Purpose

The Four Ls Retrospective asks teams to reflect through four lenses: Liked, Learned, Lacked, and Longed For. This balanced framework captures positive experiences, new insights, missing resources, and future wishes, making it a versatile format for any sprint or project milestone.

At a glance

• Group size: 3–12 people
• Duration: 20 minutes
• Difficulty: Beginner
• Facilitation style: Structured
• Setting: Both / Remote-friendly

How to run

1. Create four quadrants on a board labelled: Liked, Learned, Lacked, Longed For.
2. Silent brainstorming: participants write sticky notes for each quadrant (5 minutes).
3. Share and place notes, one quadrant at a time (7 minutes).
4. Cluster related notes and discuss the top themes (5 minutes).
5. Agree on 1–3 action items with owners (3 minutes).

Materials needed

• Whiteboard or digital board
• Sticky notes (four colours)
• Markers
• Timer

Pitfalls & common mistakes

• Confusing Lacked with Longed For — Lacked means something was missing that was needed; Longed For is aspirational.
• Spending too long on Liked without addressing Lacked items.
• Not following up on Longed For items in subsequent sprints.

Inclusion & accessibility

• Explain each L with an example at the start so non-native English speakers understand the nuances.
• Allow written input before verbal sharing for introverted participants.
• Use large fonts and high-contrast colours on digital boards.

Variations

• Five Ls: add Loathed for a stronger negative signal.
• Prioritized Ls: dot-vote within each quadrant before discussing.
• Individual then Team: have each person fill their own 4L grid first, then merge.

When NOT to use this

• When the team wants a purely emotional check-in — use Mad Sad Glad instead.
• When there is a single urgent issue to dissect — a focused technique like Five Whys is more appropriate.

Source & further reading

• Mary Gorman and Ellen Gottesdiener (original 4Ls concept).
• Retromat (retromat.org).