failure to individuals.
- Do not assert causation from memory alone.
- Do not substitute for contractual acceptance.
Primary caution: Do not attribute success or failure to individuals.
Before starting
- Question and scope
- Reflect on experience from four perspectives and decide what to stop, start, and continue next time. Before starting, state the subject and time period in one sentence.
- What this session decides
- Decide learning and small actions to retain for next time. Do not address contract evaluation, individual appraisal, or liability for damage.
- Output recipient
- The Recorder stores the final improvement commitments for next time, turning them into actions with an owner, start point, and checking point.
- Participation and information boundaries
- Offer speaking, writing, or passing as participation choices. Keep personal information, confidential information, and attribute-based evaluation off the record surface.
- Operating roles
- Assign Lead facilitator, Recorder, and Timekeeper before starting, and confirm who announces switching and stopping.
- Next review
- Set a review date, viewers, and the person responsible for the next decision on the improvement commitments for next time.
Who takes responsibility
- Lead facilitator
Keep Capture Learning at Project Close within its purpose and exclusions, and announce the start and end of each stage.
From before the start through the end
- Recorder
Record what went well, what was learned, what was missing, and what is wanted next; stop/start/continue candidates; and improvement commitments for next time at each stage, then hand them to the recipient at the end.
From preparing record surfaces before the start through storage after the end
- Timekeeper
Notify the Lead facilitator 3 minutes before each stage ends and when switching to breaks or buffer time.
At the start of every stage and 3 minutes before its end
Session flow
Minutes are measured from the session start. Method time, transition time, breaks and buffer are shown separately; they are not additional overlapping activities.
0–63 minutes
Identify learning from four perspectives
Method: 4Ls Retrospective · 0–60 minutes. Transition: 60–63 minutes (3 minutes).
Individually write what went well, what was learned, what was missing, and what is wanted. Separate facts from impressions and bundle recurring items.
Responsible: Lead facilitator; Recorder; Timekeeper
Output: Record of what went well, what was learned, what was missing, and what is wanted next
Handoff: Pass bundled items to action categorisation.
This stage may be shortened only in accordance with the stated conditions.
63–96 minutes
Categorise actions for next time
Method: Stop, Start, Continue · 63–93 minutes. Transition: 93–96 minutes (3 minutes).
Place retrospective items under Stop, Start, or Continue. Rewrite each candidate as an action and record the reason and expected change.
Responsible: Lead facilitator; Recorder; Timekeeper
Output: Stop/start/continue candidates
Handoff: Pass candidates that can have an owner to the smallest commitments.
This stage is not marked as shortenable.
101–129 minutes
Choose smallest commitments to carry into next time
Method: Smallest Commitment Chain · 101–126 minutes. Transition: 126–129 minutes (3 minutes).
Break each candidate into a concrete first action. Retain only actions an owner accepts, and record the start date and setting for checking.
Responsible: Lead facilitator; Recorder; Timekeeper
Output: Improvement commitments for next time
Handoff: Pass improvement commitments to the next project owner and assigned people.
This stage is not marked as shortenable.
What is retained and who receives it
Record of what went well, what was learned, what was missing, and what is wanted next
Owner: Recorder
Do not turn outcomes and issues into a one-sided evaluation.
Stop/start/continue candidates
Owner: Recorder
Compare actions to change next time with actions to retain.
Improvement commitments for next time
Owner: Recorder
Turn them into actions with an owner, start point, and checking point.
Materials and setup
Material names, quantities, groups and handling instructions retain the fixed draft's original helper-derived guidance. Where a format is marked “Source material specification”, the entire bound English source material entry takes precedence over the old helper-derived format guidance. This format-only correction does not resolve other instruction or safety concerns. English names are not substituted into a Japanese-keyed lookup.
Everyday tools
- Selection marks
Quantity: 3 points per person
Format: Pen marks. Use round stickers only if anonymity or movement is needed.
Use pen marks by default. Divide round stickers by participant count only if repositioning or anonymous collection is needed.
- Writing implements
Quantity: 1 per person
Format: Dark broad-tip pens or whiteboard markers
Check that ink flows and place them within participants' reach. Avoid pale-coloured pens.
- Sticky notes
Quantity: About 9 per person
Format: Sticky notes about 75 × 75 mm, or A4 copy paper cut into 4 pieces
Write Start, Stop, or Continue at the top of each sticky note or paper piece. There is no need to provide three colours; distinguish the columns by written labels even when using the same colour.
- Writing implements
Quantity: 1 per person
Format: Dark broad-tip pens or whiteboard markers
Check that ink flows and place them within participants' reach. Avoid pale-coloured pens.
- Connecting tape
Quantity: 1 roll per group
Format: Low-tack masking tape
Check removability on an inconspicuous part of the floor or wall. Keep edges flat and do not obstruct routes.
- Dark writing implements
Quantity: 1 per person
Format: Dark broad-tip pens or whiteboard markers
Check that ink flows and place them within participants' reach. Avoid pale-coloured pens.
Sheets to prepare by hand
- Cards for what went well, what was learned, what was missing, and what is wanted next
Quantity: 8 per person, 2 per area
Format: Sticky notes about 75 × 75 mm, or A4 copy paper cut into 4 pieces
Write What went well, What was learned, What was missing, and What is wanted next on separate pieces of paper, preparing enough of each type. Distinguish them by written headings even when using the same colour.
- Table separating what went well, what was learned, what was missing, and what is wanted next
Quantity: 1 per group plus 1 for whole-group consolidation
Format: Source material specification: One A3 four-area sheet per group, plus one for whole-group integration
Source-bound format display correction; the other fixed helper-derived guidance is unchanged.
Divide the work surface into 4 fields: What went well, What was learned, What was missing, and What is wanted next. Write a heading for each field rather than relying on colour alone.
- Action cards
Quantity: 2 per group
Format: Sticky notes about 75 × 75 mm, or A4 copy paper cut into 4 pieces
Do not buy special-purpose materials. Write “Action” at the top of each paper piece. If participants will write on it, use one item per piece and handwrite the required headings before starting.
- Table separating actions for the next cycle into three categories
Quantity: 1 per group plus 1 for whole-group consolidation
Format: Source material specification: Three-column Start/Stop/Continue sheets: one A3 sheet per group plus one for whole-group consolidation
Source-bound format display correction; the other fixed helper-derived guidance is unchanged.
Divide the work surface into 3 fields: Start, Stop, and Continue. Write a heading for each field rather than relying on colour alone.
- Record fields for owners and deadlines
Quantity: 1 sheet for the whole group
Format: A4 copy paper
In each Start, Stop, and Continue column, create one field for the selected action, owner, and deadline. Make the three fields the same size.
- Action cards
Quantity: 4 per person
Format: Source material specification: 4 action cards per person, approximately A6 size
Source-bound format display correction; the other fixed helper-derived guidance is unchanged.
Do not buy special-purpose materials. Write “Action” at the top of each paper piece. If participants will write on it, use one item per piece and handwrite the required headings before starting.
- Display paper for arranging the chain
Quantity: 1 per group
Format: Source material specification: One display sheet per group for arranging the chain, approximately A2 size
Source-bound format display correction; the other fixed helper-derived guidance is unchanged.
Write Display paper for arranging the chain at the top. Leave enough space for sticky notes or paper pieces not to overlap, and use lettering readable from a distance for whole-group sharing.
Setup for each method
4Ls Retrospective
- One table per group of 3–5
- One work surface per group where the four fields can be gathered around
- One whole-group integration surface for improvement candidates
Stop, Start, Continue
- 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
Smallest Commitment Chain
- One island table per group of 2–4, seated facing each other; 1–4 tables within the supported participant range
- One wall or table surface per group where action cards can be placed in a horizontal line
When to switch or stop
Fallbacks
- There are more than 40 items.
Each participant chooses and marks one important item from each category.
Method guide: 4Ls Retrospective
Stop conditions
- Discussion turns to individual personnel appraisal or contract evaluation.
- Stop the learning record and separate it from formal evaluation.
- A judgement on a serious incident or liability for damage becomes necessary.
- Preserve the records and refer the matter for formal investigation.
Sources, rights and limits
This site has composed this programme's purpose, connections between methods, facilitation, roles, outputs, and switching conditions. See each method's individual page for its sources and licence.
Original source records and their required notices are retained below. Their presence does not mean a new legal or cultural-safety clearance. Original citation titles are kept in their source language.
Sources and required notices for the 3 methods used
4Ls Retrospective
- Sherri Scheurich: 4Ls Retrospective — CC BY 4.0 adaptation; changes made
- CC BY 4.0
- Source: Sherri Scheurich: 4Ls Retrospective | https://openpracticelibrary.com/practice/4ls-retrospective/ | Adaptation under CC BY 4.0; changes made
- Source: CC BY 4.0 | https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
- Attribution: Sherri Scheurich | Original-source author and contributor credit
- Attribution: Taiwa no Fumen Editorial Team | Japanese adaptation and this site's own diagrams
- Changes and adaptation: Adapted as a Japanese facilitation score; changes made
- Cultural caution: open-method screening complete: No closed, ritual, or sacred cultural practice is used as a source; declining participation, sensitive information, and power differences are addressed in each method's limits and branches.
- Limits of this record: Individual contributors are credited. Text covered by CC BY 4.0 was adapted with changes into Japanese facilitation scores. Exception notices, the site logo and third-party embedded material were excluded.
Stop, Start, Continue
- Australian Public Service Commission: Retrospectives — Start/Stop/Continue — CC BY 4.0 adaptation; changes made
- © Commonwealth of Australia — disclaimer and copyright
- CC BY 4.0
- Source: Australian Public Service Commission: Retrospectives — Start/Stop/Continue | https://www.apsprofessions.gov.au/guides-and-resources/modern-ways-working/agile/retrospectives | Adaptation under CC BY 4.0; changes made
- Source: © Commonwealth of Australia — disclaimer and copyright | https://www.apsprofessions.gov.au/disclaimer
- Source: CC BY 4.0 | https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
- Attribution: Australian Public Service Commission | Original-source author and contributor credit
- Attribution: Taiwa no Fumen Editorial Team | Japanese adaptation and this site's own diagrams
- Changes and adaptation: Adapted as a Japanese facilitation score; changes made
- Cultural caution: open-method screening complete: No closed, ritual, or sacred cultural practice is used as a source; declining participation, sensitive information, and power differences are addressed in each method's limits and branches.
- Limits of this record: The APS text's three-question format was adapted with changes as a Japanese facilitation score under CC BY 4.0. The Coat of Arms, logos, and text and diagrams on externally linked sites were excluded.
Smallest Commitment Chain
- 対話の譜面編集部: 最小約束の連鎖 — Original description and diagrams
- Source: Taiwa no Fumen Editorial Team: Smallest Commitment | Original description and diagrams
- Attribution: Taiwa no Fumen Editorial Team | This site's text and diagrams
- Cultural caution: open-method screening complete: No closed, ritual, or sacred cultural practice is used as a source; declining participation, sensitive information, and power differences are addressed in each method's limits and branches.
- Limits of this record: The editorial team independently created the text, procedure, and diagram. No exclusive rights are claimed over general dialogue operations or ideas themselves.
Historical fixed-draft notes
The original fixed draft notes are retained without deletion as historical records of those fixed source versions. Current material format corrections are separately identified above; these notes do not imply that other concerns have been resolved.
- The Smallest Commitment action-card sourceRaw specifies approximately A6, while the display format permits approximately 75 × 75 mm notes or quartered A4. Both remain without a size correction.
- The chain-display sourceRaw specifies approximately A2, while the display format names large paper or a whiteboard without dimensions. The size remains in sourceRaw; no display-field instruction was invented.
Japanese resources and historical source records
Original Japanese plan and its print view · Japanese operation pack or starter materials
An English print edition is not provided here. The linked plans, print views and operation materials are Japanese resources.
Historical recorded publication holds
The following original hold statements are retained verbatim with their fixed source versions. They are not a statement of current acceptance, nor does this historical label resolve a source-specific restriction.
- English translation and rendered-page independent acceptance pending
- Method dependency source/text SHA binding and current source-specific rights verification pending
- Publication not cleared
Historical fixed-source and English-draft provenance
Japanese program SHA-256: 4f0d15213a3843f85ee01a5c740c6c713d9ce3068b9669771f0db079bb86202d
Fixed source context SHA-256: edc12aa8fb683b8730db725d3503a8b09fc3a322ea0345e805cf5b7854a80f4c
English draft SHA-256: 1f3d3ad784230cbca679075d17bc155cdb12f7c45cf5ff32164e006d4ee6fa32
- opl-4ls-retrospective: source
948f008204db04d1ac85090f4520bdedde16824bdcb6318a56ece8db8a9d53f0; English draftf810638bbfd0c01d3cc32344854e493729be9a64ed962d6e49d957e57a7f0f54 - smallest-commitment: source
6aa6b6e44bd742b0216e576184f782933206f19fb399ec02574d88fc796c9b0e; English draft5d1abc24e40880d84e1848f158d9e85086dfc6639d17bc3d261c8c423f868105 - start-stop-continue: source
9554fc4bc703584a3aba3c5f6c500c19cd98b18501b3cbcc4fe0e71dfb723bad; English draft74a52bdbf23da4e4731b0f3107b7af5dc3c625779d5a7ed45202552b21fd6e07
These hashes identify the checked inputs; they do not grant independent acceptance or publication clearance.