Lessons Learned on Lessons Learned

Kevin Feenan gave a presentation on lessons learned from projects. He discussed why lessons learned are important to build success, decrease errors, improve managing uncertainty, and help with organizational transformation. Some typical areas that need improvement included budgeting, change management, communication, governance, oversight, procurement, quality, risk management, and scheduling. Governance and operational procedures are often a symptom, not the underlying cause or disease. Common practices that happen after failures include deflecting blame, redefining success, and revisionist history rather than making meaningful changes to decrease bureaucracy, increase accountability, and improve communication. To fix these issues, organizations should establish cultural transformation teams, embrace failure as a strength, distinguish management from oversight, and keep lessons learned