As a regular
reader of this blog, you probably know that APQC has been looking at the issue
of lessons learned more closely over the past few months. Back in November,
APQC Senior Project Manager Darcy Lemons wrote a post questioning why lessons "captured" are seldom "learned" in a way that allows businesses
to reduce risks, lessen costs, minimize reinvention, and improve key processes.
Clearly, something about these programs just isn't working.
This month, APQC is launching a short-cycle, all-virtual consortium study to get to the bottom of this issue. Despite the challenges inherent in establishing an effective lessons learned process, there are organizations that have overcome the obstacles and developed programs that demonstrate significant impact. The study, Cutting the Cost of Not Knowing: Lessons Learned Systems People Really Use, will apply best practices from these organizations to answer questions such as:
- Why is it so difficult to apply some lessons?
- Why do lessons not transfer more readily across
internal teams, departments, and business units?
- How can an organization promote the use of lessons
across silos and geographical boundaries?
- Do the enablers of and barriers to capturing and
applying lessons vary across international borders and among cultures?
- How can a lessons learned process be integrated into ongoing
improvement initiatives?
- Is there a compelling way to capture the value of
lessons learned and reused?
If your
organization wants to get more out of its lessons learned program, we encourage
you to learn more about this study by visiting www.apqc.org/studies/kmlessonslearned.
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