4Ls – Liked, Learned, Lacked, Longed For

The 4Ls game allows teams to reflect in a structured way on their sprint by identifying what they liked, learned, lacked, and longed for. It is an accessible tool that promotes communication and continuous improvement within agile teams. By exploring these four dimensions, participants can better understand team dynamics and opportunities for improvement.

Walkthrough

1. 1

   Introduction

   5 min

   The facilitator explains the objective of the session: to reflect on the past sprint to draw lessons. They present the four quadrants: 'Liked', 'Learned', 'Lacked', 'Longed For'. They clarify that each participant will have the opportunity to express themselves on each theme. The introduction sets the stage for the session and builds participants' confidence.

   Tip — Use a whiteboard or A3 sheets to clearly visualise the quadrants.

2. 2

   Liked Phase

   10 min

   Ask participants to reflect on what they enjoyed during the sprint. Each team member writes their ideas on post-its and places them in the 'Liked' quadrant. The facilitator can encourage participants to be specific and factual. This phase allows for starting on a positive note and recognising successes.

   Tip — Encourage participants to share thanks or acknowledgements for colleagues.

3. 3

   Learned Phase

   10 min

   Invite participants to identify what they learned during the sprint. They write their learnings on post-its and add them to the 'Learned' quadrant. The facilitator can ask questions to stimulate reflection, such as 'What did you discover about yourself or your team?'. This phase helps to value continuous learning.

   Tip — Remind that learnings can be technical, personal, or relational.

4. 4

   Lacked Phase

   10 min

   Ask participants to reflect on what was lacking during the sprint. They note their observations on post-its and place them in the 'Lacked' quadrant. The facilitator should ensure that discussions remain constructive and focused on improvement. This phase helps identify obstacles or gaps.

   Tip — Encourage participants to formulate proposals to address these gaps.

5. 5

   Longed For Phase

   10 min

   Participants reflect on what they would have liked to see during the sprint. They write their wishes on post-its and place them in the 'Longed For' quadrant. The facilitator can invite them to think about innovations or improvements. This phase opens the door to creativity and innovation.

   Tip — Encourage participants to dream big, without limiting themselves to current constraints.

6. 6

   Summary and Action Plan

   15 min

   The facilitator groups similar ideas and facilitates a discussion to prioritise actions to be taken. It is important to ensure that each participant has the opportunity to express themselves on the priorities. The goal is to leave the session with a concrete and achievable action plan.

   Tip — Use point voting to help the team prioritise actions.

Variants

• Use different coloured post-its for each quadrant to better visualise the themes.
• Conduct the retrospective in pairs before sharing in a group to encourage participation.
• Incorporate a moment for personal feedback where each participant notes one positive point and one area for improvement for themselves.