Before You Begin, Learn

  Knowledge Management   Lessons Learned   Stakeholder Management   ProjectsAtWork  

Every project is unique. While that is true, it is highly likely (indeed, probable) that someone has completed a project similar to the one that you and your team have already started or will soon undertake.

To make the best use of past lessons, “think smart.” There is now a huge amount of historic material, both technical or generic, available to everyone, both in the public domain and proprietary. Not everything is recorded and codified. How do you find the “golden nuggets” of lessons that will help you the most?

A lesson learned can be defined as “knowledge gained from experience, successful or otherwise, for the purpose of improving future performance.” It may be in the form of knowledge that is incorporated into a work process, policy, or guideline, a tip to enhance future performance, a solution to a problem or a corrective action, or an example of an adverse situation to avoid.

While many of us enjoy the challenge of solving challenges, it is important to ask yourself:

• What are the most important things I need to know?
• Where can I find the answers to my questions?
• What sources can I re-use, and where are they located?
• With whom can I discuss it?

How you conduct your “learning before” activities and the amount of time and expense you invest depends on the task you have. As a minimum, we believe it …

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