At the close of every project, teams normally step back and analyze the success of the project or determine if there were any issues. However, do the lessons learned happen or has this activity become more or less dead and buried?
Let’s consider these various pros and cons of the lessons learned process.
Con: The problems occurring during a project is usually due to people.
Pro: Know your team members so you can easily pinpoint any issues before they happen. Project successes come from the strength and skill of team members.
Con: Workaholics. While this personality trait is thought to be a positive one, it can spell serious problems for the problems due to burnout.
Pro: Be sure all team members have sufficient time off so they can work more refreshed.
Con: “Right” decisions rarely are successful.
Pro: Early wrong decisions can be salvaged.
Con: Don’t make decisions.
Pro: Present plans of action that your team will take.
Con: Check any egotism at the door, and the same goes for your team. It will get you nowhere.
Pro: Instill an attitude whereby team members can tell you of wrong decisions.
Con: Do not rely on only paperwork to do the reporting.
Pro: Doing so only results in project failure.
Con: If you have a problem that you needs to solve, recruit new people.
Pro: Recruit slowly instead.
Con: Don’t treat the project details in silence.
Pro: Keep all project details out in the open for all to see.
Con: Don’t force-fit a scenario.
Pro: In the event of a failure, make a timeline to show all work done.
Con: Allow your project to fail without taking any measures to correct the issues, even if you think you have.
Pro: Don’t be afraid to fail. Always work at ways to recover.
Con: Team members don’t have all the pieces of the puzzle.
Pro: Team members who do not have full project information are unable to reach a proper conclusion.
Con: Don’t micromanage your projects. Let your people do what they do best.
Pro: Find the right people to work on the project and let them get on with it.
Con: Making mistakes are acceptable, but failure isn’t.
Pro: Create a series of contingency plans that can be put in place to address those high risk project areas.
Con: Keeping project information quiet and away from these who need to know what it going on.
Pro: Keep all your project partners in the loop at all times.
Con: Don’t waste your team’s time.
Pro: Let them get on with their roles in the project.
Con: Never assume. Remember the saying that goes with the word. And while you’re at it, don’t assume that someone has done something unless you’ve actually asked them.
Pro: Ask the questions when they arise. You’ll be surprised at the answers you get.
Do you still use the lessons learned practice at the end of your projects? Have they been successful or do they need some work? What ones have you used? Why not share them here.
