Effective Management Practices and Technologies for Lessons Learned Programs (Best Practice)

Every organization should move forward in developing or improving a lessons learned program. (RS230-1, p. 22)

• Leadership, top-level and tactical, is the most important prerequisite for success of these programs.
• Organizations should become “teaching" organizations, rather than organizations that only collect or learn from the past in an ad hoc or passive manner.
• Organizations should adopt an active implementation strategy for ensuring that lessons are used.
• Although technology is important in developing and using an LLP, the importance of organizational culture should not be underestimated.
• The quality of lessons learned is more important than the quantity of lesson in the database.
• Both owners and contractors can benefit from lessons learned programs. Necessarily, the captured lessons learned will be focused in different areas based on the business needs of the organization.

LLPs are prevalent among many construction organizations with 94% of the evaluated organizations using some type of lessons learned process to facilitate improvement within their organizations. (RS230-1, p. 5)

An organization benefits from lessons learned most when they follow a documented, formalized three-step process; collection, analysis, and implementation. Implementation is typically less advanced than collection and analysis.

1. Collection involves gathering data and information on the experiences of individuals and teams in the organization. Collection can occur at multiple stages of project execution.
2. Analysis can be performed by a team or a subject matter expert (SME). This step is necessary to ensure the information gathered is relevant, correct, and easily understood.
3. Implementation can involve changes in practices and procedures or changes in the project execution. Lessons learned should be implemented quickly to ensure they are helpful for the organization. 

There are 7 key areas that affect the success of lessons learned programs:

• Leadership
• Lesson collection
• Lesson analysis
• Lesson implementation
• Resources
• Maintenance and improvement
• Culture

All of these areas must be addressed by an organization to effectively implement a lessons learned program. These 7 characteristics are the basis for the Maturity Model. (RS230-1, p. 17).

Before a lessons learned program can become successful, an organization must recognize some special considerations such as legal issues, metrics, cultural and globalization issues, and implementation challenges. (IR230-2, p. 17)

Human resources and IT resources are important in making sure a lessons learned program is successful. None of the surveyed organizations used “off the shelf” technology. Instead, the organizations generated similar, yet customized IT tools to facilitate their program. Additionally, none of the surveyed organizations currently dedicates a full-time employee to facilitate their lessons learned program, though their effort is typically beyond one full-time equivalent employee at any time.

Hard metrics are not commonly used to assess the performance of lessons learned programs. Most of the surveyed organizations implement a lessons learned program because they understand the fundamental importance of lessons learned and do not try to quantify the value of lessons learned.

Owner organizations are able to draw the most value of lessons learned during front end planning, whereas a contractor organizations reaps the benefits of a lessons learned program generally during project execution. (IR230-2, p. 21)
 

IR230-2, Implementation of Lessons Learned Programs

Can help organizations put these recommendations into action and includes 4 tools.
For organizations that have already developed a lessons learned program:

• Maturity Matrix Model – The Maturity Model identifies the seven key characteristics of a Lessons Learned Program and classifies each characteristic into four progressive levels of development. Levels 1 and 2 are usually representative of an informal Lessons Learned Program while Levels 3 and 4 are typical of a formal Lessons Learned Program.
• Self-assessment Questionnaire – To determine its effectiveness with respect to the seven key program characteristics.

For organizations without a current program or those wanting to re-examine their existing program:

• Jump Start Guide – Recommended steps for the development of a program 
• Transactional Work Flow Diagram – Serves as a roadmap for typical lessons learned transactions.