Explorer

• What is Project and Programme Management?
• What is Programme Management ?
• What is Project Management ?
• Project Start-Up Project Foundation
• Through Life Management
• Through Life Finance
  • What is Through Life Finance ?
  • Summary of Mandates
  • Roles and Responsibilities
  • Training and Competences
  • Common Terms
  • Points of Contact
• Earned Value Management
  • Introduction to EVM
  • EVM Process
    • Readiness Review
    • Systems Review
    • Integrated Baseline Review
    • Demonstration Review
    • Surveillance Review
  • Analysis and Forecasts
    • Cost Variance
    • Schedule Variance
    • Estimate At Complete
    • Estimate To Complete
    • To Complete Performance Index
    • Payment By Earned Value
  • Further Information
  • Training
  • Common Terms
  • Points of Contact
• Planning and Scheduling
  • Principles of Planning and Scheduling
  • What is Planning and Scheduling ?
  • When Should Planning and Scheduling be Carried Out ?
  • Who is Involved in Planning and Scheduling ?
  • How are Plans and Schedules Developed ?
  • The Planning and Scheduling Process
    • Stage 1 – Define Scope and Responsibilities
    • Stage 2 – Schedule Resources
    • Stage 3 – Estimate Costs
    • Stage 4 – Manage Risk
  • Training and Competences
  • Common Terms
  • Points of Contact
• Risk Management
• Managing Quality
• Configuration Management
  • What is Configuration Management ?
  • Who has Responsibilities for CM ?
  • CM Policy and Principles
  • CM System Process Diagram
  • CM in Acquisition
    • Control of CM
  • What to do Checklist
  • Further Information
  • Training and Competences
  • Common Terms
  • Points of Contact
• Standardization
  • Introduction to Standardization
  • Standardization Management Objectives
  • Standardization Management Policy
  • Standardization Management Principles
  • Standardization Management Process
  • Training and Competences
  • Common Terms
  • Points of Contact
• Infrastructure for Equipment Projects
  • Introduction
  • Infrastructure Acquisition
  • Roles and Responsibilities
  • Advice and Support for Equipment Projects
  • Points of Contact
• Learning From Experience
  • Introduction to Learning From Experience
  • Learning From Experience Process
  • Learning From Experience Triggers
  • Learning From Experience Workshops
    • What is a Learning From Experience Workshop ?
    • How to run a Learning From Experience Workshop
  • Benefits of Learning From Experience
  • Further information

Content

Introduction to Learning From Experience (LFE)

What is Learning From Experience?

Learning from Experience (LFE) is a through life process which allows organisational learning by:

• Replicating Successes
• Avoiding mistakes
• Publicising and promoting good practice
• Keeping policy, processes and guidance up to date and reflecting good practice.

LFE is closely linked to Post Project Evaluation. It helps organisational learning whilst project evaluation assesses how the outcome of a project meets the initial investment appraisal.

LFE is recognised as a key business process and Project Planning should take account of LFE at al stagwes of the lyfecycle. Appling LFE will aid in anticipating risks, issues aan increase the probability of future success.

Guidance on project evaluations, managed by the Defence Analytical Services Agency, can be found in JSP 507

Learning From Experience within the MOD

A report written by Graham Jordon, Ian Lee and Graham Cawsey in 1988 on the arrangements for managing major projects in the then Procurement Executive, recommended the better use of LFE.

Since that time the practice of LFE has developed in line with industry practice to meet changing organisational needs.

The end result being a clearly defined Learning from Experience process [40KB PPT], which is applicable across MOD and Industry, to capture and disseminate Lessons learned.

In October 2009, an independent report conducted by Bernard Gray was sponsored by the Secretary of State for Defence. The ‘Review of Acquisition’ report [5.5MB PDF] sought to identify shortcomings and make recommendations for change across MOD. Within that report the need to learn from experience was highlighted as an important stage in procurement.

Why is Learning From Experience Important?

The application of LFE will aid in anticipating issues, risk and will increase the probability of future success. LFE is recognised as a key business process, ensuring that the project planning process takes account of LFE throughout the project lifecycle.

It is a key element of Knowledge Management concentrating on the aspects of Knowledge Sharing.

The Defence Industrial Strategy (DIS) identifies it as one of the key drivers of the business – “Central to this strategy is the [Organisations’] ability to transform the knowledge necessary for optimised decision making.”

DIS also states that the Knowledge within the Organisation should - “be managed, shared and re-used across applications, enterprise and community boundaries much more easily.”

Who owns Learning From Experience?

The 2nd Permanent Under Secretary of State for Defence is accountable for the Learning from Experience process [40KB PPT].

The management of the LFE process across the MOD Organisation falls to the Corporate LFE Team, who are responsible for the sustainment of the process, making sure that it is kept up-to-date and represents good practice.

Who is responsible for applying Learning From Experience ?

All MOD staff and their Industry partners are responsible for capturing, sharing and learning from lessons.

A list of key individuals should include the following:

• Operating Centres
• Team Leaders
• Team LFE Focal Points.

Operating Centres:

Operating Centres are responsible for:

• Spreading an effective LFE process.
• Maintaining their LFE databases.
• Analysing captured lessons.
• Providing evidence to support process changes.
• Working with Industry to:
  • share lessons
  • foster communication; and
  • develop effective and efficient partnering.
• Promoting the use of LFE.

Team Leaders

Team Leaders are responsible for:

• Promoting and driving LFE behaviour within their teams.
• Ensuring significant decisions, milestones and lessons identified within their team are accurately recorded and shared with others.

Team LFE Focal Points

LFE focal points are:

• Responsible for creating and maintaining LFE Plans, Learning from Experience Logs [29KB DOC] and Project histories [69KB DOC].
• Encouraged to liaise with other Operating Centres to share lessons.

Subject Matter Experts - including Policy and Process Owners

Subject Matter Experts and Acquisition Policy and Process Owners are responsible for ensuring their policy and process represent best practice.

Industry

Industry should be included in LFE events, to develop and maintain effective and efficient partnering behaviours.

Change History

Change History

1 September 2010

Content updated with minor amendments.

1 March 2010

Content reviewed and updated.

1 November 2009

Minor amendments made for Plain English review.