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- Don’t Let Experience Go to Waste
Sometimes, it’s a budget overrun.
Other times, it’s a frustrated client or a safety near-miss.
But often, it’s a quiet mistake repeated again—because no one stopped to write it down.
That’s why the Lessons Learned Register is one of the most underused yet most valuable tools in project management.
It’s not just about recording what went wrong. It’s about building a culture of continuous improvement. So instead of saying, “We should’ve known better,” you’ll say, “We already did—here’s what we changed.”
Table of Contents
✅ What is a Lessons Learned Register?
A Lessons Learned Register is a document that captures knowledge gained throughout a project. Think of it as your team’s memory bank. It documents:
What went well
What didn’t go well
What to do differently next time
Done right, it becomes a feedback engine—feeding your next project with actual, relevant knowledge.
⏳ When Should You Use It?
Too many teams wait until the end of a project to reflect. By then, details are fuzzy, and energy is low.
The best teams do it throughout the project:
After the planning phase
After major milestones
During project reviews
At project closure
That way, insights are fresh and useful—not forgotten.
🔁 How to Make It Useful
Standardise your format
Keep it simple. Use fields like:
What happened, Impact, Recommendation, Category.
Make it easy to find
Don’t bury it in a random folder. Link it to your project templates or knowledge base.
Review before new projects start
Kickoff meetings are a perfect time to revisit lessons from similar projects. Don’t miss the chance.
Build a feedback culture
Capture lessons without blame. Focus on what can be improved—not who caused the problem.
💡 Real-World Tip:
If a subcontractor underperformed on a past job due to unclear expectations, note that. Next time, you’ll include better scopes and review meetings in the planning.
🛠️ Your Action Step:
Open your last project folder.
Ask: “What do I know now that I wish I knew at the start?”
That’s your first lesson learned. Write it down.
Then, keep going.
📥 Free Download – Lessons Learned Register Template
Don’t start from scratch. I’ve prepared a clean Excel template you can use immediately to record and apply lessons learned.
Use it at kickoff meetings, milestone reviews, and post-project debriefs to build a smarter, stronger project culture.
Because the best way to improve your delivery… is to stop relearning the same lessons.
See you next Saturday!