How do you determine if your project was a success (beyond being within budget and completed on time)? How do you determine the impact of a project? How do you capture valuable knowledge from a current or past project to enhance future programs? The answer to all three questions is through project lessons learned. Although lessons learned provide invaluable information for determining the success or failure of projects, a systematic method for conducting lessons learned is critical to the ongoing success of your projects, programs, and portfolios. The Basics of Project Evaluation and Lessons Learned details an easy-to-follow approach for conducting lessons learned on any project, in any organization. Whether your job entails running small projects from a home-based business or managing large projects as a part of an international supply chain, this book will be of great benefit. It outlines a well-indexed strategy to capture, categorize, and control lessons based on best practices. Reinforcing the project standards as outlined in the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK(R)) published by the Project Management Institute (PMI(R)), the book incorporates the five Project Management Process Groups (Initiating, Planning, Executing, Monitoring/Controlling and Closing). It also integrates the nine Project Management Knowledge Areas--Communications, Cost, Human Resources, Integration, Procurement, Quality, Risk, Scope and Time. Synthesizing essential concepts of project evaluation and lessons learned into an easy-to-follow process, the book: * Outlines a practical 10-step process for conducting effective lessons learned * Includes a wealth of project job aids, including templates, checklists, forms, and a Project Evaluation Resource Kit (PERK) on the accompanying CD * Is supported by a comprehensive website at http://www.lessonslearned.info Based on more than a decade of research supported by renowned experts in the field of evaluation, this practical guide delivers the necessary resources for active engagement. It introduces innovative concepts, improved models, and highlights important considerations to help you gain a multi-dimensional perspective of project evaluation in the context of lessons learned.

Table of Contents:
Project Management Overview What is a Project? Why Project Management Who is a Project Manager? Where are the Boundaries of Project Management? How do Programs and Portfolios Differ? Who is a Lessons Learned Project Team Member? Which Project Organization? What PMO? Foundations of Evaluation Evaluation Approaches and Models Classifications of Evaluations What is Component Evaluation? How does Summative and Formative Evaluation Differ? How does Descriptive Knowledge and Evaluative Knowledge Differ? What is Tacit and Explicit Knowledge? What is DIKUD CONTINUUM? Origins of Lessons Learned in Project Management What are Lessons Learned? How are Lessons Learned Used? How should Lessons Learned be Conducted? Is Intra-project Learning Feasible? Is Conducting Lessons Learned Worth the Investment? Challenges with Lessons Learned Ten concerns Organizations Experience with Lessons Learned Identifying Lessons Learned Collecting Lessons Learned Facilitating Lessons Learned Analyzing Lessons Learned Documenting Lessons Learned Maintaining Lessons Learned Distributing Lessons Learned Presenting Lessons Learned Applying Lessons Learned Managing Lessons Learned Lessons Learned Tools and Techniques Tools Techniques Best Practices and Benchmarking What are Really Best Practices? How do Good, Better and Best Practices Apply to Lessons Learned? What is Benchmarking? What Scales Can be used for Benchmarking? Lessons Learned Case Studies NASA CALVIN Kentucky Transportation System Bellcore Hurricane Katrina Real Life Lessons Learned Scenarios Supply Chain Management Human Resource Management Learning Management Information Technology Advancing Lessons Learned through Evaluation Re-evaluation Meta-evaluation Meta-analysis Performance Needs Assessment SWOT Analysis ADDIE DMAIC Implementing a Lessons Learned System How do You Determine System Requirements How can You Configure a Repository How do You Establish a LL Community of Practice Appendix A: Glossary Appendix B: References