Project Success - We Won't Be Fooled Again

Date last updated 10:12 pm Dec 14th, 2007

Lessons learned are the nuggets of knowledge derived from past experience and outcomes to promote the reoccurrence of desirable results or prevent the reoccurrence of undesirable consequences.   Use of lessons learned is a principal component in project management methodology; it is a standard practice that enables organizations to reap knowledge from past project experience and apply that knowledge to current or future projects to avoid repetition of past failures. The practice is particularly valuable in organizations where current projects have components and attributes that are similar to previously managed projects (i.e., product development, IT, construction, etc.) While no project is identical to another, the collection and communication of lessons learned documentation is apt to save the next similar project or allow a project manager to more effectively manage a project.  Ideally, project managers should maintain a lessons learned log throughout the life of the project. This practice enables project teams to capture lessons learned as close as possible to the learning event. The log can be easily maintained by capturing a quick reference to the event, and by addressing the event in “real time” so projects do not become derailed. Another option is to capture lessons learned on a scheduled basis, such as at the start and end of each project phase.   Regardless of how and when lessons learned are captured and addressed, each project should also conduct a formal project closing exercise. A formal project closing is important to:

·         Provide formal handoff to operations

·         Obtain customer acceptance

·         Communicate the end of the project

·         Close off funding

·         Release resources back to the organization

·         Celebrate  

Taking the time to conduct a lessons learned exercise is a good way to assess project efficiency. A PMO should always be looking for ways to motivate and encourage the act of formal project closing, as this formal practice allows a team to review project outcomes, capture lessons learned, and document results. Sharing the results with the PMO and other project teams enables continued project success, both by celebrating what worked well and warning others about what did not work as well as expected.   Formalizing project closing activities supports three key functions: it captures key project metrics; reduces rework and pitfalls for future projects; and provides the opportunity to repeat what works well for projects.   Project closing is the process by which the project is brought to an end. The information from this practice is used to help improve the overall environment for project management in an organization. Design a project closing statement tool to support the project closing activities. The template should provide four key elements:

·         Project Closing Checklist – a reminder of the steps needed to close a project

·         Project Completion – a place to document the project completion relative to expected project deliverables

·         Business Success – a place to document the business success of the project relative to expected business outcomes

·         Lessons Learned – a place to capture lessons learned for use by other projects.  

Let the Form Be Your Guide 

Forms and templates are a terrific way to collect information in a standard format. The standardization enables project teams to document project-closing activities according to a fixed system; it is a repeatable process that solicits key information in a predictable way. But be careful – collecting lessons learned according to a fixed set of components could also stymie honest and experiential feedback. Templates, particularly those for project closing, should always include a section to encourage free-form feedback. Find the right balance between methodical collection of important information without denying expression of a project team’s true experiences. 

Let the Liaison Guide the Process 

Another way to further promote the sharing of important information is by using a facilitator to lead the project closing session. A PMO liaison is the perfect candidate for this role. Not only is the PMO liaison a neutral observer, she is also an informed witness, having supported the project, project manager, and project team from project inception to project closure. Like a guardian angel, the liaison has maintained protective oversight throughout the life of the project. What better person to facilitate a lessons learned session than one who knows enough about the project to ask good, probing questions, but who is not too close to feel responsible for things that may not have gone as planned. Since the PMO liaison has followed project activities since the beginning, the team is more likely to feel secure enough under the liaison’s guidance to express honest feedback.   The project manager and liaison should set up a pre-planning meeting to establish the meeting strategy; identify the closing session agenda; establish roles (between facilitator and project manager); identify attendees; and agree on meeting ground rules.   Ground rules are important for making the most of the session. Some common ground rules may look like this:

·         Express the importance of honest feedback

·         Explain the feedback is not personal – remind participants to focus on the process to improve the process

·         Limit criticism to constructive criticism

·         All recommendations should be actionable

·         This is not a decision-making session; it is to solicit feedback only  Other considerations when planning a session:

·         Distribute materials in advance (meeting agenda, pre-filled in project closing document regarding project scope, etc.)

·         Get feedback from those who cannot attend the meeting, ideally in advance of the session

o        Provide a template for easy collection

o        Offer to meet with them to hear their feedback directly

·         Present the Project Completion and Business Success sections to the group as a whole

o        Best to present this as a “review only” exercise

o        Prominently display for group review and discussion (poster-size or on flip charts)  Collecting lessons learned is easy, with these few simple steps:

·         Provide “categories for thought” to trigger the group

o        Pre-fill in flip charts with categories to review

o        Validate categories with attendees

·         Brainstorm

 ·         Ensure all participants are engaged (make everyone contribute)

·         Follow the Rule of Threes

o        What worked/didn’t work

o        Why did it work/didn’t it work

o        Suggestions for improvement

·         Prioritize suggestions at the end of the session

·         Allow for anonymous feedback at the end of the session  It’s also simple to document lessons learned:

·        Distribute lessons learned documentation to participants as soon as possible

·        Incorporate the lessons learned into the project closing document

·        Store the information in the appropriate project document repository 

Project Closing is For All Projects

Project closing activities must be conducted for all projects; it is the only way to truly assess and document successful project delivery. Project closings should occur for all projects, regardless of whether the project successfully closed or not. In some instances, a project will be shut down before it hits all deliverables; this can happen for a number of reasons, not always due to poor project management. Sometimes a business decision is made to stop a project before it is complete – this can be one of the most difficult decisions an organization must make, yet it may, in fact, be the best decision. When this happens, it is even more important to conduct a project closing session, because this type of project closure can be distressing and demoralizing to the team. A project closing is a perfect way for the team to reach proper closure before moving on. Be sure the rationale for project closure is well-communicated and lessons are shared among all stakeholders and customers. 

Don’t Keep It to Yourself 

The Project Management Office is responsible for collecting lessons learned across the portfolio and for sharing the results with key stakeholders. When you have different projects with different people managing them, the same mistakes may be made without anyone recognizing it. Simply documenting results and storing them in a shared repository is not enough. The gems uncovered in lessons learned workshops are worth the PMO’s investment in time spent scouring for and sharing results. In many organizations, the PMO aggregates the results and assesses the need for enhancement to the project management methodology and training programs. This is the right approach for establishing a good continuous improvement cycle, but it needs more to become a great process. Evolving from good to great requires comprehensive scrubbing of data, multi-channel communication of results and findings, and interactive working sessions between project stakeholders.   What to do with all the rich information garnered through lessons learned sessions?    What good are lessons learned if you don’t have a mechanism in place to shout “Danger!” when project teams are about to hit a pothole previously identified through another team’s journey? Alternately, what good are gold nuggets of best practices if the wealth is not shared with others? One solution is to conduct an annual “Lessons Learned Workshop” dedicated to sharing lessons learned from the previous year. Invite all project managers and project leads to participate in a two-hour session, which includes a summary report of lessons learned findings (as identified by the PMO’s review of project closing documents), an opportunity for individual project managers to share specific best practices (as discerned through individual project experiences), and roundtable discussions (offering an occasion for participants to further explore their past project experiences relative to the findings). The session allows project managers to showcase their best practices with peers and promotes healthy discussion and debate, which would not normally occur if the audience were to simply read the findings in a report. The workshop enables people to really experience project team encounters in a real and meaningful way. The annual workshop is a great way to bring project managers together, to celebrate accomplishments, and to share painful moments. This is a terrific way to further strengthen the project manager community; the event inevitably produces cheers of support and recognition when a best practice is shared – and heads always nod in sympathetic acknowledgement when a project manager reveals a difficult challenge. Project managers will suggest their jobs are like no other in the organization, and in some instances, they do not always feel as recognized or valued as they would like. Maintaining a unified community for project managers is critically important – for the project managers and for the organization.