4Ls Retrospective (Liked, Learned, Lacked)
A deep-dive format that uncovers hidden needs and turns every sprint into a learning loop.
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The board
01
LIKED
What did you enjoy?
02
LACKED
What was missing?
03
LEARNED
What did you learn?
The 4Ls — Liked, Learned, Lacked, Longed for — is a reflection-heavy format that treats the sprint as a learning experience rather than just a delivery window. It was designed to answer a question simple formats miss: what did we discover, and what were we missing?
The Lacked column is the quiet star. Teams rarely get asked 'what was missing?' directly, and the answers — missing context, missing tooling, missing decisions — are usually the root causes behind the symptoms other retro formats collect.
When to use Liked · Learned · Lacked
- End of a project phase, quarter, or milestone — anywhere reflection beats speed
- After adopting a new technology, process, or team structure
- When recent retros produced shallow cards and you want more depth
- Onboarding retrospectives: what did new joiners lack in their first weeks?
How to run it in Retromik
- 1
Create cards anonymously
Everyone adds cards to each column at the same time. In Retromik, cards stay concealed and anonymous while people write, so nobody anchors on the loudest voice.
- 2
Vote on what matters
Each person places a limited set of voting tokens on the cards they think deserve discussion. Limited tokens force real prioritization.
- 3
Discuss the top cards
Walk through the highest-voted cards one by one. The facilitator steers the focus; anyone can comment on any card.
- 4
Reveal and group themes
Authors are revealed and the facilitator drags related cards into named themes, turning scattered notes into patterns.
- 5
Commit to action items
Convert the discussion into specific, owned action items with due dates — the part most retrospectives skip.
Frequently asked questions
What does 4Ls stand for in a retrospective?
Liked, Learned, Lacked, and Longed for. The team reflects on what they enjoyed, what they discovered, what was missing, and what they wished they had. Retromik's template uses three columns — Liked, Lacked, Learned — with 'longed for' prompts folded into the Lacked discussion.
How is 4Ls different from Start, Stop, Continue?
Start, Stop, Continue collects behaviour changes; 4Ls collects understanding. 4Ls is better when you need to know why things happened — the learning and the gaps — before deciding what to change. Many teams alternate between the two.
How long does a 4Ls retrospective take?
Plan for 60 minutes with a team of 5-8: the Learned and Lacked columns generate deeper discussion than lightweight formats, so give the discussion phase at least 25-30 minutes.
Can I run a 4Ls retro asynchronously?
Yes. Share the board link and let people add anonymous cards over a day or two, then meet for 30 minutes to vote, discuss the top cards, and commit to actions.
Related templates
Strengths · Risks · Learnings
A balanced sprint review that looks backward and forward at once — Retromik's signature format.
ViewMad · Sad · Glad
An emotional check-in that surfaces how the team actually feels — before it becomes attrition.
ViewWind · Anchors · Rocks
A visual metaphor the whole team gets instantly: what propels us, what drags us, what could sink us.
ViewRun your next retro with Liked · Learned · Lacked
Create the board in under a minute, share the link, and your team joins anonymously — no accounts needed for participants.
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