What Is The Drop Report?

The Drop Report is a set of 5 questions that are asked after someone drops the ball. These questions help to process what happened, understand the effect, and aid in reduce the chance the ball does not get dropped again.

Background Information

We all drop a ball or two at work or at home and that will always happen. The question becomes what are we going to do about it next. Here is where a group of designer and producer put their heads together and came up with the first version retroactive reviews system. Over time these question and order has been updated and has now been developed into this Drop Report.

Drop Report has now been shared with the local entrepreneurship community and is constantly being updated with user feedback. We welcome any of your thoughts in the comment section below.

Start Using Drop Report

While you could work through these questions in your head, we have found that externalizing the answer can increase the effectiveness of Drop Report. Each team processes differently, which is why there are now several formats available below for your teams to use.

Question 1: Tell me what the drop is in one sentence?

Question 2: What was the impact of the drop?

Question 3: Why did the drop happen?

Question 4: What needs to be done to clean up the mess the drop caused?

Question 5: How can you reduce the chances this same type of drop will happen again?

How Do I Use Drop Report?

Drop Report is just a list of five questions you ask after the ball gets dropped. There is really not any explanation needed, but we do get asked for a user guide every so often.

Step 1: Drop a proverbial ball.

Step 2: Answer the questions in Drop Report honestly.

Step 3: Take any action steps.

Step 4: Move on with life and stop replaying the story in your head.

Here Are Some Tips When Using Drop Report

Ask these questions in an interview format so the "dropper" can verbally process and follow-up questions can be asked.
Don't use Drop Report as a tool to shame, criticize, or punish.
Present Drop Report as a way to help the "dropper".
Share a completed Drop Report with the person that was most affected, to show you have processed the event thoroughly.
Add Drop Report to your onboarding process and ask HR to change it around.