Wilson.shea

Improving Project Performanceby Creating and Re-Using Knowledge

Niclas RinmanShea Wilson

2011-02-09

The ability to sustain significant improvements in development over long periods of time rests on the capability to learn from experience.

- Steven C. Wheelwright and Kim B. Clark

Almost all defective projects result from not having the right knowledge in the right place at the right time.

- Allen C. Ward

| Introduction | Background | Project | Findings | Framework | Summary |

The General Problem

Picture Reference:Ward, Allen C. (2007). Lean Product and Process Development. Cambridge, MA: The Lean Enterprise Institute Inc.

| Introduction | Background | Project | Findings | Framework | Summary |

Continuous Incremental Improvements

Picture Reference:Wheelwright, Steven C. & Clark, Kim B. (1992). Revolutionizing Product Development: Quantum Leaps in Speed, Efficiency and Quality. New York, NY: The Free Press.

| Introduction | Background | Project | Findings | Framework | Summary |

Agenda

• Background• Project• Findings• Framework• Summary

| Introduction | Background | Project | Findings | Framework | Summary |

Scope

• Learning in a Project-based Organization– Provide knowledge and experiences to future project

teams in order to enhance their problem solving ability.

– Continuously improve organizational structures, processes, tools and routines based on knowledge from previous projects.

| Introduction | Background | Project | Findings | Framework | Summary |

Conventional Solutions

• Process Based Methods– e.g. project reviews and audits

• Document Based Methods– e.g. final project reports, databases

| Introduction | Background | Project | Findings | Framework | Summary |

Barriers

• Eliciting Knowledge and Experiences– Time Pressure– Motivation– Skill– …

• Re-Using Knowledge and Experiences• Formal Barriers• Informal Barriers

Learning from development projects is one of the most difficult things that an organization can do.

- Steven C. Wheelwright and Kim B. Clark

| Introduction | Background | Project | Findings | Framework | Summary |

The Project

• Background– Better process for capturing and sharing lessons

learned highly needed• Objective

– Create a platform (framework) for lessons learned at the case company

| Introduction | Background | Project | Findings | Framework | Summary |

Case Company

• Project-based organization using a defined stage-gate development process

• Matrix structure with cross-functional project teams

• Uses project reports for documenting lessons learned

• Automotive Industry• Global presence and about 5000 employees

| Introduction | Background | Project | Findings | Framework | Summary |

Methodology

• Interviews– About 35 semi-structured interviews– Cross-site and cross-functional

• Research– Literature study– Formal documentation– Observations and hallway conversations

| Introduction | Background | Project | Findings | Framework | Summary |

Interview Findings

• Creating and Sharing Knowledge

“It is a tick-off item.”

“If we want to consume good information we need to be willing to help create it.”

“We do not have time to sit down and think about the past when we have a project to

deliver.”

| Introduction | Background | Project | Findings | Framework | Summary |

Interview Findings

• Little useable knowledge created and made available by projects.

| Introduction | Background | Project | Findings | Framework | Summary |

Interview Findings

• Little useable knowledge created and made available by projects.– There is a trade off in projects between documenting

knowledge and delivering the product.– The creation of the final project report is seen as a

tick-off item done before passing a gate.– Knowledge is lost by writing the project report at the

end of projects.

| Introduction | Background | Project | Findings | Framework | Summary |

Interview Findings

• Accessing and Retrieving Information

“People read project reports, but don’t understand them.”

“The project reports sound useful, but I don’t know where to find them.”

“Which one do I need to read? If I have to use the tool, make it useable and valuable and easy to reference and understand.”

| Introduction | Background | Project | Findings | Framework | Summary |

Interview Findings

• Knowledge is not documented and stored in a good way.

| Introduction | Background | Project | Findings | Framework | Summary |

Interview Findings

• Knowledge is not documented and stored in a good way.– It is hard to find, search, and access information in

the project reports.– The information is of varying usefulness and levels of

detail.– Outspoken need to have knowledge made available

in a simple and understandable way.

| Introduction | Background | Project | Findings | Framework | Summary |

Interview Findings

• Creating Action and Change

“All projects have problems, and the same kind of problems re-appear, and they are repeatedly documented in the project reports.”

“Why document mistakes if we are not going to change anything?”

| Introduction | Background | Project | Findings | Framework | Summary |

Interview Findings

• Knowledge is not re-used throughout the organization.

| Introduction | Background | Project | Findings | Framework | Summary |

Interview Findings

• Knowledge is not re-used throughout the organization.– The use of project reports in projects is limited to

reading some of them in the early phases.– There is no structured, visible, process for making

changes based on information in the project reports.– There is a desire from the functional organization to

get feedback from projects in order to make changes.

| Introduction | Background | Project | Findings | Framework | Summary |

Interview Conclusions

• Tick-off item. Trade-off in time.• Not available and not useful. • No visible changes. Feedback missing.

| Introduction | Background | Project | Findings | Framework | Summary |

Interview Conclusions

• Tick-off item. Trade-off in time.• Not available and not useful. • No visible changes. Feedback missing.• Consequences:

– Re-inventing the wheel– Repeating mistakes– Failed projects– Waste– Frustration

| Introduction | Background | Project | Findings | Framework | Summary |

Goal – A Better Way

• Sustainably increase project performance…

| Introduction | Background | Project | Findings | Framework | Summary |

Goal – A Better Way

• Sustainably increase project performance... by using a resource that is currently being wasted.

– Re-use knowledge in future project teams to improve performance, e.g. lead time, project cost.

– Re-use knowledge in the functional organization to improve, e.g. processes, tools, methods.

| Introduction | Background | Project | Findings | Framework | Summary |

Creating the Framework

• Goal: Increase project performance through knowledge re-use.

– Provide knowledge to future project teams– Use knowledge to improve the organization

| Introduction | Background | Project | Findings | Framework | Summary |

| Introduction | Background | Project | Findings | Framework | Summary |

Creating the Framework

• Re-using knowledge in projects– Increased problem solving capability and

frontloading of problem solving.– Improved risk management with earlier identification

of risks.

– Needed: Useful knowledge

| Introduction | Background | Project | Findings | Framework | Summary |

| Introduction | Background | Project | Findings | Framework | Summary |

Creating the Framework

• Re-Using Knowledge in the Functional Organization– Making improvements and changing

• Procedures• Tools/Methods• Process• Structure• Principles

– Needed: Feedback on project performance and usage of processes, tools, etc.

| Introduction | Background | Project | Findings | Framework | Summary |

| Introduction | Background | Project | Findings | Framework | Summary |

Creating the Framework

• Encoding Knowledge– Encode knowledge in order to enable the previous

two activities– Enable easy to search and access– Enable easy documentation of knowledge

– Needed: Useful knowledge from previous projects

| Introduction | Background | Project | Findings | Framework | Summary |

| Introduction | Background | Project | Findings | Framework | Summary |

Creating the Framework

• Creating Knowledge in Projects– Create and deliver useful knowledge

– Needed: Motivation for spending time on knowledge creating activities

| Introduction | Background | Project | Findings | Framework | Summary |

| Introduction | Background | Project | Findings | Framework | Summary |

Broken Cycle

• A broken cycle– For the cycle to work, you need all the connections.– Focusing on just one of these does not work.

| Introduction | Background | Project | Findings | Framework | Summary |

Proposals

• Projects create useful knowledge– Change from “tick-off item” to important delivery– Emphasize the value of useful knowledge, with the

goal of re-use in mind

Project

Product

Useful Knowledge

| Introduction | Background | Project | Findings | Framework | Summary |

Proposals

• Encode knowledge so it is useful– Subject based knowledge articles instead of project

based reports– From documents to collaborative knowledge base

| Introduction | Background | Project | Findings | Framework | Summary |

Proposals

• Increase project performance by re-using knowledge– From passive reading to active use through

• Problem Solving• Risk Management

– Access knowledge articles to find solutions and possible risks

| Introduction | Background | Project | Findings | Framework | Summary |

Proposals

• Constantly improve the functional organization– Pull feedback from knowledge articles– Create continuous improvements, e.g. to processes– Personal mastery and role responsibility

| Introduction | Background | Project | Findings | Framework | Summary |

Summary

• Four areas you need to support– Create Knowledge in Projects– Encode Knowledge– Re-Use Knowledge in Projects – Re-Use Knowledge in the Functional Organization

| Introduction | Background | Project | Findings | Framework | Summary |

Summary

• Four areas you need to support• Create a pull system. Pull knowledge from

projects based on the desired re-use.

| Introduction | Background | Project | Findings | Framework | Summary |

Summary

• Four areas you need to support• Create a pull system. Pull knowledge from

projects based on the desired re-use.• Learning from experience is one of the most

difficult, but also one of the most important things that an organization can do.

| Introduction | Background | Project | Findings | Framework | Summary |

Thank You!