review · Retrospective, Feedback · 30–60 min · 4-12 people · low energy

4 Ls Retrospective

The 4 Ls Retrospective is a simple and effective method for gathering feedback by prompting participants to reflect on what they Loved, Loathed, Learned, and Longed For during a specific period. It provides a structured way to identify both positive and negative aspects of the experience, as well as areas for growth and improvement.

When to use 4 Ls Retrospective

Use this method to quickly gather a broad range of feedback from team members in a structured format, making it easy to identify key themes and areas for action.

What it solves

Difficulty eliciting specific feedback, lack of structure in retrospective discussions, overlooking important aspects of the experience.

How to run 4 Ls Retrospective, step by step

  1. Introduce the 4 Ls (5 min) - Explain the four categories: Loved (what went well), Loathed (what didn't go well), Learned (what new insights were gained), and Longed For (what is desired for the future).
  2. Individual Reflection (10 min) - Each participant silently reflects on the past sprint and writes down their thoughts on sticky notes, one idea per note, for each of the four categories.
  3. Share and Discuss (20 min) - Participants take turns sharing their sticky notes, placing them in the appropriate column. Facilitate a discussion around the key themes and patterns that emerge.
  4. Identify Action Items (15 min) - Based on the discussion, identify specific action items to address the 'Loathed' and 'Longed For' items, and to reinforce the 'Loved' and 'Learned' items.

Materials needed

  • Sticky notes
  • Markers
  • Whiteboard or digital equivalent (Miro, Mural)
  • Timer

Facilitator tips

  • Encourage participants to be specific and provide examples to support their feedback.
  • Ensure that all four categories are addressed, not just the negative ones.
  • Group similar sticky notes together to identify common themes.

Common pitfalls

  • Participants focusing only on the negative aspects. Remind them to also consider what went well and what they learned.
  • Vague or generic feedback. Encourage participants to provide specific examples.
  • Lack of follow-up on action items. Ensure that action items are assigned and tracked.

Variations

  • Use different prompts within each category to focus the discussion (e.g., 'What did you love about the team's collaboration?', 'What did you loathe about the tools we used?').
  • Combine the 4 Ls with other retrospective techniques, such as dot voting or action planning.

Running it online or hybrid

Create a shared digital whiteboard with four columns: Loved, Loathed, Learned, and Longed For. Participants add virtual sticky notes to each column.

What it produces

A whiteboard or digital document with sticky notes organized into four columns: Loved, Loathed, Learned, and Longed For.

Origin

Mentioned in Atlassian Team Playbook — source

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