4Ls Retrospective
Go beyond Start/Stop/Continue with four dimensions of team reflection.
What is it?
The 4Ls template (Liked, Learned, Lacked, Longed for) gives agile and scrum teams a richer vocabulary for reflection. Created by Mary Gorman and Ellen Gottesdiener, it is particularly effective for teams that want to go beyond surface-level feedback. Widely used in agile retrospectives after project milestones, quarterly reviews, or any sprint where the team wants to surface what was truly missing.
Liked
What did you enjoy or appreciate during this sprint?
Learned
What new knowledge or skills did you gain?
Lacked
What was missing or insufficient?
Longed For
What did you wish you had (tools, time, clarity, support)?
When to use it
- ▸Teams that want more nuance than Start/Stop/Continue
- ▸Post-project or post-quarter reviews
- ▸When team satisfaction is low and you need to understand why
- ▸Retrospectives focused on learning and growth
Facilitation tips
- 1Spend extra time on 'Lacked' and 'Longed for' — these often reveal hidden blockers.
- 2Encourage specific examples, not vague feelings.
- 3Group similar 'Longed for' items — they often reveal systemic issues.
- 4Rotate the column you start with to avoid fatigue bias.
🎬 Use this template
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More Retrospective Templates
Start, Stop, Continue
The classic agile retro format. What should we start doing, stop doing, and keep doing?
Use this template →Mad, Sad, Glad
Emotion-first retrospective. Great after a difficult sprint or a stressful period.
Use this template →Fun Retrospective
Thematic retros with GIFs, reactions, and icebreakers. Because retros shouldn't feel like work.
Use this template →