Lessons Learned Analysis

One key concept in project management is to learn from previous projects. ; The Lessons Learned review allows an organization to collect and document the results of both successful and failed projects. ; Give an overview of a project you were involved with as a leader or team member. ; Choose three of the project areas listed below and answer one question from each group of questions found in Chapter 12 of your text. ;

• Time
• Cost
• Quality
• Scope
• Line Management
• Methodology
• Senior Management
• Customer Satisfaction
• Business Opportunities

Lessons Learned (Postmortem Analysis) Information System

Some companies work on a vast number of projects each year, and each of these projects provides valuable information for improving standards, estimating for fu- ture bidding, and improving the way business is conducted. All of this information is intellectual property and must be captured for future use. Lesson learned reviews are one way to obtain this information.

If intellectual property from projects is to be retained in a centralized location, then the project office must develop expertise in how to conduct a postmortem analy- sis meeting. At that meeting, four critical questions must be addressed:

What did we do right? ;

What did we do wrong? ;

What future recommendations can be made? ;

How, when, and to whom should the information be disseminated?