Lessons Learned Purpose and Objectives

Phase End - Lessons Learned

1.6.2

Version 1.0FINAL May29, 2008

Lessons learned purpose and objectives

Throughout each project life cycle, lessons are learned and opportunities for improvement are discovered. As part of a continuous improvement process, documenting the lessons learned in each Phase helps the project team discover the root causes of problems that occurred and avoid those problems in later Phases as well as in future projects. It also identifies those activities that went well and what contributed to that success and encourages its continue use/application. Data for this report was gathered throughout the Phase and reviewed and summarized in the attached table as a result of the Phase End – Close Session.

The objective of this report is gathering all relevant information for better planning of later project Phases. Availability of this information in the TxPROS Project Repository will help serve future projects by improving implementation, and preventing or minimizing risks for future projects.

Lessons learned questions

The following questions serve as an example of the questions to be asked, answered and recorded in this document.

• What worked well—or didn’t work well—either for this project or for the project team?
• What needs to be done over or differently?
• What surprises did the team have to deal with?
• What project circumstances were not anticipated?
• Were the project goals of the Phase attained? If not, what changes need to be made to meet goals in the future?

Phase 1 - Design and Planning

Activity 1.1 Solidifying Project Approach

Activity 1.2 Phase 1 Kickoff

• Turning the Phase 1 kickoff meeting into a Project kickoff meeting went well. We were able to get a lot of visibility for the project and get participation by top TxDOT executives.

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Activity 1.3 Prepare For and Conduct Joint Application Design (JAD) Sessions

• Gathering the various departments together provided a way for everyone to understand the entire project.

• TxDOT GIS data is not as complete as was assumed.

• Better review of the notes immediately after the meetings could have reduced misunderstandings afterwards.

• The PMT should make time to review the notes of each meeting as soon as the meetings finish.

• Teleconferencing can work for smaller groups and for subjects not requiring substantial demonstrations.

• TxDOT GIS data is not updated as frequently as was assumed.

• Having name badges or tents for everyone helped with identifying participants.

• Well planned out agenda’s are important for JAD sessions.

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Activity 1.4 Project Planning

• Having TSD produce the database diagrams worked out very well.

• Detail design documents submitted were not as anticipated.

• Better intermediate communications between TxDOT and vendor on document expectations.

• It would be advantageous not to wait until final submission of design documents before TxDOT’s preliminary review of these documents.

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Activity 1.5 WBS and Project Scheduling

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Activity 1.6 Phase 1 Close

• Taking time to collectively review the outstanding risk items helped focus the project team on the importance of evaluating risks.

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• Add Risk Review and Lessons Learned to the weekly PMT calls.

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Document History