Project Management Framework
Execution - Lessons Learned

How to use Lessons Learned

Lessons learned is knowledge derived from experience to promote the recurrence of desirable outcomes or preclude the recurrence of undesirable outcomes.

Use of lessons learned is a principle component of all levels of organizational culture committed to continuous process improvement. Lessons learned enable the knowledge gained from past experience to be applied to current and future projects to avoid the repetition of past failures and mishaps. Lessons learned documentation can represent both positive and negative experiences. The ability of the Project Manager to more effectively manage a project is greatly increased through this resource.

For Best Results

• Maintain a lessons learned log throughout the life of the project.
• Capture lessons learned as close as possible to the learning opportunity (e.g., after an issue has been resolved, change in scope has occurred, or a risk has been mitigated).
• Review lessons learned as part of Risk Management.
• Identify project management processes which can be improved as a result of lessons learned and make the improvements.
• Summarize lessons learned in the Post Implementation Report.

Also Consider

• Re-evaluating lessons learned after some time has passed after project implementation.
• Gathering lessons learned from other sources such as Quality Assurance Reports.
• Capturing lessons learned during project team meetings via brainstorming sessions.
• Widening the lessons learned feedback loop to include key stakeholders, project sponsors, other project teams, and quite possibly other types of data such as newspaper and magazine articles, etc.
• Capturing lessons learned on a scheduled basis like at the start and end of each project phase.
• Maintaining a lessons learned database broken down by searchable categories (e.g., Contractor Management, Financial Management, Training Management, etc.).
• Sharing lessons learned with the project team via project status reports.
• Sharing lessons learned with other project teams.

Related Links:
Review Lessons Learned

Checklists

LESSONS LEARNED
Identification and Capture of Lessons Learned
Have you identified sources of lessons learned to review before the start of the project (Post Implementation Reports, logs, databases, etc.)?
Are you capturing lessons learned in a timely manner after key decision points and/or events?
Are you logging lessons learned throughout the entire life of the project?
Have you clearly documented lessons learned and resolutions for the Post Implementation Report?
Application of Lessons Learned
Are you implementing improvements learned from previous lessons in current and future projects?
Are you reviewing lessons learned to help with resolution of similar issues?
Did you review lessons learned as part of Risk Management?
Are you making improvements to project management processes as a result of using lessons learned?