Kakao Ad Billing Account Development Cell Introduces 'Feedback Loop'-Based Organizational Change to Foster Psychological Safety

The Ad Billing Account Development Cell within Kakao's Ad Development Team attempted organizational changes to enhance psychological safety in order to realize the Open Work value. They utilized the Feedback Loop as a core tool to create an environment where members can voice opinions without fear.

Multi-layered Feedback Loop Operations

The organization designed four levels of loops to minimize feedback cycles and induce continuous, rapid improvement.

• Yearly: Through goal-setting (OKR) workshops, members are encouraged to understand the context and purpose of their work together and take ownership.
• Monthly: Monthly retrospectives conducted jointly by planning and development teams, despite their separated structures, help alleviate feelings of isolation caused by remote work and assist new hires in adapting. The KPT (Keep, Problem, Try) technique is used to derive changes that address highly empathetic issues.
• Weekly: Two-week sprints (iterations) are used to establish plans by business domain and conduct retrospectives, executing specific action items such as selecting operational leads or introducing regular deployments.
• Daily: Daily scrum meetings and Check-ins are used to share yesterday's/today's work and mood status. This contributes to understanding colleagues' status during remote work and improving collaboration efficiency.

Gradual Change and Sustainability

These changes were not introduced all at once but were implemented gradually by shortening feedback cycles from the existing quarterly retrospectives to monthly retrospectives, and then to sprints and daily meetings. Initially, there were concerns about dedicating busy practical working time, but it is being sustained as an investment in setting the right direction. Ultimately, this process serves as a foundation for moving toward an organization that aims for Open Work by establishing a culture where members recognize problems and proactively create solutions.