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Post-Project Evaluation and Learning

Post-Project Evaluation and Learning

The final step in any project should be an evaluation review. By the process of implementation of a project,
the project owner, the financial institution involved in the project, and the project management are all
enriched with abundant experience, as also the contractor employed for the project. The objective of
evaluation of the project after its completion is to learn from such experience. This is a look back over the
project to see what was learned that will contribute to future projects. This review is best done by the
core project team and typically in a group discussion. If possible it can be beneficial to include the client,
customer, users or any appropriate stakeholders. The post-project evaluation review will take place during
project closure.

The fundamental objective, however, is the possible use of the valuable knowledge and experience
gathered from the completion of the project. "Completing a project" is not the same thing as ending the
project management process. It is therefore very important that the lessons learned from the project,
whether good or bad should be reviewed, documented and feedback to the next project. To make the
most of the benefits that the project can deliver, however, you also need to check to see if further
improvements will deliver still greater benefit. You also need to ensure that the lessons learned during
the project are not forgotten. You can more effectively design and execute future projects when you take
advantage of lessons learned through the experience of previous projects.

So how can you properly measure a project's success, and work toward continuous improvement? This is
where the process of Post-Implementation Review (PIR) is helpful. It helps you answer the following key
questions:
▪ Did the project fully solve the problem that it was designed to address?
▪ Can we take things further, and deliver even bigger benefits?
▪ What lessons did we learn that we can apply to future projects?

The Importance of Post Project Review

The main objective of project management is project completion, but that's not the end of story. A post
project review or post-implementation review is a very useful and powerful way of adding a continuous
improvement mechanism. This continuous improvement mechanism helps make each succeeding project
more successful (and frequently less stressful to all participants). Post project reviews typically involve the
project team and major stakeholders meeting together and reviewing what went well and what went
badly during the project. This input can help participants make the right decisions and plans so that the

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next project runs better. It can also help clear up misunderstandings and other issues. A Post Project
Review or Post Implementation Review (PIR) should take place for the following reasons:

▪ Facilitates the project gap analysis

▪ Evaluate how closely the project results match the original objectives as stated in
the project charter
▪ Review the expected deliverables if they have been delivered to an acceptable
level of quality
▪ When gaps have been identified, how will these be closed or/and addressed and
take in consideration in future projects?

▪ Review the Achievement of Project’s Goals

▪ Is the product delivered or/and deliverable functioning as expected?
▪ At what level are the error rated?
▪ Are the users adequately trained and supported?
▪ Are the necessary controls and systems in place?
▪ What routine activities are needed to support the project’s success?
▪ If there are problems here, how will these be addressed?
▪ How does the end result compare with the original project plan, in terms of
quality, schedule and budget?

▪ Review the Project’s Costs and Benefits

▪ What were the final costs?
▪ What will it cost to operate the solution?
▪ What will it cost to support the solution in the future?
▪ How do the costs compare with the benefits achieved?
▪ If the project hasn't delivered a sufficiently large return, how can this be
improved?

▪ Review Stakeholders’ Satisfaction

▪ Were the end users' needs met?
▪ Is the project sponsor satisfied?
▪ What are the effects on the client or end user?
▪ If key individuals aren't satisfied, how should this be addressed?

▪ Identify areas for improvements and ways to improve & development

▪ Identify items that were done well
▪ Identify items that could improve
▪ Decide action plans – get input & agreement on action plans to improve things
that need improvement
▪ Have all of the expected benefits been achieved? If not, what is needed to
achieve them?
▪ Are there opportunities for further training and coaching that will maximize
results?
▪ Could you make further changes, which would deliver even more value?
▪ Are there any other additional benefits that can be achieved?

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 ▪ A valuable way for teams to improve their performance and skills

▪ Identify Lesson Learned

▪ How well were the project's deliverables assessed, and how well were timescales
and costs assessed?
▪ What went wrong, why did these things go wrong, and how could these problems
be avoided next time?
▪ What went well, and needs to be learned from?

▪ Report Findings and Make Recommendations

▪ What have you learned from this review?
▪ Do you need corrective action to get the benefits you want?
▪ What lessons have you learned that need to be carried forward to future
projects?
▪ Does this project naturally lead on to future projects, which will build on the
success and benefits already achieved?
(Murthi, 2002)
(mindtools, n.d)

What are Lessons Learned in Project Management?

Lessons learned are an informal conversation where you look at a project in retrospect. It is done after
project completion, usually conducted as a meeting involving the project manager and key
representatives from customer and contractor side.

Lesson Learned Process

The purpose of a lessons learned process is to define the activities required to successfully capture and
use lessons learned. The lessons learned process shown in Exhibit 1 includes five steps: identify,
document, analyze, store and retrieve. These steps are consistent for all three levels; however, the tools
and techniques become more involved with each level. Regardless of the level, it is important for the team
to view lessons learned as constructive. Leadership should encourage project stakeholders to use the
process, tools and results.

Image source: PMI

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Step 1 of the lessons learned process is to identify comments and recommendations that could be
valuable for future projects. The two activities for identifying lessons learned are: 1) prepare for lessons
learned session and conduct lessons learned session.
▪ What went right
▪ What went wrong
▪ What needs to be improved

Step 2 of the lessons learned process is to document and share findings. After lessons learned are
captured, they should be reported to project stakeholders. Different types of reports can be produced
based on the audience.

Step 3 of the lessons learned process is to analyze and organize the lessons learned for application of
results.

Step 4 of the lessons learned process is to store in a repository. At this level, organizations do not have a
dedicated lessons learned repository in place. Lessons learned documents are stored along with other
project documents, normally on a shared drive or in some form of project library.

Step 5 of the lessons learned process is to retrieve for use on current projects.

Lessons Learned Evaluation

At this level organizations have a defined process and basic tools for identifying and documenting
lessons learned. The process has become part of the organization’s culture and is consistently applied to
projects and process documents have been revised to allow for more efficiency. Although organizations
are consistently capturing lessons learned they are not fully utilizing them.

Lessons Learned Meeting

During the lessons learned meeting everyone shares their perspective on what they thought about the
project, what they would have changed, what they learned and what could have been done better.
Lessons learned key questions:
▪ What was done well?
▪ What didn’t go that well?
▪ What did you learn?

Why should have lessons learned meeting?

Lessons learned workshops are performed for three reasons: The first is to learn from mistakes and
to avoid these mistakes in future projects. The second is to gather best practices — that is smart ways of
doing something — and to pass on this knowledge to other project leaders. The third reason is for trust
building with your stakeholders and team members. Involving people in the process and giving them the
opportunity to share their perspective will make them more supportive towards project management as
well as future projects.

Rules for a lessons learned meeting

▪ Don’t constrain people on the questions. Let them tell you what they want to tell you.
▪ Everybody can share their views openly
▪ There is no good or bad feedback. Any feedback is appreciated
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 ▪ Avoid personal attacks or naming names.

Lessons Learned on Different Levels

The whole point of a lessons learned meeting (or workshop) is to learn and become better in the next
project. This should be beneficial to the project manager, the team but also as an organization. This
learning effect only materializes when action is taken in response to the lessons learned.

Lessons learned on project manager level:

▪ lack of PM support during client negotiations
▪ team praises project manager motivational skills
▪ functional expert complains about having been informed too late

Lessons learned on team level:

▪ lack of team spirit
▪ knowledge sharing
▪ lack of a specific expertise

Lessons learned on company level:

▪ Some of the lessons learned may even require action on company level:
▪ no organizational alignment
▪ poor corporate culture
▪ corporate travel policy

Lessons Learned Best Practices

A best practice is something that has found to work over time. Below is a list of standard lessons learned
best practices:
▪ Review lessons learned from previous projects at the beginning of your project
▪ Conduct lessons learned sessions at various times throughout the life of your project
▪ Have someone other than the project manager facilitate the lessons learned session
▪ Ask focused open-ended questions during the lessons learned session
▪ Allow time for real time lessons
▪ Use templates to allow for consistency
▪ Perform a root cause analysis on project problems and engage the appropriate resources to
implement solutions
▪ Store lessons in a repository that has keyword search capability
▪ Use lessons learned during risk planning
▪ Have leadership involvement

(Rowe and Sharon, 2008; 2006)

(Mind Tools, n.d)

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List of References

Mind Tools (n.d). Post-Implementation Reviews Making Sure That What You Delivered Actually Works.
[Online] Available from:
https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newPPM_74.htm#:~:targetText=A%20Post%2DImplementati
on%20Review%20(PIR,possible%20benefit%20from%20the%20project. (Accessed on 07/11/2019)

Murthi, S. (2002). The Importance of Post Project Reviews. [Online] Available at:
https://www.developer.com/mgmt/article.php/1561881/the-importance-of-post-project-reviews.htm
(Accessed on 27/01/2020)

Rowe, S. F. (2008). Applying lessons learned. Paper presented at PMI® Global Congress 2008—EMEA, St.
Julian's, Malta. Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute. [Online] Available from:
https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/applying-lessons-learned-implement-project-8344 (Accessed on
07/11/2019)

Rowe, S. F. & Sikes, S. (2006). Lessons learned: taking it to the next level. Paper presented at PMI® Global
Congress 2006—North America, Seattle, WA. Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute.
[Online] Available from: https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/lessons-learned-next-level-
communicating-7991 (Accessed on 07/11/2019)

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