Lessons Learned

After the project is finished, the project manager should set up an archive that contains lessons learned. PMBOK 3^rd ed. defines these as "the learning gained from the process of performing the project." Lessons learned happen throughout the project and are a major part of what you should record to help the next project manager. The lessons are neither good nor bad, but for the most part, they are simply actions that occurred that were influential on the outcome of the project. By recording these during and after the project, you will be helping the next project manager who has a project that includes tasks like the ones you have had on your project.

In reality, there are lots of times when lessons learned are not gathered at a formal meeting held after the project has been executed, particularly when you have a short project that goes fairly well. The lessons learned from these projects reside in the heads of the people who were on the project team as well as the stakeholders for the project.

Although the lessons learned often are not formally recorded, they should be. Lessons learned are a valuable part of project management. Often, when asking another project manager what happened on his or her past project, the responses are actually lessons learned. Recording lessons learned is very useful for any type of management, but it's required in project management.

Here are some ideas that will help you become a better project manager; they are also included on the test in some form. First, lessons learned do not have to be a major epiphany for the project team and yourself. Lessons learned can be as simple as making sure that you contact a certain vendor at least ten days before delivery because you have learned in the past that the vendor has a tendency to be late. Note this in your lessons learned, and it will help the project move along more smoothly.

If you word it correctly, you might also include lessons learned concerning how the organization works or how individual managers work with projects. If you note that one manager wants reports in a certain format, this is good information to pass along to future project managers in the company.

Lessons learned should be written down at the time they occur, not only at a meeting done after the project. I have been involved with organizations that do lessons learned but record them at a formal meeting at the close of a project. Although this does capture some of the lessons learned, it certainly will not capture all of the important information. During a project, you should set aside some time for lessons learned at each status meetings. If the lessons learned are simple, you can record them at the meeting. If they are more complex, you might want to get everyone together to discuss what information they have that they feel would be valuable to pass along to the entire team.

For the most part, make sure you write down lessons learned when they happen or closely thereafter. Even writing them down does not ensure that you will get them correct or that you will remember what you meant when you wrote them. So write down each lesson learned when it happens, and if it needs elaboration, do it then.

A frequently asked question is where to write down and store the lessons learned. The ideal answer is that you should have room on a server somewhere that is reserved for lessons learned. Very few organizations do this, so I find it a good idea to keep a file of lessons learned for the project on my own computer. At the end of a project, I send the file out and ask for comments and additions. After this, I schedule a lessons learned meeting but only after everyone has had a chance to write comments on lessons learned and add their input. Lessons learned need to be gathered from everyone on the team. Valuable information can slip through the cracks if only a few people record the lessons learned.

I also keep my lessons learned in my project logbook. This is a hardcover book that I use to record daily events, major meetings, and lessons learned throughout the project. After you get into the habit of using one of these, you will find that it is easy to keep track of the project and what is happening during it. Lessons learned are always noted as such, and I find that sending them out at least once a month helps keep people thinking about information that is valuable to the team in the form of lessons learned.

Finally, encourage everyone on your team to keep his or her own lessons learned. The one caveat I should mention is that personal issues can surface as lessons learned. This is where you need all your skills as a project manager. Make sure the lessons learned focus on the project and what can be done to make projects more successful in the future. By doing this, you will be helping the organization and your fellow project managers in the future.

Q.	What information goes into lessons learned?
		A.	Everything that happens
		B.	Only major concerns
		C.	Only minor concerns
		D.	Information that will help future project managers

The answer is D. Lessons learned should be useful to any future project manager and his or her project team.

Q.	When do you discuss lessons learned?
		A.	Once a month
		B.	At a formal meeting after the project
		C.	At regular status meetings
		D.	At the New Year's party

The answer is C. You should be monitoring and discussing lessons learned throughout the project.

Q.	Lessons learned should be:
		A.	Written down
		B.	Carried around in the project team's head
		C.	Chiseled in stone
		D.	Only done at the end of the project

The answer is A. Do not depend on memory to keep track of lessons learned. By writing down the lessons learned, you have a permanent record of them and can show them to others as well as store them for future reference.

Q.	Lessons learned are valuable to:
		A.	Project managers
		B.	Project teams
		C.	Stakeholders
		D.	All of the above

The answer is D. There are many people who benefit from having lessons learned formally written down and distributed.

Q.	Who is responsible for keeping a lessons learned log?
		A.	The project manager
		B.	The sponsor
		C.	Team members
		D.	Stakeholders

The answer is A. Once again the value of the project manager is proven.

The majority of projects on which I worked did not have a lessons learned meeting. People dispersed to other projects and otherwise were not able to attend the meeting. On large projects, the opposite was true. The more formal the organization, the more likely that there will be formal closure. The project manager can facilitate getting lessons learned into permanent form. By doing so, he or she will be helping the organization save valuable information about the current project and will be giving valuable guidance to people working on upcoming ones.