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

Abstract

This study focuses on how practitioners view learning activities in projects and how these activities are influenced by the approach or emphasis espoused in different reference texts. The perceived importance of learning lessons in projects was surveyed in the literature, establishing the difficulties encountered, various methods for process improvement and the realities of current practice. The practices of individuals working within two major project management frameworks used in developed English-speaking economies were compared. A survey was constructed to address the question. Data from a pilot survey support the theory that the PMBoK and PRINCE2 are not perceived as synonymous and that differences will be more evident with a larger dataset. Inferences are drawn linking the pilot survey to the outcomes of previous studies and making recommendations for further research.