Learning from what happened.
WHY IT MATTERS
Organisations repeat the same failures until someone examines them.
WHEN TO DO IT
Shortly after completion, while memory is accurate.
WHO TO INVOLVE
The team, and the main stakeholders.
WHAT TO EXAMINE
What was delivered against what was agreed Time against estimate Cost against budget What went well What did not What you would change
WHAT TO ASK
What surprised us What would have helped, earlier What do we now know that we did not
WHAT TO AVOID
Blame.
WHY
It ends honest discussion immediately.
WHAT TO FOCUS ON
Process and decisions, not individuals.
WHAT TO RECORD
Findings, and specific changes to make.
WHY SPECIFIC
General lessons change nothing.
WHAT SPECIFIC LOOKS LIKE
Allowing more time for approvals, based on what they actually took.
WHAT TO DO WITH THE RECORD
Make it available to whoever runs the next project.
WHY
Otherwise the same lessons are learned repeatedly.
WHAT TO TRACK ACROSS PROJECTS
Estimate accuracy Common causes of delay Recurring risks
WHAT THAT PRODUCES
Estimates and risk lists that improve.
WHAT TO ALSO RECOGNISE
What the team did well.
