Preparation
01 · Define the scope
02 · Set up the 4Ls board
03 · Gather materials
04 · Prepare guiding questions
05 · Communicate the purpose in advance
Step-by-step instructions
1
Introduction (5 min)
- Explain the four categories and the purpose of the activity: improving the experience for future editions and honoring collective learning.
- Define each category clearly:
- Liked: What aspects of the program or experience did you enjoy or value positively?
- Learned: What new knowledge, skills, or perspectives did you gain?
- Lacked: What was absent or could be improved? What would have been useful to have?
- Longed for: What do you wish had existed or would like to see included in the future?
2
Individual reflection (10-15 min)
- Each participant writes their ideas on sticky notes using a distinct color per category.
- Encourage at least one idea per category to ensure balanced feedback.
3
Post and read on the board (15-20 min)
- Participants place their notes in the corresponding quadrant and briefly read each one aloud.
- The facilitator clusters similar ideas and highlights emerging patterns without evaluating or defending any idea.
4
Collective dialogue (10-15 min)
- Open space for elaborating on ideas that generate particular resonance in the group.
- Pay special attention to Lacked and Longed for categories to identify priority improvements.
5
Synthesis and commitments (10 min)
- The facilitator or program team synthesizes the main findings from each quadrant.
- Identify three to five concrete improvement actions for the next edition or cycle.
6
Closing with recognition (5 min)
- Publicly acknowledge the shared learnings captured in the Learned category.
- Thank participants for their honest input and share how the feedback will be used.
Materials
Board or whiteboard divided into four quadrants, or equivalent digital tool
Sticky notes in four distinct colors (one per category)
Markers or pens
Synthesis template for the facilitation team
Post-session document summarizing agreements and improvements to share with participants
Digital tools
Practical tips
- Give equal weight to all four categories: It is tempting to focus only on what lacked, but recognizing what was liked and learned is equally valuable for building on strengths.
- Distinguish Lacked from Longed for: Some participants confuse these two categories. Clarify that Lacked is something that should have been present, while Longed for is something desirable that could be incorporated in the future.
- Close the loop with feedback: Share with participants how their input will be used. This significantly increases the quality and honesty of responses in future sessions.
- Adapt questions to the context: Customize the guiding questions for each category to be specific to the program being evaluated, increasing the relevance and depth of responses.
- Use asynchronous versions when needed: If time is limited, participants can complete their reflections in writing before the session, and the in-person time is dedicated exclusively to dialogue.
Inspiration
- Corporate leadership development programs that apply the 4Ls at the close of each quarterly module to continuously iterate curriculum design based on participants' real experience.
- Bootcamps and digital skills development programs that use this technique to gather immediate feedback at the end of each intensive learning week.
- Instructional design teams that incorporate the 4Ls retrospective as a standard evaluation practice before scaling or replicating a program to new audiences.
- Corporate universities that combine results from multiple 4Ls sessions to generate annual organizational learning reports and plan their training offerings.
