The 4 L's retrospective has many benefits, one of which is its simplicity in both setup and completion. Whether you choose to facilitate the exercise online using a template or prefer the traditional method of completing it on a whiteboard in person, following these steps will lead to success.
Step 1: Set the appropriate tone and expectations.
Ensure that all participants fully comprehend the purpose of the exercise. If the sprint being reviewed was a stressful one, consider addressing this openly and honestly with everyone involved before starting. As a facilitator, setting the tone and expectations for the activity should not be taken lightly.
Step 2: Make arrangements for the space, whether it's a virtual or physical meeting.
If the retrospective is being conducted in person, ensure that you have all the necessary writing materials, such as whiteboards or flip charts, available for everyone to use during visual collaboration and note-taking. On the other hand, if you are conducting a virtual retrospective, setting up a proper space can be as simple as signing up for a free FigJam account and creating a blank 4 L's retrospective from our template.
Step 3: Focuse on discovering what aspects of the sprint were positively received by participants.
The primary purpose of the first item in the 4 L's retrospective is to identify the positive aspects of the sprint that participants enjoyed. This aspect allows for broad and open-ended responses, with the facilitator guiding participants towards more insightful contributions. The ultimate objective is to uncover underlying reasons behind their satisfaction, ensuring that these areas are replicated during future sprints.
Step 4: Identify the lessons learned during the sprint.
Valuable lessons are frequently acquired through the experience of making mistakes or overcoming challenges while working on a project. Regrettably, these valuable insights often remain unshared with the rest of the team. The 4 L's retrospective aims to take advantage of this missed opportunity. This retrospective approach encourages participants to share any knowledge they have obtained by reflecting on their experiences.
Step 5: Identify obstacles or shortcomings that hindered the team's progress during the sprint.
The objective of this stage is to identify all the factors that impeded the team's progress during the sprint. The identified barriers can be as straightforward as a delayed communication with an external team, or it can be more intricate, requiring additional analysis to reveal. The rationale behind documenting these setbacks is to ensure that they don't recur in future sprints.
Usually, participants may find it difficult to disclose what was lacking if they sense that their superiors are disinterested in hearing about them. This could be due to their belief that the solution would involve substantial expenses or consume too much time without any significant returns on investment. In any case, the facilitator holds responsibility for creating a comfortable environment where the group feels at ease sharing everything possible during this phase.
Step 6: Document any desires or aspirations that were not addressed during the sprint.
This could be something tangible, such as improved equipment, or something intangible, like increased or decreased leadership involvement.
It's crucial to note that the 'Longed for' section should not merely mirror the 'What was lacked' section. Although there may be similarities between them, this stage provides an opportunity to identify and prioritize requirements based on their potential positive impact. For instance, if 'slow computers' appeared in the 'Lacked' section, it doesn't necessarily follow that only 'fast computers' should be included in this step. Instead, you could consider adding other items such as 'faster internet' or 'better software,' which would address the issue of what was lacking.
Step 7: Assign follow-up actions and tasks that need to be completed.
Undoubtedly, the most crucial phase of the retrospective process is assigning follow-up action items to specific individuals or teams. Without this step, completing the process would be futile.
To ensure that all necessary actions are assigned, it's essential to ask for volunteers before concluding the retrospective. For any follow-up that doesn't have a volunteer, assign it to the person who played a significant role in revealing insights during the session. Finally, conclude by verifying that everyone comprehends what is expected of them in moving forward and expressing gratitude for their participation.
