4L’s – Liked, Learned, Lacked, Longed For Retrospective Template
The Liked, Learned, Lacked, Longed For retrospective — often called the 4Ls — is a balanced and reflective framework that helps teams analyze a sprint from multiple angles: emotional response, learning, gaps, and unmet desires.
This format gives space to capture:
What the team liked
What they learned
What they lacked
And what they longed for
It’s an especially helpful template when you want to go deeper than just surface-level wins and issues.
This template is available through our Atlassian app SprintRetro.
Why this template?
The 4Ls format is a thoughtful, well-rounded way to check in with your team after a sprint or major milestone. It helps uncover what’s working, what’s missing, and what the team wishes they had — without turning into a complaint session.
It’s great for remote teams, cross-functional groups, or any situation where you want more meaningful, structured feedback.
And like all templates in SprintRetro, it includes an Actions column and tracks open items from previous retros, keeping your follow-up front and center.
Template structure
The 4Ls template includes four reflection columns:
👍 Liked
Capture what the team appreciated during the sprint. This could be successful collaboration, improved tooling, strong communication, or anything that felt positive.
It sets the tone with gratitude and acknowledgment.
📚 Learned
This column is for discoveries — technical, process-related, or interpersonal. What did the team learn that can help in the next sprint?
It promotes a culture of growth and continuous learning.
👎 Lacked
Here’s where you identify what was missing. Maybe it was time, clarity, access to information, or support. This helps surface root causes and gaps.
Knowing what’s missing helps you fix it next time.
🧞 Longed For
This is the aspirational column. What did the team wish they had? More autonomy? Better tools? More team bonding? It opens the door for deeper improvements.
These wishes often reveal powerful insights that metrics don’t catch.
📝 Actions
SprintRetro adds an integrated Actions column to every template — including 4Ls. You can log next steps and also see unresolved actions from earlier retrospectives, keeping your team accountable and focused.
How to run the session
Introduce the 4Ls
Explain the purpose of each column and create a safe, open space for feedback. This format encourages both personal and professional reflection, so set the tone carefully.Contribute across all 4
Give the team time to write their thoughts across each column. Then review together, comment, vote, and discuss. Look for overlaps and differences in perception.Prioritize and create actions
Some insights lead to clear next steps. Capture these in the Actions column and decide what to tackle next sprint. Be realistic — and revisit past actions too.Close with clarity
Summarize what was shared, what’s changing, and what will be followed up on. This reinforces trust and shows the team their feedback matters.
Try this template in SprintRetro
Our free 4Ls retrospective template (Liked, Learned, Lacked, Longed For) is available now in the SprintRetro Atlassian app. It’s a thoughtful way to guide sprint reviews and help your team grow — together.