Learning-Based Project Reviews: Observations and Lessons Learned from the Kennedy Space Center

Why don’t (or do) organizations learn from projects?

“…a project manager) by a sponsoring organization to that task (Arthur et al 2001). Research has recognised the importance of projects as sites for learning, both within projects (intra-project learning) and from projects to the wider organization (inter-project learning) (Kotnour and Vergopia 2005). Reflecting this, there is now a growing literature aimed at understanding 'project-based learning' -defined as 'the theory and practice of utilizing real-world assignments on time-limited projects to achieve mandated performance objectives and to facilitate individual and collective learning' (Arthur et al 2001, p. 5).…”

“…This approach highlights changes in individual cognition, including perceptions, attitudes and behaviour, as the characteristic form of learning within organizations . In this approach, project-based learning occurs through a range of cognitively-oriented processes which include; the eliciting of existing knowledge though team member expertise and their social networks (Ancona and Caldwell 1992), transforming such knowledge through a range of activities including the integration of disparate forms of expertise (Okhuysen and Eisenhardt 2002), reflection on and articulation of experience (Ayas and Zeniuk 2001), and, finally, the diffusion of the knowledge created, 'embrained' in the heads of project team members (Huber 1999) as they move on to new roles or projects within the organization, or to be made available as 'lessons learned' or 'after-project reviews' stored on company intranets or databases (Kotnour and Vergopia 2005).…”

Project management frameworks and practitioner preferences for capturing lessons learned on projects

“…Williams (2003: 443) notes that "we have yet to discern how to systematically extract and disseminate management lessons as we move from project to project". Individual perspectives can also hinder learning in projects, such as when learning is seen as being separate from official project activity (Kotnour & Vergopia 2005), or has not proved helpful in the past (Williams 2003).…”

“…Cooke-Davies (2002: 189) for instance identifies "an effective means of learning from experience" as one of 12 "real" success factors in projects. The shift to the knowledge-based society (Kotnour & Vergopia 2005) means that competitive advantage now resides in the skills of an organisation's human resources (Eskerod & Skriver 2007) and having experienced project managers is one of the keys to project success (Petter & Vaishnavi 2007).…”

“…It has also been noted that while many project management practitioners agree that capturing lessons learned from projects is important, not all of them actually do so (Keegan & Turner 2001;Kotnour & Vergopia 2005).…”