Lessons Learned
Knowledge gained during a project used for future improvement.
Detailed Explanation
Lessons learned are the knowledge gained during a project showing how events were addressed or should be addressed in the future. They include what went well (to replicate), what went poorly (to avoid), and what could be improved (to refine).
Contrary to popular belief, lessons learned should be captured throughout the project lifecycle, not just at the end. Many organizations hold lessons learned sessions at phase gates, sprint retrospectives, after significant events, and at project closure.
The value of lessons learned is only realized when they are documented, stored in an accessible repository, and actively consulted by future project teams. Too often, lessons are captured but never reviewed, creating a culture where the same mistakes repeat across projects.
Key Points
- Captures what went well, poorly, and can be improved
- Should be documented throughout the lifecycle, not just at the end
- Include both technical and process learnings
- Must be stored in accessible organizational repositories
- Value is only realized when future teams actively consult them
- Feed into organizational process assets
Practical Example
After a challenging ERP migration, the team documents: (1) What went well — phased rollout reduced risk, (2) What went poorly — data quality was underestimated, adding 4 weeks, (3) Improvement — future migrations should include a 2-week data cleansing sprint before migration begins. This is stored in the PMO knowledge base and tagged for easy retrieval.
Tips for Learning and Applying
Capture lessons throughout the project, not just at closure
Create a blame-free environment — focus on processes, not people
Store lessons in a searchable repository with tags by project type
Mandate that new projects review relevant lessons during initiation
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