It is important that organisations identify and share good practice and avoid constantly repeating the same mistakes. Lessons learned should be captured throughout the lifetime of the project. They should include instances of things that were successfully managed as well as lessons deriving from problems and issues.

Lessons learned should be captured throughout the lifetime of the project and a lessons learned report produced (and signed off) as part of project closure. It can also be useful to review the lessons at key stages in the project.

It is also important that they are shared, both within the project and outside it. There are a number of activities that should be done as part of getting started, while managing the process and at project closure.

Listed below are some examples of lessons learned:

  • ensure there is adequate full-time dedicated resource in the project team - and that the project team's attentions are not diluted by other responsibilities
  • appoint a full-time project manager (not necessarily the project team leader)
  • focus on early planning, including, in addition to the overall chronological strategy plan, identification of issues, detailed objectives and targets for each strand of activity
  • identify necessary skills and allow some time for training, where necessary, for project team members e.g. in project management principles
  • define respective roles and responsibilities for each - to minimise overlap or oversight
  • establish clear channels of communication and contact points, ensuring that the Project Manager is kept informed
  • ensure that internal expertise is fully exploited before determining how much and which elements of the task necessitate buying-in external professional assistance (e.g. financial and legal advisers)
  • involve appropriate all key stakeholders from the earliest stage in the planning process and then consistently throughout the project
  • if consultants are employed, ensure that time is built in to allow effective knowledge transfer, and that this in included in the relevant people's development plans
  • build in time for regular reviews of the Risk Register by the Project Board