Capture Previous Lessons is a crucial activity within the Starting Up a Project process in PRINCE2 7. This activity involves gathering and reviewing lessons learned from previous projects to inform and improve the current project's approach.
The primary purpose of capturing previous lessons is to …Capture Previous Lessons is a crucial activity within the Starting Up a Project process in PRINCE2 7. This activity involves gathering and reviewing lessons learned from previous projects to inform and improve the current project's approach.
The primary purpose of capturing previous lessons is to leverage organizational knowledge and experience. By examining what worked well and what challenges arose in past projects, the project team can make more informed decisions and avoid repeating mistakes. This contributes to continuous improvement across the organization's project management practices.
During this activity, the Project Manager and other team members search for relevant lessons from various sources. These sources may include lessons logs from completed projects, corporate knowledge repositories, industry best practices, and insights from individuals who participated in similar initiatives. The lessons captured should be relevant to the type, scale, and context of the proposed project.
The information gathered covers multiple aspects of project work, including what went well that should be repeated, what problems occurred and how they were resolved, what could have been done better, and recommendations for future projects. This knowledge helps shape realistic expectations and supports better planning.
Once captured, these lessons influence several key project documents and decisions. They contribute to developing the Project Brief, help define the project management approach, and inform risk identification. The lessons also guide the creation of the Project Initiation Documentation during the subsequent Initiating a Project process.
It is important that lessons are documented in the Lessons Log, which becomes a living document throughout the project lifecycle. New lessons continue to be added as the project progresses, ensuring valuable knowledge is preserved for future projects.
By systematically capturing previous lessons at the start of a project, organizations can enhance their project delivery capabilities, reduce risks, and increase the likelihood of successful outcomes through applied learning and continuous improvement.
Capture Previous Lessons - PRINCE2 Foundation V7 Complete Guide
Introduction to Capture Previous Lessons
Capture Previous Lessons is a critical activity within the Starting Up a Project (SU) process in PRINCE2. This activity ensures that the project team learns from the experiences of previous projects before commencing work, thereby avoiding past mistakes and leveraging proven approaches.
Why is Capture Previous Lessons Important?
Understanding the importance of this activity is essential for exam success:
• Prevents repeating mistakes: By reviewing what went wrong in previous projects, teams can avoid similar pitfalls • Leverages success factors: Understanding what worked well allows teams to replicate effective practices • Improves planning accuracy: Historical data helps create more realistic schedules and budgets • Enhances risk management: Previous lessons often highlight risks that might otherwise be overlooked • Supports continuous improvement: Organizations become more mature in project delivery over time
What is Capture Previous Lessons?
This activity involves systematically gathering and reviewing lessons from:
• Previous similar projects within the organization • External sources such as industry bodies, user groups, and benchmarking exercises • Programme-level lessons if the project is part of a programme • Corporate knowledge repositories where lessons are stored • Key personnel who have relevant experience
The output of this activity feeds into the Lessons Log, which is created during the Starting Up a Project process and maintained throughout the project lifecycle.
How Does Capture Previous Lessons Work?
The process follows these key steps:
Step 1: Identify Relevant Sources The Project Manager, with support from the Executive, identifies where previous lessons might be found. This includes internal databases, experienced staff, and external benchmarks.
Step 2: Gather the Lessons Relevant lessons are collected through document reviews, interviews, workshops, or accessing corporate knowledge management systems.
Step 3: Analyze and Filter Not all lessons will be applicable. The Project Manager filters lessons based on relevance to the current project context.
Step 4: Document in the Lessons Log Applicable lessons are recorded in the Lessons Log with recommendations for how they should influence the current project.
Step 5: Apply to Project Planning The captured lessons inform the development of the Project Brief and subsequent planning activities.
Key Responsibilities
• Executive: Provides access to corporate lessons and supports the identification of relevant sources • Project Manager: Leads the capture activity and maintains the Lessons Log • Corporate/Programme Management: Provides lessons from the organizational perspective
Exam Tips: Answering Questions on Capture Previous Lessons
Tip 1: Remember the Timing Capture Previous Lessons occurs in the Starting Up a Project process, which happens before the project is formally authorized. Questions may test whether you know this takes place early in the project lifecycle.
Tip 2: Know the Output The primary output is the Lessons Log. Exam questions often ask which management product is created or updated by this activity.
Tip 3: Understand Multiple Sources Questions may list various sources of lessons. Remember that lessons can come from both internal (previous projects, experienced staff) and external sources (industry bodies, suppliers).
Tip 4: Link to the Learn from Experience Principle This activity is the practical application of the PRINCE2 principle Learn from Experience. Exam questions may ask you to connect principles to processes.
Tip 5: Distinguish from Lessons Identification Capture Previous Lessons happens at the start of a project. During the project, new lessons are identified and added to the Lessons Log. At the end of stages and the project, a Lessons Report may be produced.
Tip 6: Watch for Distractors Exam questions might suggest that capturing lessons happens after project initiation or during closing. Always remember it starts in the SU process.
Common Exam Question Formats
• Which process includes the activity to capture previous lessons? • What is the output of capturing previous lessons? • Who is responsible for maintaining the Lessons Log? • Which principle is supported by capturing previous lessons? • Where can previous lessons be sourced from?
Summary
Capture Previous Lessons is fundamental to starting projects on a solid foundation. For exam success, remember: it occurs in Starting Up a Project, creates the Lessons Log, is led by the Project Manager, and supports the Learn from Experience principle.