Plus Delta Template
The Plus Delta model is a simple but effective tool that helps you engage in meaningful reflection on a journey toward continuous improvement.
About the Plus Delta Template
The Plus Delta Template is a retrospective framework for evaluating the success of a project, experience, or event. It allows you to gather feedback, determine success, and identify areas of improvement for the future.
What is the Plus Delta model?
The Plus Delta model is a simple but effective tool that focuses on how to improve a past event.
Events could be projects, meetings, planning sessions, performance reviews, or any other activity that requires reflection.
The model is split into two columns — Plus and Delta. On the appropriate side of the model, you’ll outline what went well and what you could change. From here, you can pinpoint key areas of improvement and figure out how to make the process better in the future.
The two factors of the Plus Delta Template
The template is split into two core areas — Plus and Delta. Analyzing these two areas makes it easier for teams to see what went well and what could be improved.
Here’s a breakdown of each column:
Plus
Under the “plus” heading, write down everything that’s going well. What tactics are proving to be successful? What strategies are working? What processes run smoothly? Reflect on recent wins, so you know what to repeat in future meetings and projects. You can also focus on how you overcame challenges throughout the event. For example, was there a hurdle you faced in the past that you conquered in this event? If so, make a note of it.
Delta
Under the “delta” heading, write down anything you want to change. What are some opportunities for improvement? How might the individual or the team be more effective? Is there a way to make a process more efficient? Note down ways to overcome these deltas that are actionable, specific, and measurable — like SMART goals.
Why should you use a Plus Delta Template?
It’s important to do regular project retrospectives for yourself and for your team, but it can be difficult to distill a year or a quarter’s worth of information into a single document. What did you do? What were your wins? What would you like to change? Trying to come up with a list on the fly can be overwhelming.
That’s why the Plus Delta Template is so powerful. It’s a simple way to reflect on what went well and how the process, project, or event can be changed for the better.
Let’s look at this (and a few other benefits) in more detail:
Showcase project success. The Plus Delta Template is a great way to showcase wins and learnings to your team, stakeholders, employees, and bosses. It’s easy to use and visually appealing, and you can customize it to suit your audience.
Simplify project analysis. Use the Plus Delta model to bring clarity to your reflection process. The simple template structure allows you to easily spot what went well and how to improve.
Encourage critical thinking. Encourage yourself and your team members to think critically about the successes and failures of your events with the Plus Delta Template.
Improve project work going forward. Use the template to visualize how you can improve your events going forward.
How to create a Plus Delta Template with Miro
Using Miro’s digital workspace, you can create the perfect Plus Delta Template for you and your team. It’s customizable and easy to use, and you can share it with your team.
Follow these steps to create the perfect Plus Delta framework for your business:
Step 1: Select this Plus Delta Template. Start by selecting this free Plus Delta Template. It’s intuitive and easy to use, so you’ll be able to start immediately.
Step 2: Review your project or event. Now, it’s time to start the reflection. Review your project or event in its entirety. You need this to be fresh in your mind so you can identify the wins and areas of improvement in the next step.
Step 3: Make a list of wins. In the Plus column, add the areas of your project that were successful. Think about strategies, tactics, behaviors, processes, and anything else that went well.
Step 4: Make a list of things you’d like to change. Under the Delta column, outline anything you think could be improved. It could be an improvement to an existing process or an entirely new process that’d make the entire project run more efficiently.
Step 5: Share the template with your team. When you’ve added all the relevant information, it’s time to share your work. Collaborate with your team to make sure you’ve covered everything. If they have any suggestions or feedback, they can add visual notes directly to your template.
Step 6: Create a plan of action. In the final phase, you’ll review all the information you’ve collected in the template. From here, you’ll create a plan of action with one of the action plan templates for how to improve your work going forward.
Get started with this template right now.
KWL Chart Template
Works best for:
Education, Brainstorming, Retrospectives
Sharing and learning new knowledge is the fuel in the tank of any ambitious team or organization. A KWL chart is a graphical organizer that powers the learning process. This easy template lets you design and use a KWL, with three columns: Know, Want to Know, and Learned. Then you and your team will fill in each column by following three steps: Take stock of what you know, document what you want to get out of your session, and finally, record what you’ve learned.
Look Mock Analyze Template
Works best for:
Design, Desk Research, Product Management
Doing your homework (aka, the research) is a key step in your design process, and the Look, Mock, Analyze approach helps you examine, structure, and streamline that step. With this powerful tool you’ll be able to identify your strengths and weaknesses, what you did right or wrong, and whether you spent time efficiently. Our Look, Mock, Analyze template makes it so easy for you to discover inspiration, mock up designs, and get feedback — you can start by setting up your board in less than a minute.
Blue Ocean 4 Actions Framework Template
Works best for:
Leadership, Decision Making, Strategic Planning
For entrepreneurs, so much comes down to new users—how to attract them, impress them, and convert them to loyal customers. This template, designed by the authors of Blue Ocean Strategy: How to Create Uncontested Market Space and Make the Competition Irrelevant, will help you maximize value for you and your customers alike. Using the template’s four steps (divided into easy columns), you’ll easily evaluate your products in more innovative ways and make sure money is being spent in areas that really matter.
Disney Creative Strategy Template
Works best for:
Business Management, Ideation, Brainstorming
Know who knew a little something about coming up with ideas that set imaginations alight? Walt Disney. And he inspired the Disney Creative Strategy, an approach that establishes three types of thinkers—dreamers, realists, and critics—and gives each the space to do clear thinking. Your team will go through an engaging exercise of adopting the three mindsets, where they’ll focus on a specific aspect of the idea. The Disney Creative Strategy has a way of yielding brilliant ideas and great products. That’s why it’s used successfully by organizations of all kinds and sizes.
Lean Coffee Template
Works best for:
Agile Methodology, Product Management, Meetings
What makes a great meeting (other than donuts)? It’s appreciating everyone’s skills, resources, and time by making the very best use of them. That’s what the Lean Coffee approach is designed to do. Great for team brainstorms and retrospectives, Lean Coffee breaks the meeting into three basic stages: what to discuss, what’s being discussed, and what’s been discussed. This template makes it easy for you to collect sticky notes and to update the columns as you go from topic to topic.
SCAMPER Model
Works best for:
Ideation, Operations, Brainstorming
Is your team in a rut? Have you had a lingering problem that can’t seem to be solved? First introduced in 1972, SCAMPER. is a brainstorming method developed by Bob Eberle, an author of creativity books for young people. This clever, easy-to-use method helps teams overcome creative roadblocks. SCAMPER walks you through seven questions that are meant to encourage your team to approach a problem through seven unique filters. By asking your team to think through a problem using this framework, you’ll unlock fresh, innovative ways to understand the problem you’re trying to solve.