2026-07-03
Use a framework for reflection: deepen the Check (C) in daily reports with KPT and YWT
For those whose daily-report reflection (C) stops at done or not done. How to build KPT (Keep/Problem/Try) and YWT (did/learned/next) into daily reports and run evaluation and improvement with a structure.
Reflection stays shallow because there is no structure
When the Check (C) in a daily report ends with a one-line done-or-not-done, the cause is the absence of a structure, not willpower. With a frame for what to reflect on, the depth of insight changes even in the same few minutes. KPT and YWT are two well-known frameworks that work well as that frame. Deciding on one structure first is the entrance to higher-quality reflection.
KPT: Keep, Problem, Try
KPT reflects through three lenses: what went well and you want to keep (Keep), the problem you are stuck on (Problem), and what you will try next (Try). In a report, write Keep and Problem in the Check field and Try in the Act (improvement) field, and evaluation flows naturally into improvement. Carry the Try into the next day's Plan (P) and PDCA keeps turning without a break.
YWT: did, learned, next
YWT reflects through what you did (D), what you learned (C), and what you will do next (A) — a structure long used on the ground in Japan. The did puts facts into words, the learned the lesson, and the next the action. It suits times when you want to move a report that tends to become an activity log all the way to learning and the next move.
Choosing between KPT and YWT
If you want to speed up problem-solving and improvement, KPT fits (Problem-to-Try is clear); if you want to draw lessons from experience and connect them to development, YWT fits (it emphasizes what was learned). Neither is the single right answer — pick the one that fits your team and purpose, and use it consistently. When structures vary, managers cannot read across them and compare.
A framework is a tool for a purpose
Neither KPT nor YWT has filling it in as the goal. They are tools to deepen reflection and connect it to the next action (A, next-day P). Combine them with the axis of an education policy and reflection also becomes the basis for evaluation. Try writing the Check and Act of your reports with the same structure for one week, and you will feel the change in the quality of reflection.
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