Print

Course Transcript

Capturing, Analyzing, and Using Project Lessons

Learned
Course Overview
Read the Course Overview.

Collecting and Utilizing Lessons Learned

1. What are Lessons Learned?

2. Managing a Project's Knowledge Base

3. The Lessons Learned Process

4. Gather Lessons Learned Information

5. Conduct a Lessons Learned Meeting

6. Analyze Lessons Learned Information

7. Share and Adopt Lessons Learned

8. Documenting Lessons Learned

9. Tools for Continuous Improvement

10. Exercise: Collecting and Utilizing Lessons Learned

Course Overview
[Course title: Capturing, Analyzing, and Using Project Lessons Learned (PMBOK® Guide Sixth
Edition). The presenter is Barbara Waters | PMP. Materials in this course are based on the text A
Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide)-Sixth Edition, Project
Management Institute, Inc., 2017. PMBOK, PMI, PMP, CAPM are registered trademarks of the
Project Management Institute, Inc.] Every project comes with its own unique challenges. There is
valuable learning that takes place as project team members solve problems and persevere through
challenges to meet their objectives. Lessons learned can serve a dual purpose. First, the new
knowledge can be incorporated into the current project, resulting in fewer mistakes, lower costs,
more accurate estimates, and many other efficiencies. The second purpose is to preserve and
pass that knowledge and wisdom on to the planning and execution of future projects.
In this course, you'll learn about the basic steps involved in collecting, analyzing, and passing on
lessons learned, so that organizations are able to grow and experience superior performance.

Back to top

What are Lessons Learned?

Learning Objective

After completing this topic, you should be able to

 identify characteristics of lessons learned

1.
[Topic title: What are Lessons Learned? Materials in this course are based on the text A Guide to
the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide)-Sixth Edition, Project Management
Institute, Inc., 2017. PMBOK, PMI, PMP, CAPM are registered trademarks of the Project
Management Institute, Inc.] Let's explore the concept of lessons learned and why they are
necessary for organizational learning. Organizational learning continually provides improvements
to an organization through the capture and sharing of knowledge. For both personal and
professional growth and development of employees, as well as helping an organization
continuously improve and adapt to today's changing environment, leading to an increase in overall
customer satisfaction. Organizational learning allows an organization to capture knowledge and
skills as work is performed. This can provide personal and professional growth to individuals within
the organization.

By the capture and assessment of performance information through the development of lessons
learned, changes can be continually made to improve the process. This ongoing capture and
assessment helps to develop a mindset for continuous improvement in the organization at all
levels, from individual contributors to the organization as a whole. As organizations move towards
becoming more adaptive, this continual improvement is a key to transforming the culture of an
organization, to become more innovative.

So what exactly are lessons learned? They are the results that are learned from the activities and
results of a project or effort. They are especially important to relate past experiences and results to
possible future similar efforts. Lessons learned are not just stored for the next project. They can be
incorporated during a project, allowing the benefits to be almost immediate as part of continuous
improvement. Often the lessons learned will result in recommendation of changes to the current
practices and procedures. They also document valuable historical information that can be reviewed
prior to starting a similar effort in the future.

Lessons learned may often be referred to in other terms, such as project audits, retrospectives,
postmortem reviews, after-action reviews, project assessments, or project evaluations. Regardless
of the name, they're important to provide past knowledge for future endeavors.

There are a number of ways that lessons learned can be captured for a project. One way is to
compare other outside organizations using similar variables for comparison through benchmarking.
The information can also be provided by an external resource that is indirectly associated with the
effort, but has observed the process and is able to provide additional insight. The way that lessons
learned are most often captured is by the participants themselves, either throughout the project, or
as a result of a more formal review as part of the closure activities.

Let's talk about some of the barriers that may inhibit people from sharing lessons learned
information. Even though lessons learned are meant to capture successes as well as where
improvements could be made, negative situations are often not documented. There is a fear that
revealing embarrassing situations may expose or reflect poorly on individuals. There may be a
reluctance to discuss specific problem situations, where the culture of the organization is perceived
to punish rather than learn from mistakes.

A strong facilitator is often needed to draw out and capture many of these negative items. The
facilitator may be a team member or an external, independent third party. There's often a fear that
an outside organization or a competitor might obtain the information and utilize it to their
advantage. If there appears to be no solution to the problem encountered, it may be difficult to
capture just the problem, without providing a potential solution.

There are two basic ways of using lessons learned. We think back on what happened in the past,
or we think ahead and apply our previous findings to future efforts. When we look backwards using
a summative evaluation, we're able to evaluate the performance of the team and the result of the
project. We can also determine whether we were able to achieve the objectives for the project
effort, especially when we verify that all regulatory compliance requirements were met. By
analyzing the results of the earned value management activities, we can determine whether our
schedule and cost estimates were done appropriately.

Formative evaluations look forward to make modifications to help improve ongoing or future
performances. The results of these findings can be applied to future strategic planning efforts, as
well as the continuity and succession planning activities of the organization.

Traditionally, lessons learned have been scheduled at the end of a project or phase as part of the
project closure activities. These lessons are transferred into a lessons learned repository, which
serves as an input. Specifically an organizational process asset for future projects. It has become
common practice for projects to utilize a more adaptive approach. Whereby lessons learned are
integrated into the ongoing project activity through the lessons learned register.

The lessons learned register is an output of the manage project knowledge process. It is an input
to many processes and is updated as an output, generically called project documents updates.
Integrating lessons learned throughout the project provides an opportunity to capture and share
knowledge, solve problems, and make continual improvements. This may involve adding additional
review activities to the project schedule, or by making the capture of information the key section of
a weekly status report. In these ways, the capture of this important information becomes part of the
nature of the project, rather than being treated as a separate effort that must be scheduled after
the project has been completed. Continually capturing and reviewing lessons learned, enables all
members of the project team to be engaged. It also allows small course corrections to be
incorporated on an ongoing basis.

Back to top

Managing a Project's Knowledge Base

Learning Objective

After completing this topic, you should be able to

 distinguish between different types of knowledge

1.
[Topic title: Managing a Project's Knowledge Base. Materials in this course are based on the text A
Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide)-Sixth Edition, Project
Management Institute, Inc., 2017. PMBOK, PMI, PMP, CAPM are registered trademarks of the
Project Management Institute, Inc.] Knowledge management is a discipline that emerged in the
early 1990s and refers to the capture, sharing, and utilizing organizational knowledge as a strategic
asset. This includes making the right information or knowledge available to the right people by
allowing them to obtain and use that knowledge as needed.

One of the key steps in knowledge management is understanding and distinguishing between the
various types of knowledge. Tacit knowledge is intuitive knowledge, usually applied to individuals
and is based on past experiences. It may even be a natural talent such as sports or music. This
knowledge is very difficult to transfer either written or verbally. Explicit knowledge is skill based and
usually acquired through learning such as language or technical skills. It can often be verified
through certifications, experience or qualifications. Embedded knowledge is understanding of
decisions that have been captured in documented manuals, procedures, or as unwritten cultural
ethics and accepted behaviors and conduct.

Osmosis is the process by which a substance seeps from one system into another through a
separation barrier. In agile teams, the concept is that team members in the same space benefit by
unconsciously taking in information from one another. This happens because in a shared
environment individuals are exposed to various sensory experiences even when they aren't
consciously paying attention to them. For example, team members take in sounds in the work area
even when they're not actively listening. This is evident when two people are having a conversation
and a third turns around only when his or her name is mentioned. Although the third person wasn't
actively listening, the content of the conversation filters through.

Osmotic communication isn't restricted to sound alone, it also includes visual information, such as
the body language of colleagues on the other side of an office. Osmotic communication helps
ensure that questions and ideas flow naturally between team members. It also reduces the time
and costs associated with having team members update one another in other ways. For example,
through time consuming meetings or conference calls.

In one example of osmotic communication in an agile team environment, Micah, one of the team
members, turns to ask his coworker, Leonard, a question about their code refactoring technique.
Leonard struggles to answer the question clearly, but Allison overheard the conversation and
shares her knowledge on the subject. Now, all three time members have the same information with
regard to their activity.

Now, what is the relationship between knowledge management and lessons learned? There are
two types of knowledge, declarative knowledge is the knowledge of facts, rules or procedures.
These are often stated by declarative sentences that describe physical characteristics or attributes.
An example would be that the final cost of the project was $1.2 million. Even though that statement
may be very broad, it probably is factual and true. But without additional information being
provided, no conclusions can be made from that statement alone. It is not specific enough to be
useful, unless the fact can be applied or compared to specific situations, such as the original
budget at completion, that would have been part of previous knowledge.

Evaluative knowledge is the more weighty and valuable type of knowledge. It is the result of
understanding the quality of the information, including its correctness, the significance of that
information to the specific situation, and the value of the information as compared to past results.
By using evaluative knowledge, we can determine the value and significance of the information
that is captured as part of lessons learned, and how that information may apply to future results.

Back to top

The Lessons Learned Process

Learning Objective

After completing this topic, you should be able to

 sequence the steps for conducting lessons learned

1.
[Topic title: The Lessons Learned Process. Materials in this course are based on the text A Guide
to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide)-Sixth Edition, Project
Management Institute, Inc., 2017. PMBOK, PMI, PMP, CAPM are registered trademarks of the
Project Management Institute, Inc.] As we move towards an integrated approach to lessons
learned, there are a number of steps that we must incorporate as part of the lessons learned
process. The first step is preparation. As with the start of any effort, we need to determine when
the lessons learned need to be captured. We must then identify the audience who will be receiving
the result of this effort, including any expectations on the content and format of the lessons learned
register. We also need to identify who will be involved in the activity, including not just the core
team members, but any extended team members who can add value to the activity. We also need
to identify and determine the amount of information, as well as the types of information that we
plan to collect. This will often impact the scope and time required for this activity. Because of the
potential large amount of data that will be captured, we need to identify any support systems that
might be needed.

Once the preparation has been completed, we now need to start to capture the specific information
that we will be working with. This information can come from as many sources as time and budget
will allow. One way to capture this information is through a more structured method using tools,
such as surveys or questionnaires. These methods are often used to receive feedback from large
groups. They also require less time to gather by the team members themselves. A more common
technique that is used for capturing or eliciting requirements for a project may also be utilized to
capture unstructured information. These techniques often utilize group meetings, individual or
group interviews, or focus groups, to not only capture feedback, but to also allow additional
discussion.
Once the information is captured, it must be analyzed. It is important to understand that this
analysis remains unbiased and yet still reflects actual facts. Additional information may need to be
gathered to be able to put individual facts into the proper context and thereby ensure the situation
can be correctly understood. It may also require additional work to verify that the information
received was accurate and that it is applicable to the items being considered. This may also
involve additional effort and time by team members.

At this point, the information should be ready to be documented in the lessons learned register,
where it can be incorporated into continuous improvement for the current project. It may also be
transitioned into the lessons learned repository for use in future projects. Lessons learned that are
documented in the lessons learned register will continue to serve as inputs for the ongoing
processes in the current project. This learning can be shared with those who will benefit, and
processes and documents can be revised as necessary. As these new processes are
implemented, training initiatives may accompany the updates.

This implementation of lessons learned is iterative and leads to continuous improvement. Since
one of the main objectives of capturing lessons learned is to make this information available as
part of the organizational process assets, or OPAs, of an organization, the results should be stored
in a manner that makes them easily found in a lessons learned repository.

Since these documents may be used by multiple departments, as well as by different projects in
the future, a standard file naming convention should be established. When a new project is
initiated, one of the key inputs that's referred to in the PMBOK® Guide from PMI® is the
organizational process assets. This specifically refers to the lessons learned repository and
historical information that was created at the close of a previous project.

Back to top

Gather Lessons Learned Information

Learning Objective

After completing this topic, you should be able to

 identify sources of lessons learned

1.
[Topic title: Gather Lessons Learned Information. Materials in this course are based on the text A
Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide)-Sixth Edition, Project
Management Institute, Inc., 2017. PMBOK, PMI, PMP, CAPM are registered trademarks of the
Project Management Institute, Inc.] 

Let's talk about some of the various methods that can be used to gather lessons learned during, as
well as after, a project. Team meetings are a natural source for collecting lessons learned. During
a project, these lessons learned can be added to the lessons learned register and incorporated into
the project to gain immediate benefits from the new knowledge. Lessons learned can also be
included as a recurring item on the meeting agenda, similar to issues and risks. The benefit to
incorporating lessons learned into the meeting agenda encourages the continual improvement of
the process. In projects that are employing Agile methods, the lessons learned are part of a
retrospective that is conducted at the end of each iteration, and specifically addresses items
related to the continuous improvement of the process.

Traditionally, one of the activities at the end of the project, as part of administrative closure, is to
conduct and capture the lessons learned for the project. These lessons learned are transferred to
the lessons learned repository. Traditionally, project status reports presented information regarding
what had been accomplished since the previous report, including actual work done and completion
of any tasks, as well as what work was planned for the next time period. As currently done, these
do not necessarily capture lessons learned. But by requesting additional information, these status
reports may become a key source of this information.

A few items that are especially important to review include the start and finish date of key tasks,
especially those on the critical path. The reason for any variance between the planned and the
actual schedule of those tasks should be noted. Issues and problems are always a key item on
status reports and should be monitored regularly. Unfortunately, solutions are not very often
identified on a status report. What is needed for lessons learned is to understand what steps were
used to resolve the issue or problem and arrive at a solution. This will often require additional
analysis during a lessons learned process. Successes, whether small or large, should be included
as part of a status report and will be a key item to consider for lessons learned. Often, these
appear as a milestone that has been successfully reached. Team members should be encouraged
to include these on individual status reports.

Items that are included on an issue list, or included as open items from testing activities, are often
managed through the use of a software application to facilitate the tracking of their status. For
these individual issues that are being tracked, it's important to understand the nature of the issue,
as well as how it was resolved.

The issues that are being tracked will often be summarized into various categories on a quality
variance report. These categories should have been identified as part of the quality management
plan. It is important to note that the quality variances are included, showing the conformance to
quality requirements as a result of testing and measurement activities. The causes of these
variances will often relate back to the issues that were identified previously. These variance reports
may also include the corrective actions that were taken, but may not be the primary source where
those specific actions are individually documented.

Rather than individual or extended team members participating in the collection of information that
can be used for lessons learned, third parties can be the source of valuable information. The use of
external consultants who are not directly involved in the project effort, but who have experience in
this area, can be utilized to combine the results of previous engagements with the observation or
review efforts of this project.

Communities of interest are a virtual meeting place where people share common interests or
passions. People can exchange ideas and thoughts, even though they may not know or care about
each other outside this group. Currently, Facebook and YouTube are examples of widely used
communities of interest that facilitate virtual networking.

Communities of practice are virtual or physical meeting places, which are more oriented to a
professional activity. These allow members to continue to enhance their knowledge and expertise
through information exchange and collective learning. These are often part of a professional
organization, such as PMI®.

Communities of development, also called e-learning communities, are virtual meeting places,
where participants are focused on professional or personal development. These are often hosted
by companies to provide online support.

Back to top

Conduct a Lessons Learned Meeting

Learning Objective

After completing this topic, you should be able to

 recognize best practices for conducting a lessons learned meeting

1.
[Topic title: Conduct a Lessons Learned Meeting. Materials in this course are based on the text A
Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide)-Sixth Edition, Project
Management Institute, Inc., 2017. PMBOK, PMI, PMP, CAPM are registered trademarks of the
Project Management Institute, Inc.] 

Prior to conducting a lessons learned session, a questionnaire should be developed and provided
to the participants for their review. Open-ended questions allow participants to help explain the
detail behind basic answers and trigger thoughts about situations that occurred. You want to avoid
questions that can be answered with a simple yes or no. Rather than asking if an action that was
taken to resolve an issue worked, ask why was the action that was taken able to resolve the
issues?

Questions should be included that allow all relevant information to be captured. These questions
may be grouped into various categories, such as what were the successful parts of the project?
What types of problems did you encounter? For those problems where corrective actions were
taken but did not solve the problem, what additional steps were taken? Are there areas that could
have been handled differently?

Just as with other meetings or activities, there are some steps that should be done to prepare for
the meeting. As well as setting some guidelines on how the meeting will be conducted. Material
that will support the focus of the session should be distributed prior to the meeting, to allow time for
the participants to review and prepare if necessary. This includes the development and distribution
of an agenda, as well as the questionnaire previously discussed. Additional thought should be
given to the focus or purpose of the individual meeting. Is it to capture the data, to help understand
and learn about opportunities to improve current project performance? Or is it to make
recommendations regarding improvements that could be considered for future, similar efforts?

The facilitator should enable effective communication. Discussion should focus on how the
situation could be avoided in the future, rather than placing blame for past action through positive
language. The facilitator should encourage active listening and focus on understanding and
evaluating what is heard. By utilizing I statements, participants can express their feedback without
placing blame on others. So instead of saying, you spent too much time on this activity and
therefore the project was delayed, say, I don't understand why so much time was spent on these
activities.

Another goal is ensuring that the meeting objectives are met. Focusing the discussion helps
ensure that everyone contributes, without being interrupted, and no one speaks more than others.
The facilitator must prevent disagreements about the issues from escalating into conflicts of a more
personal nature. There should be at least one idea in a discussion upon which everyone agrees.

There are several signs that indicate when a stakeholder is not properly engaged. An individual,
because of disagreeing with the discussion, may choose not to actively participate. Other
individuals may be present in the meeting, but choose not to participate in the discussion. Others
may be present, but are distracted by emails or text messages that they receive. There may also
be individuals who really don't understand why they're involved or really care one way or another.
There are also individuals who feel that a particular issue is not of concern, or applies to them
personally. Others do not recognize the problem or issue, and believe that everything was done
correctly. They also may not be able to recognize the areas where improvements can be made.
These are attributes that must be managed and fixed by engaging all stakeholders in the
discussion.

There are techniques that can get a group thinking creatively and break out of neutrality. When
using brainstorming, a problem is identified and a question asked, such as, how could I solve the
problem of cost overruns? Solutions are provided by many of the participants, without any
evaluation or discussion until all responses have been captured.

By using a reverse brainstorming technique, the question asked is, how could I cause cost
overruns to happen? These responses are then used to generate ideas to solve the original
question. What if scenarios are a key part of critical thinking and often used to identify potential
problems before they occur. They can also be used to review corrective actions that were taken
and discuss whether other actions could have been employed.

Mind mapping is a visual way to help organize information captured, and show the relationships
between various ideas through the connection to the main topic in the center of the map. Systems
thinking involves approaching problems within a larger context, rather than just individual events.
Utilizing this approach, a problem or issue is related to other events, rather than treated as a
discrete event.

Back to top

Analyze Lessons Learned Information

Learning Objective

After completing this topic, you should be able to

 select tools and methods for analyzing lessons learned information

1.
[Topic title: Analyze Lessons Learned Information. Materials in this course are based on the text A
Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide)-Sixth Edition, Project
Management Institute, Inc., 2017. PMBOK, PMI, PMP, CAPM are registered trademarks of the
Project Management Institute, Inc.] It is now time to move from capturing data to creating lessons
learned. There are questions you should ask yourself or your team as you assess raw information.
Even though an enormous amount of information has been captured, it is important to determine
whether all the necessary information was captured.

There are a number of questions that should be asked. Are the reasons that were provided for the
various issues complete and accurate? Or were they biased, based on who provided the answer?
Have all the explanations of the issues been recorded, or were some responses not captured?
Should explanations from additional individuals be included? For each issue, has there been at
least one potential solution provided? Or were we unable to determine a solution? Have additional
solutions that are obvious been recorded for each issue? If you answer yes to all the questions, no
further information gathering is required. If no to any, that's a sign you require further meetings and
discussion.

For the remainder of this topic, we're going to talk about tools you can use to analyze lessons
learned information. One of the common tools used to analyze information is to apply the six Ws
method. This method provides a good starting point and allows basic understanding of each issue.
It actually consist of five Ws and one H. But it's normally referred to as the six Ws.

To illustrate the process, let's think about a situation where about six months into a project, the
cost performance index showed the project was over budget. Who was responsible for the
expenditures? The project team and purchasing. What is the problem? The project is over budget.
When did it happen? Six months into the project. Where did this take place? Where the material
order was delivered. How did this happen? The entire amount of the material was purchased at
one time, rather than spread over the duration of the project, why? Because purchasing was able
to negotiate a substantial discount if the entire amount was purchased and delivered at one time.

Another analysis technique allows the grouping of data, so that similar issues can be addressed
and root causes identified. Initial categories usually include organization, technology, and process.
Organizational issues would include problems or inconsistencies between different departments or
groups. Technology issues often refer to the introduction of new technology and its acceptance by
the organization. Or the fact that it often doesn't work as promised. Process issues involve the
current way processes are done and potential problems that arise as a result. This technique is
usually applied to the qualitative data, such as observation. And is also frequently used as part of
risk management.

The grouping of this data often allows structures and patterns to be seen. There may be situations
where an item doesn't fit in any of the current categories. Or it belongs in more than one and
additional categories may be required. At that point, data should be recategorized and additional
items may be discovered.

There are two common tools used to help move from realizing that there is a problem to
understanding the root cause of the problem. The most common method uses a cause-and-effect
diagram, also known as a fishbone diagram or Ishikawa diagram. A single issue is selected and
various potential root causes are identified and the relationships are then analyzed. This method
focuses on the cause of the issue and not on the effect that is the result.
The 5 Whys is a form of deductive reasoning. The problem or issue is stated, as was observed or
discovered. In a group setting, multiple reasons may be collected, and a question is asked as to
why each occurred. This questioning of why will be asked five additional times, usually resulting in
an answer that is closer to the real root cause.

And finally, flow charts have been used to help document and analyze the steps in a process,
including decision points and the resulting activities. When the process involves multiple
individuals, organizations, and computer systems, these flow charts are modified to show the
processes performed by the various groups. In the example shown, the order of the various
processes is shown by arrows. And the activity for the client is shown within the individual swim
lane. [A flowchart displays. A client refuses to accept a product. He then returns the product. The
project manager accepts the rejected product and assesses the reasons for rejection. Then, if the
reason for rejection is accepted, he passes the product to his team for rework. The team reworks
on the product till it is acceptable. If the reason for rejection is not acceptable, he provides an
explanation. In both cases, the product is returned to the client. Then, if the client accepts the
product, he pays for it. If he does not accept it then he determines an alternative action.] This
method identifies the processes of additional roles or personas involved, and also shows where the
interdependencies can occur, thus providing a better understanding of how the entire process
works.

Back to top

Share and Adopt Lessons Learned

Learning Objective

After completing this topic, you should be able to

 recognize effective lessons learned implementation activities

1.
[Topic title: Share and Adopt Lessons Learned. Materials in this course are based on the text A
Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide)-Sixth Edition, Project
Management Institute, Inc., 2017. PMBOK, PMI, PMP, CAPM are registered trademarks of the
Project Management Institute, Inc.] Let's talk for a moment about when and how to share lessons
learned. Briefly, there are a couple of guidelines for when to share. Frequently throughout the
project, when it's clear they would be valuable to the team, and as early in the project as they start
to become available. Why let helpful corrective information sit if you can nip a problem in the bud
before it becomes a big problem?

One note of caution, the potential security and confidentiality aspects of raw lessons learned
information must be taken into account when information that has not been formally approved is
distributed. Even though there is often pressure to distribute lessons learned findings, the report
should be analyzed properly. And assure that the recommendations align with the organizational
values and goals before sharing with a broader audience of stakeholders.

When choosing the target audience with whom the results will be shared, consider who will benefit
from the information that is included, and who will find the contents relevant and be able to learn
from it. Different stakeholders may require different versions of the information. Those in
management often prefer a summary or abstract, while trainers will require more detailed content,
especially regarding the issues as well as the recommended solutions. Project managers who use
this to help initiate a new project also need detailed lessons learned information to help them
during initial planning, so they don't have to reinvent the wheel. Put yourself in the place of the
other project manager who will need to understand areas that may pose challenges and therefore
may require additional planning.

There are three general approaches for disseminating information including push, such as emailing
a document to a stakeholder. Or pull, when a document is placed in a location that is available to
be pulled when needed. The combination method notifies the receiver of the new information as a
push to allow that information then to be pulled at their convenience.

Interactive communication involves an exchange of information between two or more people. This
multi-directional method of communication is considered to be the most efficient way to make sure
all parties achieve a common understanding of what's communicated. Interactive methods of
communication include meetings, telephone calls, and video conferencing. Information can be
shared through various platforms, including an information portal or secured web page. Depending
on the sensitivity of the information, sharing can be internal through wiki pages or through
communities of interest, internal or external to the organization.

Specific requests can also trigger sharing. Recommendations are often incorporated into formal
training sessions or informal sessions during lunch called Lunch and Learn or Brown Bag training
sessions. All or portions can be included in internal newsletters or more formal publications for
external audiences. Specific items may be discussed as part of team meetings, or in one-on-one
meetings, especially if things didn't go well.

Once the sharing of lessons learned has happened, the next step is verification. Review and
verification is a progressive elaboration process and will often result in revisions that are necessary
before being able to receive acceptance by the group.

The final adoption step includes compiling the final results and receiving acceptance of the verified
lessons that will become the formal delivery of the lessons learned activity. The time required for
the adoption of the result into a new practice often depends on the volume and complexity of the
approved recommendations.

The integration of individual approved lessons learned are then standardized, combined, and
synergized to conform to organizational standards. The actions for improvements from the
individual lessons learned results are then applied to the appropriate practices, policies, or
processes where these recommendations can be incorporated. These results can be used to
measure result, increase accountability, or support comparison of measurements on future project
efforts. They can also be used to support strategic planning efforts, including identifying
requirements for a new system or enhancements to an existent system. Most often, the results are
used for process improvement through updates that are made to existing policies and procedures.

There are many definitions of best practices, but most agree that these contribute to improvements
in customer satisfaction within an organization. They may be the result of internal efforts or may
incorporate external practices as part of the recognition of best practices. These lessons must be
made available to the entire organization and become standard operating procedures. As
additional lessons learned are assimilated into existing policies and procedures, an implementation
plan must be developed to effectively and efficiently introduce these new changes to the various
parts of the organization. After the implementation of the solution has been completed, feedback
needs to be collected to determine the effectiveness of the changes that were made.

Back to top

Documenting Lessons Learned

Learning Objective

After completing this topic, you should be able to

 recognize elements that should be included in a lessons learned register

1.
[Topic title: Documenting Lessons Learned. Materials in this course are based on the text A Guide
to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide)-Sixth Edition, Project
Management Institute, Inc., 2017. PMBOK, PMI, PMP, CAPM are registered trademarks of the
Project Management Institute, Inc.] 

Even though issue logs, change logs, risk reports, and a draft lessons learned register can be
created, updated, and maintained throughout the project, this topic is going to address the
development and finalizing a more formal place to capture lessons learned. The lessons learned
repository. It is finalized as part of the close project or phase process and becomes part of the
organizational process assets. Project managers who are starting to plan similar projects can
greatly benefit from the knowledge contained in the lessons learned repository that was captured
during and at the end of similar projects in the past.

For example, a project manager identifies a problem with the configuration of a server that seems
to be occurring regularly and resulting in a major impact to subsequent tasks. The project manager
adds a new verification task, which allows time to not only make sure the server is properly
configured, but to also give time to resolve any problems before the subsequent tasks are
scheduled.

The lessons learned repository should include detail regarding what went well and why, as well as
what were the shortcomings and why did they exist? Identification of which corrective and
preventive actions that were chosen failed and why. What recommendation or preventative
measure should be taken into account for future efforts? And finally, what overall recommendations
should be made for future projects?

There are two possible approaches for the way you structure the information. These include
organization of the content by the five process groups. Initiating, planning, executing, monitoring
and controlling, and closing, which result in a more chronological sequence of the results. The
other method would be to organize the various findings and recommendations according to the
knowledge areas identified in the PMBOK® guide. If an existing approach for the lessons learned
repository has been developed by your project management office, then of course that format
would be the one you use.
There are key components that need to be included in the repository itself. These include the
project controls that were used to monitor and control the project's scope, schedule, and budget,
and which of these controls were especially effective and why. Any metrics that were used,
especially regarding acceptable variances and the usage of earned value measurements.

For significant issues, additional details may need to be included regarding the issue, the effect it
had on the project, what was the cause. Whether it had been identified as a risk, the presence or
absence of any triggers or early indicators, and recommendations for the future. How successfully
risks were managed, including the identification and management through the implementation of
risk responses. What tools were useful and when and how were they utilized? And what
management strategies or development and project management methods were employed, and
where tailoring of the approach was necessary.

One key benefit of lessons learned repositories is to assist in the determination of budgets for
future projects. As a result, including the result of any cost analysis is helpful. Were there activities
that did not provide value to the overall project effort and possibly should've been eliminated?
Were there activities where cost-savings could've been realized by utilizing a less expensive but
equally effective option? Were there low-cost activities that were effective that could've been used
in other situations? Other questions might include, were there organizational standards and
processes that require conformance but resulted in additional cost? Could you have reduced some
wait time which resulted in extra costs?

Back to top

Tools for Continuous Improvement

Learning Objective

After completing this topic, you should be able to

 recognize how best practices and benchmarking support continuous improvement

1.
[Topic title: Tools for Continuous Improvement. Materials in this course are based on the text A
Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide)-Sixth Edition, Project
Management Institute, Inc., 2017. PMBOK, PMI, PMP, CAPM are registered trademarks of the
Project Management Institute, Inc.] 

As lessons learned are gathered and documented in the lessons learned register, they can be
immediately incorporated into the upcoming work packages for the existing project as part of
continuous improvement. The benefits of continuous improvement can include maximizing
efficiencies, reduced waste and rework, and positive impacts on the budget and schedule.
Continuous improvement can even improve project team morale as members see the positive
impact of the improvements first hand.

As continuous improvement is implemented in a project, the organization also gains knowledge

from the lessons learned that can be carried to future projects. This knowledge can be tacit, as
individuals gain more know-how. Or it can be explicit, for example, documented in the lessons
learned repository.

Finally, lessons learned that are applicable to other projects may evolve into best practices. One
way to think of the differences between lessons learned and best practices is that lessons learned
provide hindsight into the results that occurred in the past. Whereas best practices provide
foresight into how best to do things in the future. A best practice is a procedure or method that over
time has proven itself to be better than any other procedure or method that's being used today to
do the same thing. As best practices are used by the entire organization, they become a major part
of the organizational learning for that organization. Through that organizational learning, an
organization is able to continually improve both its results on project efforts as well as its overall
customer satisfaction.

Even though the capture of lessons learned is important to gather historical project information, not
all lessons learned are worthy of becoming best practices. There are several questions we need to
ask. What benefit can be derived from the lesson? Will that make a significant difference in the way
things are done in the future? Did this refer to something that has only occurred one time, even if
the impact was substantial? Or does this happen frequently? How many other projects would these
findings apply to, either currently or to future projects? Have the findings been stated in a way that
can be used by a larger audience or pertain to a broader application than just this one project? Did
these lessons learned create new knowledge or re-confirm previous findings? Were there some
minor differences that need to be considered? Do the new lessons reinforce or contradict existing
information or procedures?

Every new best practice should be accompanied by descriptive information that provides the
context regarding where it can be considered as applicable, as well as additional content to help
understand how to use it. Items regarding the areas where this best practice is applicable include,
to what situation would it best be applied? Is there a specific location that it would apply to or a
location where this would not apply? What types and skill levels of resources would be affected?
To what existing process or processes would this apply? The methodology, or way to implement
this best practice, often includes procedures to follow, additional instructions as to how the work
would be carried out. Any tools or techniques that would be recommended, and any regulatory
compliance requirements that would be affected.

Many best practices and continuous improvement efforts also involve using benchmarking as a
tool for measurement purposes. The objective of benchmarking is to be able to do a comparison of
similar variables or situations. The goal of benchmarking is to provide areas that can help
organizations understand how they can continually adapt and improve their processes to remain
competitive in the industry. The first step in using benchmarking is to capture and compare your
organization's performance to others in the same industry, similar roles or functions, or similar
processes and procedures. Identify areas where your organization falls below other similar
organizations. This will also require going back and reviewing your current practices and
determining what and where they could perform better. The final step is to modify your current
practices to incorporate their best practices.

External benchmarking compares your organization's performance to the performance of other

similar companies in regards to both products and services provided. Because of the sensitivity
and confidentiality of work done in some organizations, external benchmarking may not be
possible. In these situations, internal benchmarking can be used for improvements within the
organization. This could involve comparing performance between divisions, functions, or business
units, possibly in different regions or countries. Comparison may also be done between various
teams where the processes and results are more similar. Reviews and comparison of similar
processes may often show areas where improvements are possible.

Back to top

Exercise: Collecting and Utilizing Lessons

Learned
Learning Objective

After completing this topic, you should be able to

 demonstrate your understanding of best practices for collecting, analyzing, and managing
lessons learned

1. Exercise Overview
In this exercise, you'll demonstrate your understanding of how capturing, assessing, and sharing
project knowledge can support organizational learning and improve current and future project
management practices.

In this exercise, you'll demonstrate that you can

 identify characteristics of lessons learned

 distinguish between different types of knowledge
 recognize the process and best practices for gathering lessons learned
 select tools and methods for analyzing lessons learned information, and
 recognize activities that lead to successful lessons learned implementation

2.
Question

By capturing, assessing, and sharing knowledge lessons learned can help an organization
discover opportunities for improvement.

What are the characteristics of lessons learned?

Options:

1. Lessons learned are meant to capture successes only

2. Lessons learned can result in recommendation of changes to current practices
and procedures
3. Lessons learned should be obtained by sources directly involved in the process
4. Lessons learned can analyze negative situations and reinforce positive situations
to increase future efforts
 5. Lessons learned captures tangible metrics to set realistic expectations in regard to
cost variances
6. Project feedback should be applied to improving project management
methodology

Answer

Option 1: This is an incorrect option. Lessons learned are meant to capture successes as
well as where improvements can be made.

Option 2: This is a correct option. Lessons learned often result in recommendations for
changes to current practices and procedures.

Option 3: This is an incorrect option. Methods for obtaining lessons learned can involve
using benchmarking tools, observations by external resources, and firsthand involvement by
participants themselves.

Option 4: This is a correct option. Lessons learned can prevent teams from repeating failures
and reinforce successful outcomes. Organizational knowledge can be increased by capturing
both positive and negative items.

Option 5: This is a correct option. Tangible metrics can be captured to set more realistic
expectations for future efforts, especially in regard to scheduling cost variances.

Option 6: This is a correct option. Lessons learned can help to improve the project
management methodology.

Correct answer(s):

2. Lessons learned can result in recommendation of changes to current practices and

procedures
4. Lessons learned can analyze negative situations and reinforce positive situations to
increase future efforts
5. Lessons learned captures tangible metrics to set realistic expectations in regard to cost
variances
6. Project feedback should be applied to improving project management methodology

Question

Understanding and distinguishing between various types of knowledge is a key step for
knowledge management.

Match each type of knowledge to the example that illustrates it.

Options:

A. Tacit knowledge
B. Explicit knowledge
C. Embedded knowledge
D. Declarative knowledge
 E. Evaluative knowledge

Targets:

1. A bank manager's gut feeling that a client would be a credit risk

2. A computer programmer's knowledge of advanced algorithms
3. A manager that formalizes lessons learned directly into procedures and routines
4. Someone recalling the reasons why a negotiation process failed
5. An analyst understanding how lessons learned will contribute to future results

Answer

Tacit knowledge is intuitive knowledge that is based on past experiences. It may be a natural
talent that is difficult to transfer either in written form or verbally.

Explicit knowledge is skill based and usually acquired through learning. It can often be verified
through certifications, experience, or qualifications.

Embedded knowledge refers to the knowledge of understanding decisions that have been
documented such as procedure guides. Embedded knowledge can also be unwritten such as
cultural ethics and accepted behaviors and conduct.

Declarative knowledge is the knowledge of facts, rules, or procedures that often describe
physical characteristics or attributes.

Evaluative knowledge is the result of understanding the quality of the information including its
correctness, value, and significance and how that information may apply to future results.

Correct answer(s):

Target 1 = Option A

Target 2 = Option B

Target 3 = Option C

Target 4 = Option D

Target 5 = Option E

Question

The lessons learned process can communicate knowledge effectively and ensure that it's
incorporated into processes and activities.

Put activities for conducting lessons learned in the correct order.

Options:

A. Identifying when lessons learned must be captured and the support system is needed
 B. Using surveys to capture information to receive feedback
C. Gathering additional information if needed to put facts into the proper context
D. Sharing findings with relevant stakeholders
E. Storing lessons learned in a repository to reuse

Answer

Correct answer(s):

Identifying when lessons learned must be captured and the support system is needed is
ranked

Preparation is the first step and includes determining when the lessons learned need to be
captured and the amount of information to be collected and identifying the audience and
support systems.

Using surveys to capture information to receive feedback is ranked

Information capture is the second step. Specific information must be captured from surveys,
questionnaires, group meetings, interviews, and focus groups.

Gathering additional information if needed to put facts into the proper context is ranked

Analysis is the third step. Make sure the information is unbiased but still reflects the facts.
Additional information must be verified and ready to be transitioned into formal lessons
learned reports.

Sharing findings with relevant stakeholders is ranked

Verification is the fourth step. Preliminary findings are to be shared with stakeholders. This
review often results in agreement on items, recommendations of revisions, and
identification of a training initiative.

Storing lessons learned in a repository to reuse is ranked

Storage of lessons learned is the fifth step. It involves file naming conventions and should
be supported by an electronic database.

Question
 The collection of lessons learned during and after a project may come from various sources.

What are some of the sources of lessons learned?

Options:

1. Team meetings
2. Status reports
3. Quality variance reports
4. Item tracking
5. Third parties
6. Risk identification
7. Requirements list

Answer

Option 1: This is a correct option. Team meetings are a natural source for collecting lessons
learned. The frequency of the meetings must be determined and lessons learned can be
included as a recurring item on the meeting agenda.

Option 2: This is a correct option. A status report may become a key source by requesting
additional information. It can present information about accomplishments since the previous
report, including actual work done, completion of tasks, and work planned for the next time
period.

Option 3: This is a correct option. Issues to be tracked can be summarized into various
categories in a quality variance report. These categories should include quality variances,
causes of variances, and corrective actions taken.

Option 4: This is a correct option. Items included on an issue list or as open items from
testing activities can be managed by a software application to facilitate the tracking of their
status.

Option 5: This is a correct option. Third parties such as external consultants are one of the
main sources of lessons learned.

Option 6: This is an incorrect option. Risk identification is a competency that a team member
should have, but it is not a source of lessons learned.

Option 7: This is an incorrect option. Requirements are an essential part of the project, but
are not a source of lessons learned.

Correct answer(s):

1. Team meetings
2. Status reports
3. Quality variance reports
4. Item tracking
5. Third parties
Question

To collectively identify lessons learned, it is important to recognize best practices for

conducting a lessons learned meeting.

Which examples illustrate some best practices?

Options:

1. Developing a questionnaire with questions that can be answered with a simple

yes or no
2. Deciding if the focus of the meeting is to learn about situations during the project
or to make recommendations for improvements
3. Identifying the participants responsible for failures
4. Recognizing when participants are not actively engaged in the meeting
5. Using a reverse brainstorming technique to generate ideas to solve the original
question
6. Using positive language and active listening

Answer

Option 1: This is an incorrect option. Avoid questions that can be answered with a simple yes
or no. Instead, ask why the action taken could resolve the issues.

Option 2: This is a correct option. Decide on the focus of the meetings. Prepare for the
meeting, set guidelines on how the meeting will be conducted, and provide supporting
material prior to the meeting such as the agenda and questionnaire.

Option 3: This is an incorrect option. The discussion should focus on how the situation could
be avoided in the future rather than placing blame for past action.

Option 4: This is a correct option. It is important to recognize nonmeaningful interaction of

participants. Participants should be active.

Option 5: This is a correct option. Reverse brainstorming can lead to a better discussion.
Other techniques that can be used include "what if" scenarios, mind mapping, and systems
thinking.

Option 6: This is a correct option. Enable effective communication by focusing on how the
situation could be avoided in the future through positive language. Encourage active listening
and focus on understanding and evaluating what is heard.

Correct answer(s):

2. Deciding if the focus of the meeting is to learn about situations during the project or to
make recommendations for improvements
4. Recognizing when participants are not actively engaged in the meeting
5. Using a reverse brainstorming technique to generate ideas to solve the original question
6. Using positive language and active listening
Question

Various tools or techniques can be used to analyze information. Suppose you want to group
data to identify and address root causes.

Which tools or techniques should you use?

Options:

1. Six Ws
2. Categorization techniques
3. Cause-and-effect diagram and 5 Whys
4. Flowcharts

Answer

Option 1: This option is incorrect. The Six Ws method provides a good starting point and
allows basic understanding of an issue.

Option 2: This is the correct option. Categorization techniques allow the grouping of data so
that similar issues can be addressed and root causes identified.

Option 3: This is the correct option. Cause-and-effect diagrams group data and is often used
with 5 whys to identify deal with root causes.

Option 4: This option is incorrect. Flowcharts are used to explore the process a project team
might use for accepting or rejecting deliverables.

Correct answer(s):

2. Categorization techniques
3. Cause-and-effect diagram and 5 Whys

Question

Data must be analyzed to identify root causes of issues. This can be achieved through the
use of tools and techniques

Match the most appropriate tool or technique for identifying root causes to each example.

Options:

A. Six Ws
B. Categorization techniques
C. Cause-and-effect diagram
D. 5 Whys
E. Flowcharts

Targets:
 1. The release of a business critical approach with 300 defects
2. New technology introduced in an organization is not working as promised
3. Users cannot log into the wireless network
4. Incomplete training manuals are delivered to training venues on several occasions
5. Supply chain inefficiencies lead to issues with delivery logistics across various
branches

Answer

The Six Ws method provides a good starting point and allows basic understanding of each
issue. Use the method of questioning – who, what, when, where, how, and why – to derive
answers to the issues.

Categorization techniques allow the grouping of data to address similar issues and identify
root causes. This technique is used for organization, technology, and process issues.

With the cause-and-effect diagram, you select a single issue and various potential root
causes are identified. This method focuses on the cause of the issue and not on the effect
that is the result.

The 5 Whys is a form of deductive reasoning. The problem or issue is stated as was observed
or discovered. Multiple reasons may be collected and a question is asked as to why each
occurred.

Flowcharts help document and analyze the steps in a process. When the process involves
multiple individuals, organizations, and computer systems, these flowcharts are modified to
show the processes performed by the various groups.

Correct answer(s):

Target 1 = Option A

Target 2 = Option B

Target 3 = Option C

Target 4 = Option D

Target 5 = Option E

Question

Part of the lessons learned process is ensuring that it is successfully applied.

Which examples of activities are essential for ensuring lessons learned implementation?

Options:

1. Incorporating internal effort and external practices as part of recognizing best

practices
 2. Making lessons learned available to select departments only
3. Organizing lunch and learn sessions to introduce changes to various parts of the
organization
4. Collecting solution implementation feedback to assess effectiveness of the
changes made
5. Ensuring that lessons learned become standard operating procedures

Answer

Option 1: This is a correct option. Part of the recognition of best practices may be
incorporating the result of internal efforts and external practices.

Option 2: This is an incorrect option. Lessons learned must be made available to the entire
organization.

Option 3: This is an incorrect option. An implementation plan must be developed to

effectively and efficiently introduce new changes to the various parts of the organization.
Lunch and learn sessions are more useful for informal training.

Option 4: This is a correct option. After implementing the solution, feedback needs to be
collected to determine the effectiveness of the changes that were made.

Option 5: This is a correct option. Lessons learned must be assimilated into existing policies
and procedures.

Correct answer(s):

1. Incorporating internal effort and external practices as part of recognizing best practices
4. Collecting solution implementation feedback to assess effectiveness of the changes made
5. Ensuring that lessons learned become standard operating procedures

Question

A lessons learned register is aimed at passing on the findings and lessons to be applied to
future projects.

Which issues should be included in a lessons learned register?

Options:

1. Identification of corrective and preventative actions that failed and the reason for
the result
2. Metrics showing acceptable variances and the usage of earned value
measurements
3. Assessment of completeness of information
4. The results of cost analysis
5. The Six W's method

Answer
 Option 1: This is a correct option. The purpose of the register is to outline reasons for what
went well, shortcomings, and actions that failed. In addition, the register incorporates actions
taken to fix problems, preventative measures to take in the future, and recommendations for
future projects.

Option 2: This is a correct option. Any metrics that were used, especially regarding
acceptable variances and the use of earned value measurements, should be included. Other
components to be incorporated include project controls, issue causes and solutions, success
in identifying and managing risks, useful tools and techniques, and specific management
strategies or methods.

Option 3: This is an incorrect option. Assessing completeness of information is part of

creating lessons learned after capturing data.

Option 4: This is a correct option. A key benefit of lessons learned registers is that they
assist in the determination of budgets for future projects. These results are helpful to know
which activities did not provide value, if less expensive activities were equally effective at
meeting objectives, and if low-cost, high-effect activities can be used in other situations.

Option 5: This is an incorrect option. The Six Ws method is a common tool to analyze
information.

Correct answer(s):

1. Identification of corrective and preventative actions that failed and the reason for the result
2. Metrics showing acceptable variances and the usage of earned value measurements
4. The results of cost analysis

Question

Best practices and benchmarking are techniques that support continuous improvement.

Which examples describe how best practices and benchmarking support continuous
improvement?

Options:

1. Improving results of project efforts and overall customer satisfaction by using best
practices
2. Remaining competitive in the industry by using benchmarking to compare similar
variables with other organizations
3. Incorporating all lessons learned as best practices into existing processes
4. Benchmarking only on competing businesses in the same industry
5. Using benchmarking to stimulate strategic planning

Answer

Option 1: This is a correct option. When best practices are used by the entire organization, it
becomes part of organizational learning and can continually improve the results of project
efforts and overall customer satisfaction.
 Option 2: This is a correct option. The goal of benchmarking is to help organizations
understand how they continually adapt and improve their processes to remain competitive by
comparing their performance with other organizations to identify areas where the organization
does not compare favorably and then modify current practices.

Option 3: This is an incorrect option. Lessons learned are important as historical information,
but may not be worthy of becoming best practices.

Option 4: This is an incorrect option. Because of sensitivity and confidentiality of work in

some organizations, external benchmarking may not be possible. Internal benchmarking can
be used between divisions, functions, or teams within the same organization.

Option 5: This is a correct option. Information gathered can assist an organization to shape
processes where improvements are possible.

Correct answer(s):

1. Improving results of project efforts and overall customer satisfaction by using best
practices
2. Remaining competitive in the industry by using benchmarking to compare similar variables
with other organizations
5. Using benchmarking to stimulate strategic planning

Back to top

© 2021 Skillsoft Ireland Limited