Lessons learned from the project

 

Projects vary in purpose, cost, scope, and timeline.

However, they all share common features, and lessons learned from one project can easily be incorporated into another if circumstances allow.

Some of the experience gained in this way is revealed below. This is by no means an extensive list of all the lessons learned from the project, but some of the most significant ones are outlined below:


 

20 useful lessons of the project

The success of the project largely depends on the skills and strengths of the people involved. Thus, the project should have a dedicated, talented set of people working towards a common goal.

Together with leadership skills, the project manager should be aware of the strengths and weaknesses of his staff in order to use the talents and underestimate the shortcomings in favor of the project.

The team of champions and the team of champions are really different. The first will lead to a successful project, and the second will lead to a conflict of egos, each of which pursues an individual goal.

It's worth knowing who makes the decisions. Such people may not always be easily visible, but they will cause shots to be fired, so developing a strong line of communication with such people will ultimately be beneficial.

If you have the knowledge and experience to make a decision, then you should go ahead and so, without expecting top executives to spoon you at every turn.

Procrastination doesn't work. After mastering the relevant information, decisions should be made. Wrong decisions can be saved if detected early; but the right decisions cannot be postponed. So, Carpe Diem, (capture the day), as advocated by the popular maxim.

When something doesn't go the way they always will; excuses won't work. Instead, find an alternative course of action or corrective suggestions. The distribution of blame only causes disagreement and hostility, the search for solutions will unite the team.

Be proactive in your approach. Reactivity just isn't good enough.

Be open to change. Sometimes you may find that what you knew together may be wrong at the given time, in these particular circumstances.

Know what resources are available. Not only those that are in your competence, but also those that are at the discretion of other teams. Sometimes others may be happy to help. After all, the concept of a benevolence bank, colloquially called "you'll scratch my back and I'll scratch mine," is evident in the business world as well.

Paperwork and documentation are required for reporting. But when making decisions, too much reliance on data that could change in a remarkably short time pays few dividends, especially in unpredictable environments.

Know your customer and know the project goals at your fingertips. If any significant changes need to be made, do so, but remember that you need to consult with the client first.

Respect your leader and his/her decisions. Sometimes you may disagree. That's nice. Express your objections, especially if they are justified. But once the action is taken, even if it contradicts your idea of what should have been done, support it and try to succeed.

Take into account all known facts. Try to understand this, but don't try to blindly fit the scripts into a predetermined form. Such scenarios may have been correct before, and in all likelihood will be correct again, but perhaps just not in this case.

Don't be afraid to take calculated risks. After all, as the saying goes, a ship in a harbor is safe, but that's not what the ships were built for.

When things are going badly, know who you can turn to for help.

Always disclose information to those who need it. This is not the time or place to gain an advantage over another way of storing important data near your chest. People who know what is expected of them and who have the means to do so will play a key role in ensuring the success of the project.

Use modern technology and time-tested management skills to your advantage.

Good communication is something that will not allow mistakes to become losers. Mistakes happen and recovery is always possible. But failure is a dead end.

Don't blindly rush into decisions. It is necessary to carefully consider the circumstances before taking part in decision-making. This will save time in the long run by minimizing the need for rework.

The success of the project largely depends on the skills and strengths of the people involved. Thus, the project should have a dedicated, talented set of people working towards a common goal.

Together with leadership skills, the project manager should be aware of the strengths and weaknesses of his staff in order to use the talents and underestimate the shortcomings in favor of the project.

The team of champions and the team of champions are really different. The first will lead to a successful project, and the second will lead to a conflict of egos, each of which pursues an individual goal.

It's worth knowing who makes the decisions. Such people may not always be easily visible, but they will cause shots to be fired, so developing a strong line of communication with such people will ultimately be beneficial.

If you have the knowledge and experience to make a decision, then you should go ahead and so, without expecting top executives to spoon you at every turn.

Procrastination doesn't work. After mastering the relevant information, decisions should be made. Wrong decisions can be saved if detected early; but the right decisions cannot be postponed. So, Carpe Diem, (capture the day), as advocated by the popular maxim.

When something doesn't go the way they always will; excuses won't work. Instead, find an alternative course of action or corrective suggestions. The distribution of blame only causes disagreement and hostility, the search for solutions will unite the team.

Be proactive in your approach. Reactivity just isn't good enough.

Be open to change. Sometimes you may find that what you knew together may be wrong at the given time, in these particular circumstances.

Know what resources are available. Not only those that are in your competence, but also those that are at the discretion of other teams. Sometimes others may be happy to help. After all, the concept of a benevolence bank, colloquially called "you'll scratch my back and I'll scratch mine," is evident in the business world as well.

Paperwork and documentation are required for reporting. But when making decisions, too much reliance on data that could change in a remarkably short time pays few dividends, especially in unpredictable environments.

Know your customer and know the project goals at your fingertips. If any significant changes need to be made, do so, but remember that you need to consult with the client first.

Respect your leader and his/her decisions. Sometimes you may disagree. That's nice. Express your objections, especially if they are justified. But once the action is taken, even if it contradicts your idea of what should have been done, support it and try to succeed.

Take into account all known facts. Try to understand this, but don't try to blindly fit the scripts into a predetermined form. Such scenarios may have been correct before, and in all likelihood will be correct again, but perhaps just not in this case.

Don't be afraid to take calculated risks. After all, as the saying goes, a ship in a harbor is safe, but that's not what the ships were built for.

When things are going badly, know who you can turn to for help.

Always disclose information to those who need it. This is not the time or place to gain an advantage over another way of storing important data near your chest. People who know what is expected of them and who have the means to do so will play a key role in ensuring the success of the project.

Use modern technology and time-tested management skills to your advantage.

Good communication is something that will not allow mistakes to become losers. Mistakes happen and recovery is always possible. But failure is a dead end.

Don't blindly rush into decisions. It is necessary to carefully consider the circumstances before taking part in decision-making. This will save time in the long run by minimizing the need for rework.

Conclusion

Repetitive mistakes are best avoided. The lessons learned from the project should be documented so that future team leaders can use the learning experiences of others to avoid the same mistakes themselves.