The document provides an overview of lessons capture workshops. It defines lessons identified as recommendations to improve performance based on experience, while lessons learned are changes in behavior from learning experience. Workshops combine perspectives to explore root causes and recommendations. They involve delivery, project, and management teams, and are best run off-site with facilitation. The process captures lessons, recommendations, and impacts. Facilitators ensure value and participation while handling issues. Follow-up includes transcription, write-up, and entering lessons into management systems to facilitate changes.

1. Lessons Capture
Workshops
An overview
Rupert Lescott
© Knoco Ltd – all rights reserved

2. Aims
 To
explore lessons capture methods
 To offer advice on planning a lessons
capture workshop
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3. Definitions
A
lesson identified – a recommendation
based on analysed experience, from
which others can learn in order to
improve performance on a specific task
or objective
 A lesson learned – a change in personal
or organisational behaviour as a result
of learning from experience

‘The Lessons Learned Handbook’, Nick Milton
(Chandos, 2010)
Source: Property of BP. Only to be used by or distributed to employees of BP and its affiliates.

4. Definitions
A
lesson identified – a recommendation
based on analysed experience, from
which others can learn in order to
improve performance on a specific task
or objective
 A lesson learned – a change in personal
or organisational behaviour as a result
of learning from experience

‘The Lessons Learned Handbook’, Nick Milton
(Chandos, 2010)
Source: Property of BP. Only to be used by or distributed to employees of BP and its affiliates.

5. Lessons capture methods
 1-1
interviews
 Lessons capture workshops
 Conferences
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6. 1-1 interviews
 Detailed
expert knowledge on key
topics (e.g. Army post-op interviews)
 Knowledge retention (e.g. Shell ROK
process)
 Face-to-face or via phone
 One perspective (pros and cons)

Interviewee (and interviewer)
 Attribution

vs. anonymity
Playing safe vs. honesty
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7. Conferences
 Scale

E.g. Army’s Mission Exploitation Symposia
 Broad


(>20)
enquiry possible
Context and background explained
Handovers between project teams
 Management-led

enquiry possible
Deep dives into priority areas
 Concurrency

Saves time but you must choose which
sessions to attend!
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8. Lessons capture
workshops
 What?
 Why?
 Who?
 When?
 Where?
 How?
Source: Property of BP. Only to be used by or distributed to employees of BP and its affiliates.

9. What are they?
 Facilitated
meetings, conducted to
explore potential areas for learning in
a structured way
Source: Property of BP. Only to be used by or distributed to employees of BP and its affiliates.

10. What are they?
 Facilitated
meetings, conducted to
explore potential areas for learning in
a structured way
Source: Property of BP. Only to be used by or distributed to employees of BP and its affiliates.

11. Why run them?
 To
combine multiple perspectives
 To explore root causes and other
contributory factors
 To make recommendations for the
future
 To record the impact of issues
Source: Property of BP. Only to be used by or distributed to employees of BP and its affiliates.

12. Who should participate?
 Delivery
teams
 Project teams
 Programme teams
 Functional teams
 Management teams
 Suppliers, vendors, partners
Source: Property of BP. Only to be used by or distributed to employees of BP and its affiliates.

13. When should we run
them?
 Key
events (bid reviews, store
openings etc.)
 Project stage gates
 Project closure
 Ad hoc (conditions-based e.g.
following serious incident or
accident etc.)
Source: Property of BP. Only to be used by or distributed to employees of BP and its affiliates.

14. Where should we run
them?
 Off-site
Conference centre
 Hotel

 NOT
at the office if at all possible
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15. How should we run them?
 Before
the day

Set scope
Identify participants
Set date, book venue, invite participants
Pre-work (optional)

Facilitation support



Source: Property of BP. Only to be used by or distributed to employees of BP and its affiliates.

16. How should we run them?
 Before






the day – admin requirements
Room layout
Recording devices
Whiteboard or flip chart
Stationery
Tent cards
Refreshments
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17. How should we run them?
 On







the day
Tea/coffee
Welcome from sponsor
Agenda
Agree ground rules
Scope presentation
Identify and prioritise topics
Start talking
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18. Some ground rules…









We seek active participants, not passive observers
Let’s hear what went well, as well as what didn't go as
planned, in management as well as technology
We will prioritise issues that future projects will face, rather
than one-off issues
Everyone’s knowledge is welcome, regardless of rank or
role
Disagreement is healthy and will be explored – the truth
usually lies in a mix of perspectives
Let’s identify learning for others, not assign praise or blame
Maintain a sense of humour and an enquiring mind
Allow the session to be facilitated (HoC Speaker etc…)
Mobiles, laptops…
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19. Fields to be captured







Title
Context/expectation – what should happen?
Event description – what did happen?
Root cause?
Lesson –What did/can we learn?
Recommendations for future?
Impact – positive or negative? (money,
time, resources, efficiency, morale, safety)
Point of contact
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20. A facilitator ensures…
Value of lessons
 Quality of lessons
 Root cause identified
 Participation
 No crucial knowledge
is missed

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21. Potential issues
 Verbosity
 The
elephant in the room
 Leadership
 Tact, robustness, judgement
 Analytical, ‘structural’ thinking
 Polarised viewpoints
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22. Things to listen out for
 “Let’s
move on...”
 “I’m not sure this is helpful...”
 “Let’s look to the future…”
 “We’ve got this
covered…”
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23. How should we run them?
 After






the day
Transcription turnaround
Write-up of lessons
Review by nominated POC
Confirm lessons with sponsor
Enter new lesson into management
system
Start to make the changes…
Source: Property of BP. Only to be used by or distributed to employees of BP and its affiliates.

24. Questions
rupert.lescott@knoco.com
Tel. 07841 183130
Source: Property of BP. Only to be used by or distributed to employees of BP and its affiliates.