Case Study: Lessons Learned Register

The Challenge: Our client, a PMO, had identified that their lessons learned were stored electronically in a variety of formats within their EDMS, with the associated difficulties in locating them meant the lessons learned were not being utilised by projects. This valuable information about the obstacles that were overcome in previous projects was also not being utilised for process improvement activities.

They wanted an expert resource to collate these lessons into a meaningful data source in the EDMS which could be searchable and assist with planning activities, as well as identifying risks and issues that may impact the successful completion of current and future projects.
MetaPM Approach: MetaPM developed a register of lessons learned files from the EDMS, including the creation of a structured lessons learned register, creation of lessons capture and reporting processes and templates, and the cleansing of data from the existing lessons learned files. Our consultant conducted workshops to demonstrate the register and report template to management and stakeholder groups within several government departments.
The Results: The engagement produced a number of outcomes including:

• Enhanced quality of individual lessons by improving content and readability
• Categorising and recording lessons using a consistent methodology
• Included best practice examples (following business rules) for project teams to use
• Revised the process for capturing lessons learned to incorporate a new reporting template and macros to streamline data input into the register
• Project teams / PMO access to reports for analysis
• Education of project teams / senior management through rollout of process
• Integrating with a senior government department to utilise their lessons learned database functionality
• An Executive Summary of lessons learned from the past six years

Client Assessment: “MetaPM undertook a very difficult assignment in collating, identifying, evaluating, re-engineering and registering over 1800 lessons learned into one lessons learned register. The assignment was undertaken with the professionalism, eye for detail and thoroughness that was expected of MetaPM. This PMO can now undertake lessons learned workshops and capture the data knowing it is clean, useable and be of value.” – General Manager, Program Office