- 1. ...the importance of lessons learned in the initiation
phase. Stephen Duffield www.pmlessonslearned.infoMaster PM Research
(USQ).... PhD planning in workChair of the QLD Government Public
Sector Risk Management Network Collaboration GroupCommittee Member
RMIA QueenslandMember of the AIPM Queensland judging panel 2010
& 2011 for Project Management Achievement AwardsMember of AIPM
/ AIPM Certified Practising Project Director (CPPD)Member of
PMIDept Transport and Main Roads - Assistant Director (Risk
Management) 1.8 yrsBoard of Director 6 yrs+ (non-profit
Board)Boeing Company 14 yrs+ (Program and Project Management
experience)Senior Manager ERP Oracle ImplementationSenior Manager
Program Management (130 PMs)Site Manager Amberley (980staff)PM
various programs 10yrs+Business Development Manager 3yrsSystems
& Software EngineeringBritish Aerospace / AWA 7 yrs (Systems
& Software Engineering)Royal Australian Air Force 10 yrs
(Engineering Aerospace)http://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenduffield
http://www.invictaprojects.com.auPMIQ 15February2012 Initiating
Projects- 1 lessons learned with Stephen Duffield
2. Speed Learning on PM Lessons Learned in the Initiation phase
On Lessons Learned - ...there are few signs that any lessons have
been learnt - Victorian Ombudsman ...there is difficulty in
capturing and implementing learnings - Victorian Ombudsman ...in
practice lessons learned rarely happens and doesnt work well ...a
small % follow the process - Williams Why? ...we have a serious
cultural problem Wideman www.pmlessonslearned.info People / Culture
PMBOK - Source is Lesson Learned Knowledge Base (?) ...can
influence...Project Charter, PMP, Scope, WBS, Time, Cost, Quality,
Communications and Risk ...missing HR PRINCE2 Starting a Project:
Previous lessons learned reports > Capture Previous lessons >
Create Lessons Log (?) Starting a Project: Lessons Log can
influence > Team, Business Case, Project Brief > Plan the
initiation stage Initiating a Project: Lessons Log > Risk,
Quality, Configuration, Communications, Project Controls, Project
Plan Milton Learning before...knowledge of what needs to be
done...knowledge of how to do it Project knowledge management plan
& knowledge needs register Krammer Knowledge Identification
...Technical / Organisational / Human Knowledge Cluster Map (pm,
customer and product)...Knowledge Map / Knowledge Acquisition
(known and missing knowledge) My experiences In-effective lessons
learned systems in place ...not used...It is broken...How do you
know you have learnt a lesson? Risk Management outputs from
previous projects ...if you can find them Previous projects
Critical Success Factors ...Networks (Greybeards story telling,
active online groups LinkedIn, Google Scholar / Journals etc
...public available lessons learned databases ie NASA) ...PM Best
Practices ? Your experiences & Questions ... ThankyouPMIQ
15February2012 Initiating Projects- lessons learned with Stephen
Duffield 2 3. On Lessons Learned . What we learn from lessons
learned is that we dont learn from lessons learned. T. BlockA
recent report (2011) from the Victorian Ombudsman, finds that
despite all the research, previous Ombudsman and Auditor-General
reports,...there are few signs that any lessons have been learnt in
the public
sector.http://www.ombudsman.vic.gov.au/resources/documents/Investigation_into_ICT_enabled_projects_Nov_2011.pdf
...A new and moredisciplined approach is required if the government
is to avoid being faced with continuing cost overruns and failures
to deliver. The reporthighlights the difficulties and
inconsistencies in ICT procurement with the Victorian Government
Solicitors Office stating ...Governmentagencies tend to operate
independently and there is difficulty in capturing and implementing
learnings from ICT projects....What we see here is not un-common
across the public and private sectors; it is just that the
reporting of the public sector problems is open tothe general
public via government reports.In practice lessons learned rarely
happens and doesnt work well (Atkinson, Crawford & Ward 2006;
Keegan & Turner 2001; Kerzner 2009;Milton 2010; Schindler &
Eppler 2003; Williams 2008; Wysocki 2004, 2009).Milton (2010) has
found that 80 per cent of 74 organisations that attempt lessons
learned, 60 per cent are dissatisfied. Williams (2007) PMIsponsored
study found that 62.4 per cent of 522 project practitioner
responses had a process for learning lessons and of those only11.7
per cent followed the process. Why?The project management PM World
Today recently posted an editorial on Lessons Learned but Knowledge
Lost (Pells 2011). In responseWideman (2011, p.1) a recognised
project management global expert stated: ...in spite of all the
technology that is available to us today, wehave not yet found a
presentation format that captures the essence of this wisdom in a
way that is relevant to future usage, readily searchableand easy to
store. ...we have a serious cultural problem. ...we are probably
condemned to continue to throw away the valuable resources.This
open discussion again highlights the significance of project
management, knowledge management and the lessons learned process
andthe impact that technology, learning, process and people factors
have on the problem.So is the PM Lessons Learned process
broken?PMIQ 15February2012 Initiating Projects-3 lessons learned
with Stephen Duffield 4. www.pmlessonslearned.info The PM Lessons
Learned blog supports a Masters of Project Management research
project. Final project/thesis Exploring factors that impact
knowledge management dissemination of project management lessons
learned.Model derived and based on the reverse relationships of
Reason(1997, 2000) swiss cheese model (layers of defence)People:
Just Culture (Reason 1997) PM Culture Culture
barriershttp://www.invictaprojects.com.au/pmlessonslearnedblog/?p=221Source:
Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com
http://www.flickr.com/photos/notionscapital/3082592630/ PMIQ
15February2012 Initiating Projects- 4lessons learned with Stephen
Duffield 5. PMBOK identifies the importance in collecting and
documenting lessons learned, and implementing process
improvements.Lesson Learned (LL). The learning gained from the
process of performing the project. Lessons may be identified at any
point. Also considereda project record, to be included in the
lessons learned knowledge base.Lesson Learned Knowledge Base
(LLKB). A store of historical information and lessons learned about
both the outcomes of previous projectselection decisions and
previous project performance.Reich and Wee (2006) report
anextensive review of how knowledgemanagement practices areembedded
within the 3rd editionPMBOK.Table 1 highlights the changes overthe
last 14 years of how the termlessons learned has been referencedand
used with all versions (up to 4thedition) of the PMBOK Guide.Source
: www.pmlessonslearned.info2.4.3 Organizational Process Assets
...lessons learned and historical information3.3 Initiating Process
Group ?3.7 Closing Process Group ...Document lessons learned4.1.1.5
/ 4.2.1.4 Project Integration Management ... Organizational Process
Assets ...lessons learned and historical information...can
influence development of a project charter and project management
plan5.2.1.4 Define Scope ...lessons learned can influence define
scope process5.3.1.4 Create WBS ...lessons learned can influence
create WBS process6.1.1.3 / 6.4.1.7 Time ...lessons learned
knowledge base can influence activities list and estimate
durations7.1.1.6 Cost ...lessons learned can influence the estimate
costs process8.1.1.7 Quality ...lessons learned can influence the
plan quality process10.1.1.4 / 10.2.1.4 / 10.3.1.3 Communications
...lessons learned can influence the identify stakeholder process
(ex-PMs, SMEs, Industry groups ,consultants, professional and
technical associations...) and communications plan ..lessons
learned provide insights on decisions in previous similarprojects.
Lessons learned can influence distribution of information
process.11.1.1.6 Risk ...lessons learned can influence the risk
management process . Risk identification checklist...risk
management organizational assets.PMIQ 15February2012 Initiating
Projects-5 lessons learned with Stephen Duffield 6. PRINCE2Starting
a Project:Previous lessons learned reports > Capture Previous
lessons > Create Lessons Log ?Source: OGC 2009, Managing
Successful Projects with PRINCE2, TSO, London (p. 124)Capture
Previous lessonsLessons may have been learned by other
projects...The design of the Project team, Business Case , Project
Brief and Initiation stage can be influenced by lessons learnedHold
a workshop to capture relevant lessons...may be helpful to include
consult external people who have relevant experienceStarting a
Project:Lessons Log > design and appoint the project management
teamLessons Log > prepare the outline Business CaseLessons Log
> select the project approach and assemble the Project
BriefLessons Log > Plan the initiation stageInitiating a
Project:Lessons Log > Risk, Quality, Configuration,
Communications, Project Controls, Project PlanPMIQ 15February2012
Initiating Projects- 6 lessons learned with Stephen Duffield 7.
Milton Learning before: identify the knowledge that will be useful
to the project team identify the sources of knowledge (both
explicit and tacit) doing something to bring knowledge into the
team ...knowledge of what needs to be done ...knowledge of how to
do it Source: Milton, N 2005, Knowledge Management For Teams and
Projects, Chandos Publishing, Oxford. (p. 42) Scoping >
knowledge of what needs to be done knowledge about Scoping
meetings...customers...Involve contractors, external expertise
Concept select/design stage > knowledge on how to do it Peer
Assist meeting of project team with people who have relevant
knowledge and experience Optioneering brainstorming options against
the project objectives with external help Business-driven action
learning collective knowledge gathering to address the issues of
the project with external help A key tool in learning before
project is the project knowledge management plan. This provides a
focus on the critical knowledge for the project, and then addresses
how the knowledge will be accessed, who will find it, how and when,
and how new knowledge will be created and stored. You can think of
knowledge as flowing into a project at the start, and out of the
project at the end, and this flow of knowledge needs to be managed.
The KM plan is the tool that manages this flow. The plan is created
at the planning workshop involving all the project team, and one of
the key outputs from this workshop will be the knowledge needs
register. Read more: Knoco stories: Knowledge Management in
projects http://www.nickmilton.com/2010/10/knowledge-management-in-
projects.html#ixzz1m9aksOgh ? Learning before never occurs. All
projects start from a knowledge base restricted to the tacit
knowledge of the participants. ? Learning before is a rarity. Most
projects have no pre-learning.PMIQ 15February2012 Initiating
Projects-7 lessons learned with Stephen Duffield 8. KrammerProject
Start-up: Knowledge IdentificationTechnical / Organisational /
HumanKnowledge Cluster Map..based around project management,
customer and the product...picture of the knowledge required for
the project, the skillsavailable within the project team, expertise
from externalsKnowledge Map / Knowledge Acquisition..identifies the
location of known and missing knowledgeKnowledge Generation and
Transfer Source: Krammer, C 2010, Knowledge Management in Project
Management, VDM Verlag Dr. Muller GmbH & Co. KG (pp. 38-45)PMIQ
15February2012 Initiating Projects- 8 lessons learned with Stephen
Duffield 9. My Experiences:In-effective lessons learned systems in
place... Lesson Learned Knowledge Base... not used ..its broken...
how do you know you have learnt a lesson?Key source of lessons
learned...Risk Management outputs of previous projects ...if you
can find them...Previous projects Critical Success Factors (what
worked and didnt work)...Networks.....Greybeards story
telling.....Google Scholar / Journals etc..... active online groups
ie LinkedIn.....public available lessons learned databases ie
NASA...PM Best Practices ?
http://www.rocketdynetech.com/systems/images/Linking_RM_to_PM.pdfIn
NASA, we never punish error. We only punish the concealment of
error. Al Siepert (b. 1915), Deputy Director of NASA Kennedy Space
CenterPMIQ 15February2012 Initiating Projects-9 lessons learned
with Stephen Duffield 10. References:Atkinson, R, Crawford, L &
Ward, S 2006, Fundamental uncertainties in projects and the scope
of project management, International journal of projectmanagement,
vol. 24, no. 8, pp. 687-98.Brouwer, G 2011, Own motion
investigation into ICT-enabled projects, Victorian Ombudsman,
Victorian Government Printer,
Melbourne,http://www.ombudsman.vic.gov.au/resources/documents/Investigation_into_ICT_enabled_projects_Nov_2011.pdf.Keegan,
A & Turner, JR 2001, Quantity versus Quality in Project-Based
Learning Practices, Management Learning, vol. 32, no. 1, pp.
77-98.Keen, P & Tan, M 2007, Knowledge fusion: A framework for
extending the rigor and relevance of knowledge management,
International Journal of KnowledgeManagement, vol. 3, no. 4, pp.
1-17.Kerzner, H 2009, Project management : a systems approach to
planning, scheduling, and controlling, 10th edn, John Wiley &
Sons, Hoboken, N.J.Koners, U 2005, Learning from research and
development projects/the role of post-project reviews, Cranfield
University.Krammer, C 2010, Knowledge Management in Project
Management, VDM Verlag Dr. Muller GmbH & Co. KG.Milton, N 2005,
Knowledge Management For Teams and Projects, Chandos Publishing,
Oxford.Milton, N 2010, The Lessons Learned Handbook: Practical
approaches to learning from experience, Chandos Publishing, Oxford,
UK.OGC 2009, Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2, TSO,
London.Pells, D 2011, Lessons Learned but Knowledge Lost!, August
2011 edn, 5 September 2011, PMForum, Inc,.Project Management
Institute 2004, A guide to the project management body of knowledge
(PMBOK Guide), 3rd edn, Project Management Institute Inc.,
NewtownSquare, Pa.- 2008a, A guide to the project management body
of knowledge (PMBOK Guide), 4th edn, Project Management Institute
Inc., Newtown Square, Pa.Reason, J 1997, Managing the risks of
organizational accidents, Ashgate, Aldershot, Hants, England ;
Brookfield, Vt., USA.- 2000, Human error: models and management,
British Medical Journal, vol. 320, no. 7237, p. 768.Reich & Wee
2006, Searching for knowledge in the PMBOK guide, Project
Management Journal, vol. 37, no. 2, pp. 11-26.Rocketdyne, 2004,
Linking Risk Management to Other Program Management Processes Risk
or Opportunity?, 5th National Risk Management Symposium,California
http://www.rocketdynetech.com/systems/images/Linking_RM_to_PM.pdfSchindler
& Eppler. 2003, Harvesting project knowledge: a review of
project learning methods and success factors, International journal
of project management,vol. 21, no. 3, pp. 219-28.Wideman ,2011, On
the August PMWT Editorial on Lessons Learned by Knowledge Lost,
PMForum, Inc, 5 September 2011,.Williams, T 2007, Post-Project
Reviews to Gain Effective Lessons Learned, Project Management
Institute, Newtown Square, USA, Date Accessed: 17 July 2011,.-
2008, How do organisations learn lessons from projectsand do they?,
IEEE Transactions in Engineering Management, vol. 55, no. 2, pp.
248-66.Wysocki, RK 2004, Project management process improvement,
Artech House effective project management series, Artech House,
Boston.- 2009, Effective project management traditional, agile,
extreme, 5th edn, Wiley Pub., Indianapolis, IN, Accessed 2 May
2011, 9780470500422 (electronic bk.).Contact Details
:[email protected] 0421 052 135PMIQ 15February2012
Initiating Projects-10 lessons learned with Stephen Duffield