Are you looking for a template for the 4L Retrospective? Then you've come to the right place. I'll give you an overview of the 4L Retrospective and a suitable template that you can use right away.
4L Retrospective Template
The 4L Retrospective: A Brief Overview
This retrospective gets its name "4L" from the 4 questions asked in the retrospective: "Liked" (What did the team like about the last sprint?) "Lacked" (What shortcomings were there in the last sprint?) "Longed for" (What things did the team want that are not yet available?) and last but not least "Learned" (What did the team learn in the last sprint?).
4L Retrospective Template
4 perspectives in one template
You are welcome to use the following template for free in our tool "Echometer", or use the info for your own created retros. I will also give you a more detailed explanation and examples for each question, directly under the 4L retrospective template:
Open Feedback Questions
Like: What did you like?
Learned: What did you learn?
Lacked: What did you lack?
Longed for: What did you long for?
Liked: The "Liked" question is actually not as simple as it seems. It's about how to make the Sprint during and to experienced during the sprint. In this retrospective, I want to encourage the team to think about both. Looking back, what has changed? What was important or unimportant during the sprint? Or do the perceptions match?
4l Retrospective Template "Liked" Example:
- The new feature in our software was exciting to implement. It was fun, but the impact was not that great.
- I had a face-to-face meeting with a team member that turned out to be very useful for our collaboration. At the beginning I thought it was a waste of time, but in the end it wasn't.
- The pace of work in this sprint has been pleasant and I am proud of our performance in the last two weeks. We have accomplished a lot and achieved good results.
Lacked: When it comes to "Lacked", the question is: "What deficits did we have during the sprint?". This refers to the fact that something was missing in the last Sprint. A thing or circumstance that could have been produced and should be produced in the upcoming Sprint cycle.
4l Retrospective Template "Lacquered" Example:
- I had too many tasks and too little time. That made me very stressed and overwhelmed.
- We tried new features without knowing what they would do. This was very annoying and confusing.
Longed for: There is a big difference between "Lacked" and "Longed for" even though they sound similar. "Lacked" are the things that weren't there before and that you can change quickly, and "Longed for" are the things that you and your team would like to have and achieve in the future. So the question behind "Longed for" is "What wishes does the team have that are not yet fulfilled?".
4L Retrospective Template "Longed for" Example:
- I wish we could get more feedback from our customers to know if our software meets their needs. This would help us to better set our priorities and improve our quality.
- It would be nice if we had more room for innovation and experimentation, to explore and learn new possibilities. That would spur us to be more creative and develop new solutions.
Learned: Learned" can also be viewed from two different perspectives. Because you can learn from your sprint, but also from the points discussed so far (Like, Lacked, Longed for). This is also the reason why the question "What can we learn?" always likes to be put at the end of this retrospective.
4l Retrospective Template "Learned" Example:
- Better structure in problem reporting can contribute to higher quality in resolution.
- When conflicts arise between two team members, it is advisable to resolve them quickly. This way, you can avoid the conflicts escalating and causing more trouble.
4L Retrospective Template
Conclusion – 4L Retrospective Template:
The 4L retrospective can ask more than just 4 simple questions, as you can see from the examples. I don't want to complicate the questions unnecessarily, but it is important to take advantage of the depth that this retrospective offers. To do this, it is helpful to explain the 4L's in more detail to team members or to be more specific about the questions behind the 4L's. For example, "Longed for" -> "What desires does the team have that have not yet been met?"
If you want to browse 22 more templates, this article is for you: 22 Refreshing Agile Retrospective Templates in 2023
