A lessons learned register is a document in which the project team records their valuable project experience. As a matter of fact, Project Management Body Of Knowledge (PMBOK) Sixth Edition has introduced a new process called “Manage Project Knowledge”. The Manage Project Knowledge process chiefly governs lessons learned in projects. The lessons-learned register is an important output of this process. Apart from other inputs, the lessons-learned register is also an input to this process.

Lessons Learned Register Process

Manage Project knowledge is one of the process of Project Integration Management Knowledge Area. In fact this new process is part of the Executing Process Group and not Closing Process Group. Moreover, this new process further defines project knowledge as both explicit and tacit.

Explicit Project Knowledge

According to PMBOK 6th edition, explicit knowledge is one that can be expressed using words or pictures. Explicit knowledge is shareable but lacks context and is open to interpretations. Even though explicit knowledge is shareable but it cannot be applied easily. Hence lessons-learned register is a tool that helps project teams to record explicit knowledge gained while executing a project.

Tacit Project Knowledge

On the other hand, tacit knowledge is personal and something that is difficult to express. Examples of tacit knowledge include personal experience, beliefs, etc. Tacit knowledge has context built into it but it cannot be represented as hard facts. It resides in minds of people and is normally shared during social interactions. Hence, PMBOK advocates networking as one of the tools in this process.

Therefore, manage project knowledge process achieves to integrate both explicit and tacit knowledge. Further, it provides a platform to document and share hard facts using various tools.

Hence, the knowledge management process drives two purposes. Firstly it enables organizations to apply existing knowledge. Secondly, it promotes an atmosphere of learning thereby enabling organizations to create a new knowledge base.

Project Management Lessons Learned Register

The lessons-learned register is an output of the Manage Project Knowledge Process. In fact, it is also one of the inputs to this process. Project team members should record lessons throughout project execution. Waiting to document the lessons towards the closing of the project results in a loss of information.

On completion of project activities, it is a good practice to archive lessons learned for use in future projects. This archive forms the Lessons Learned Repository for use in future similar projects. Such a learning repository should be easily accessible to each and everyone in the organization.

As a bare minimum requirement, the project team should document project lessons before closing the project or a project phase. While documenting project learnings it is essential that the document also supports the application of knowledge at a later date.

Lessons Learned Register Contents

The following list enumerates the contents of the lessons-learned register.

Project Information In Lessons Learned

1. Project Details
2. Team member details

Project Achievements In Lessons Learned

1. Major project achievements
2. Factors that contributed to project success
3. How well did the project meet its success criteria

Project Challenges In Lessons Learned

1. Major project challenges.
2. Steps implemented to overcome challenges.
3. Problems faced during various project phases

Project Opportunities

1. Opportunities that the project created
2. Accuracy of the business case and financial analysis.
3. Recommendations for future projects

Scope Management

1. Project scope variances.
2. Corrective and preventive actions taken by the project team to rectify scope variances.
3. Learnings specific to the project requirement collection process.

Schedule Management

1. Variances in the project schedule.
2. Corrective and preventive actions taken by the project team to rectify schedule variances.
3. Learnings covering accuracy and completeness of activity lists, duration estimates, and project schedule.

Cost Management

1. Cost Variances.
2. Corrective and preventive actions taken by the project team to rectify these variances.
3. Knowledge with respect to project cost estimates
4. Steps to improve the accuracy of cost estimates of future projects.

Quality Management

1. Variances in quality requirements.
2. Corrective and preventive actions that were taken by the project team to rectify these variances.
3. Knowledge gained in validating project deliverables.
4. Issues faced with remedial actions while ensuring project quality.

Resource Management

1. Learnings related to acquiring and managing project resources.

Communication Management

1. Learnings with regards to challenges faced during project communications and methods to solve it.

Risk Management

1. Risks that occurred on the project and Steps taken to mitigate project risks.
2. Challenged encountered while implementing risk response plan.
3. Effectiveness of risk response plan.
4. Experience related to risk, issue, and change management processes.
5. New risks that were not part of initial risk planning.

Procurement Management

1. Learnings concerning project contract management.
2. Experience related to project suppliers and vendors to assist in future procurement activities.

Stakeholder Management

1. Information related to stakeholder engagement.

Lessons Learned Register Analysis Of Input And Output

The following table enumerates project management processes in which the lessons-learned register is either an input or an output. This table is based on The Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) Sixth Edition.

Sr. No.	Project Management Knowledge Area	Project Management Process Group	Project Management Process	Lessons Learned Register as Input	Lessons Learned Register as Output
1	Project Integration Management	Executing	Direct and Manage Project Work	Yes	Yes
2	Project Integration Management	Executing	Manage Project Knowledge	Yes	Yes
3	Project Integration Management	Monitoring and Controlling	Monitor and Control Project Work	Yes	Yes
4	Project Integration Management	Closing	Close Project or Phase	Yes	Yes
5	Project Scope Management	Planning	Collect Requirements	Yes	No
6	Project Scope Management	Monitoring and Controlling	Validate Scope	Yes	Yes
7	Project Scope Management	Monitoring and Controlling	Control Scope	Yes	Yes
8	Project Schedule Management	Planning	Estimate Activity Durations	Yes	Yes
9	Project Schedule Management	Planning	Develop Schedule	Yes	Yes
10	Project Schedule Management	Monitoring and Controlling	Control Schedule	Yes	Yes
11	Project Cost Management	Planning	Estimate Costs	Yes	Yes
12	Project Cost Management	Monitoring and Controlling	Control Costs	Yes	Yes
13	Project Quality Management	Executing	Manage Quality	Yes	Yes
14	Project Quality Management	Monitoring and Controlling	Control Quality	Yes	Yes
15	Project Resource Management	Planning	Estimate Activity Resources	No	Yes
16	Project Resource Management	Executing	Acquire Resources	No	Yes
17	Project Resource Management	Executing	Develop Team	Yes	Yes
18	Project Resource Management	Executing	Manage Team	Yes	Yes
19	Project Resource Management	Monitoring and Controlling	Control Resources	Yes	Yes
20	Project Communications Management	Executing	Manage Communications	Yes	Yes
21	Project Communications Management	Monitoring and Controlling	Monitor Communications	Yes	Yes
22	Project Risk Management	Planning	Identify Risks	Yes	Yes
23	Project Risk Management	Planning	Plan Risk Responses	Yes	Yes
24	Project Risk Management	Executing	Implement Risk Responses	Yes	Yes
25	Project Risk Management	Monitoring and Controlling	Monitor Risks	Yes	Yes
26	Project Procurement Management	Planning	Plan Procurement Management	No	Yes
27	Project Procurement Management	Executing	Conduct Procurements	Yes	Yes
28	Project Procurement Management	Monitoring and Controlling	Control Procurements	Yes	Yes
29	Project Stakeholder Management	Planning	Manage Stakeholder Engagement	Yes	Yes
30	Project Stakeholder Management	Monitoring and Controlling	Monitor Stakeholder Engagement	Yes	Yes

30 out of 49 project management processes either have lessons-learned register as input or output. 26 out of 30 processes have lessons-learned register as both input and output

The lessons-learned register is not an input but is an output of the following 3 processes.

1. Estimate Activity Resources
2. Acquire Resources
3. Plan Procurement Management

The lessons-learned register is an input to but does not create an output from the following process.

1. Collect Requirements

As shown above, the table establishes the importance of lessons learned in project management.

Also read: Lessons Learned Benefits and Importance

Summary

To sum up, documenting lessons and applying them in future projects should be an integral part of the organization's business process. Further, organizations should ensure that the lessons-learned register is accessible to all. It should also support easy recording and retrieval of project knowledge. Moreover, the use of this register should also facilitate the application of contextual knowledge in future projects. Organizations should also ensure that while documenting lessons the context around the knowledge is also understood. Creating an atmosphere of trust and motivation enhances sharing of project lessons.