4️⃣

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 teams a richer vocabulary for reflection. It was created by Mary Gorman and Ellen Gottesdiener and is particularly effective for teams that want to go beyond surface-level feedback.

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

Giftro is free. No account needed.