My Top 10 Lessons on Lessons Learned Systems

Copyright © 2009, IGI Global. Copying or distributing in print or electronic forms without written permission of IGI Global is prohibited. In view of recent interest in lessons learned information systems, I thought it may be helpful to discuss some lessons learned about lessons learned systems. Part of my knowledge stems from being actively involved in the testing, operations & maintenance, and future development of the agency-wide NASA LLIS (Lessons Learned Information System—now called NASA Engineering Network; http://ildp1.nasa. gov/offices/oce/llis/home/), when I was the Knowledge Management Officer at NASA Goddard. The first key lesson is that capturing, sharing, and accessing lessons learned in a lesson learned information system (LLIS) must be embedded within the normal activities of the employee. That is, capturing lessons and showing value from the lessons learned should be part of a lessons learned process which employees or project teams are required to do. For example, the NASA Program and Project Management “bible” (NPG7120.5D) requires that project teams capture and share lessons learned during each part of their project development life cycle. In addition, when their periodic project team reviews occur, the project team must be willing to explain, if asked by the Review Chairs, how they achieved value by accessing the LLIS. Some organizations, like RWD Technologies, require a lessons learned discussion or document before final project sign-off is done. Thus, if a lessons learned process isn’t embedded within the daily work activities of the employees, then accessing the LLIS may be a rarity since it is something else to do on top of an already full plate. The second key lesson, relating to the first, involves incorporating a recognition and reward system that encourages people to capture, share, and access lessons learned. American Management Systems (AMS) published the “Best Knews” newsletter on a monthly basis and people would be recognized by whose lesson in the LLIS My top 10 Lessons on Lessons Learned systems