Project Management Lessons Learned
A Continuous Process Improvement Framework

Lessons Learned is an important phase in project management. This is when organizations can pave the way for future project success by documenting mistakes so they are not repeated and recording best practices so they are repeated. This book covers the important role a project management office (PMO) plays in promoting lessons learned. Project managers learn how to improve processes by applying lessons learned. The book emphasizes "actionability," or producing a process improvement that can be acted upon by anyone in the PMO or project team.

1. Introduction to Processes and Projects as Key Facilitators of Modern Life
2. Understanding and Empowering the Program Management Office (PMO) and Its Influence on Project Lessons Learned
3. What Do I Do If My PMO Can’t Execute?
4. Avoiding Disruption of the PMO by Accidental Adversaries
5. Identifying and Applying Lessons Learned
6. What Is "Leverage" and How Can Project Managers Use It to Their Advantage?
7. The Importance of Reflection and Changing Attitudes in Lessons Learned
8. The Best Time to Document Project Lessons Learned
9. The Actual Cost to Your PMO for Not Capturing and Sharing Project Lessons Learned
10. Applying Project Lessons Learned as a Best Practice for Your Organization
11. Understanding and Using the New Project Framework
12. Recognizing and Using Different Perspectives
13. Dilemmas and Choices Faced by Project Managers
14. Identifying Valuable Candidates for Project Lessons Learned
15. Using the Project Framework to the Benefit of Enterprise Risk Management
16. The Tremendous Impact of Role Models on Project Management Leadership
17. Facilitating a Closer Connection: Lessons Learned, Risk Management, and Knowledge Management
18. Using the Project Framework to Facilitate Technology Development in Projects
19. Using Facilitation and Reframing toward Project Process Improvement
20. Avoiding Traps Where Structure Influences Behavior
21. Lessons Learned from the Application of Organizational Dynamics to the Business Continuation and Emergency Response Environment
22. The Sustainability Imperative
23. Conclusions
24. Summary
Appendix 1. Project Lessons Learned Template
Appendix 2. A Layman’s Guide to Reinforcing and Balancing Loop Behavior and the Resulting Systems Archetypes
Appendix. 3 Systems Thinking and Organizational Dynamics Example—Teen Drivers
Appendix 4. Project Lessons Learned from the Panama Canal Experiences
Appendix 5. Capability Maturity Model Background and Levels of Maturity
Appendix 6. Research as a Major Process
Appendix 7. Scenarios Where Lessons Learned Can Positively Impact Performance and Outcomes
Epilogue
Glossary
References

Mel Bost is a project management consultant specializing in project lessons learned and best practices. He is currently teaching "project management for research" to digital humanities research students at Arizona State University.

Previously he was a PMO Practice Leader with BOT International. He has conducted lessons learned training in Dubai and in Panama for the Canal Expansion Project.

For over 35 years, Mr. Bost managed major projects for companies Ford Motor Company, Atlantic Richfield (ARCO), UNOCAL, and ConocoPhillips.

Mr. Bost completed his BS Physics/MS Engineering degrees at Georgia Tech and his MS Engineering Science and MBA degrees at The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.