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Method session45-75 minWorkshop4Ls Board

Session: 4Ls Retrospective

The plan translates the method into a concrete facilitated work block. Your inputs flow directly into the session brief and work artifact.

Derived automatically

Method session with 3-12. The plan uses the existing method logic and the runsheet.

Runsheet
Participation logic
Team round, shared work and alignment

Use the session for shared understanding. Contributions are collected visibly, assumptions are aligned, and open differences remain traceable in the artifact.

Outcome logic
Finish artifact

The session works directly toward 4Ls Board. After the session, the artifact should be shareable, reviewable, or reusable.

  1. 1

    0-5 min

    5 min

    Briefly explain the timeframe and format. Release the pre-read. Rule: each of the four categories gets at least 2 sticky notes per person. Hint: If someone leaves out Liked, the format loses balance. Reminder: Liked and Learned matter just as much as Lacked.

    Facilitator4Ls Board
  2. 2

    5-20 min

    15 min

    Silent work: place sticky notes silently in all four quadrants. Phrase them concretely, with examples or incidents. Hint: 'Learned' is often the weakest category. The facilitator reminds everyone: what changed in understanding, which assumption was disproved?

    FacilitatorLearning Themes
  3. 3

    20-35 min

    15 min

    Go around the room and cluster. Make the top topics visible per quadrant. Hint: Cluster by theme, not by agreement. Even single sticky notes can matter if they point to something structural.

    FacilitatorImprovement Actions
  4. 4

    35-55 min

    20 min

    Voting (3 dots per person distributed across all quadrants). Discuss the top 3-4 clusters. Derive an action or insight for each cluster. Hint: 'Liked' clusters often call for the action 'continue deliberately, make visible.' 'Learned' calls for sharing knowledge. 'Lacked' and 'Longed For' usually call for concrete change.

    Facilitator4Ls Board
  5. 5

    55-75 min

    20 min

    Write up actions: maximum 4 actions with owner, date, and success criterion. Review previous actions. Fix the date of the next retro. Hint: Maximum 4. Otherwise implementation fragments. In a conflict about the number, sponsor or team lead decides.

    OwnerLearning Themes
  6. 6

    Publish artifact

    10 min

    Check the artifact for completeness, define location, set version or status, and name review recipients.

    Owner4Ls Board
Usable artifact

Session Brief

For invitations, boards, tickets, PR descriptions, or workshop notes.

session-brief.md

Session Brief: 4Ls Retrospective

Goal

Artifact: 4Ls Board

Working Question

What worked well, what did the team learn, what was missing, and what does the team want for the future?

Context

Timeframe, typically a sprint or project phase; status of previous actions; list of the key events in the timeframe (releases, incidents, onboarding); a short mood check as pre-check.

Setup

  • Format: Method session
  • Duration: 45-75 min
  • Mode: Workshop
  • Participants: One facilitator; 3-12 team members; a scribe for consolidation.
  • Owner: One facilitator
  • Participation mode: Team round, shared work and alignment
  • Outcome logic: Finish artifact

Participation Logic

Use the session for shared understanding. Contributions are collected visibly, assumptions are aligned, and open differences remain traceable in the artifact.

Outcome Logic

The session works directly toward 4Ls Board. After the session, the artifact should be shareable, reviewable, or reusable.

Input

Whiteboard or Miro with four quadrants (Liked, Learned, Lacked, Longed For); sticky notes; timer; pre-read with sprint highlights and metrics; action tracker.

Preparation

Label the four quadrants. Prepare a one-pager as pre-read. Rule: silent work, 2-3 sticky notes per quadrant per person.

Agenda

  1. 0-5 min (5 min) Owner: Facilitator Action: Briefly explain the timeframe and format. Release the pre-read. Rule: each of the four categories gets at least 2 sticky notes per person. Hint: If someone leaves out Liked, the format loses balance. Reminder: Liked and Learned matter just as much as Lacked. Output: 4Ls Board

  2. 5-20 min (15 min) Owner: Facilitator Action: Silent work: place sticky notes silently in all four quadrants. Phrase them concretely, with examples or incidents. Hint: 'Learned' is often the weakest category. The facilitator reminds everyone: what changed in understanding, which assumption was disproved? Output: Learning Themes

  3. 20-35 min (15 min) Owner: Facilitator Action: Go around the room and cluster. Make the top topics visible per quadrant. Hint: Cluster by theme, not by agreement. Even single sticky notes can matter if they point to something structural. Output: Improvement Actions

  4. 35-55 min (20 min) Owner: Facilitator Action: Voting (3 dots per person distributed across all quadrants). Discuss the top 3-4 clusters. Derive an action or insight for each cluster. Hint: 'Liked' clusters often call for the action 'continue deliberately, make visible.' 'Learned' calls for sharing knowledge. 'Lacked' and 'Longed For' usually call for concrete change. Output: 4Ls Board

  5. 55-75 min (20 min) Owner: Owner Action: Write up actions: maximum 4 actions with owner, date, and success criterion. Review previous actions. Fix the date of the next retro. Hint: Maximum 4. Otherwise implementation fragments. In a conflict about the number, sponsor or team lead decides. Output: Learning Themes

  6. Publish artifact (10 min) Owner: Owner Action: Check the artifact for completeness, define location, set version or status, and name review recipients. Output: 4Ls Board

Closeout

  • Update result artifact: 4Ls Board
  • Define location, version, and review recipients.
  • Define owner, next step, and review date.
Usable artifact

Work artifact

Pre-filled starting point based on the matching template.

work-artifact.md

4Ls Board: 4Ls Retrospective

Working Question

What worked well, what did the team learn, what was missing, and what does the team want for the future?

Context

Timeframe, typically a sprint or project phase; status of previous actions; list of the key events in the timeframe (releases, incidents, onboarding); a short mood check as pre-check.

Participants

  • Owner: One facilitator
  • Participants: One facilitator; 3-12 team members; a scribe for consolidation.

Input

Whiteboard or Miro with four quadrants (Liked, Learned, Lacked, Longed For); sticky notes; timer; pre-read with sprint highlights and metrics; action tracker.

Template

4Ls Retrospective Working Template

Goal

Capture what the team liked, learned, lacked, and longed for in a structured review.

Context

Which time frame or event should the team review?

Input

  • Time frame:
  • Team or group:
  • Notes, signals, or examples:

Working area

  • Liked:
  • Learned:
  • Lacked:
  • Longed for:
  • Patterns:

Output artifacts

  • 4Ls board:
  • Learning themes:
  • Improvement actions:

Open questions

  • ...

Decision / next step

Owner, date, and success signal.

Completion Check

  • 4Ls Board is complete enough for review:
  • Location:
  • Version / status:
  • Review by:
  • Next step:

Next Step

  • Review result
  • Mark open questions
  • Schedule review or decision
Template base

4Ls Retrospective Working Template

View templateCompact working template for the 4Ls retrospective with liked, learned, lacked, and longed for items.
canvas

4ls-retrospective-working-template.md

Compact working template for the 4Ls retrospective with liked, learned, lacked, and longed for items.

4Ls Retrospective Working Template

Goal

Capture what the team liked, learned, lacked, and longed for in a structured review.

Context

Which time frame or event should the team review?

Input

  • Time frame:
  • Team or group:
  • Notes, signals, or examples:

Working area

  • Liked:
  • Learned:
  • Lacked:
  • Longed for:
  • Patterns:

Output artifacts

  • 4Ls board:
  • Learning themes:
  • Improvement actions:

Open questions

  • ...

Decision / next step

Owner, date, and success signal.

Ready to use when
  • Working question, owner, and target artifact are visible.
  • The result fits 4Ls Board.
  • One entry per retro in a series. Transfer actions into the tracking tool. Analyze patterns every six months (recurring lacks, frequent learned themes).
  • Open questions are noted as follow-ups.
  • The next review or decision point is scheduled.
ProfileRunsheet