In the context of the PRINCE2 7 Progress practice, the Lessons Log and Lessons Report are distinct management products designed to facilitate the 'Learn from Experience' principle.
The Lessons Log is a project repository created during the 'Starting a Project' process. It acts as a dynamic journal…In the context of the PRINCE2 7 Progress practice, the Lessons Log and Lessons Report are distinct management products designed to facilitate the 'Learn from Experience' principle.
The Lessons Log is a project repository created during the 'Starting a Project' process. It acts as a dynamic journal used by the Project Manager to capture lessons (both positive and negative), risks, and issues informally as they occur throughout the project lifecycle. It serves as the local database for the project team to record observations that may influence future stages.
The Lessons Report is a formal document derived from the Lessons Log. It is produced at specific milestones, typically during 'Managing a Stage Boundary' (to inform the Project Board of stage-specific insights) and 'Closing a Project' (to transfer knowledge to the corporate or programme management). While the Log is for recording and internal tracking, the Report is the vehicle for communicating these lessons to the wider organization. Its specific purpose is to provoke action, such as updating corporate standards or informing future projects, ensuring that lessons are not just identified but actively applied to improve organizational maturity.
Guide to Lessons Report and Log in PRINCE2 Practitioner v7
Introduction to Learning from Experience In PRINCE2 v7, the principle of 'Learn from experience' is fundamental to the method. The Lessons Log and Lessons Report are the specific management products used to operationalize this principle within the Progress Practice. They ensure that the project team learns from previous projects, and that the current project passes knowledge on to the future.
Definitions: Log vs. Report It is crucial to distinguish between the two artifacts: 1. Lessons Log: This is a dynamic repository (a register or database). It is created during the Starting Up a Project process. It is used to capture experiences, ideas, and insights informally and immediately as they occur throughout the project lifecycle. 2. Lessons Report: This is a formal document. It is derived from the Lessons Log. It summarizes valuable lessons that could benefit other projects or the corporate organization. It is typically produced during the Managing a Stage Boundary process (for the next stage) or the Closing a Project process (for future projects).
Why are they important? Without these artifacts, organizations are doomed to repeat mistakes (re-inventing the wheel) and fail to capitalize on successes. They provide the mechanism for continuous improvement by converting raw experience into actionable corporate knowledge.
How it works Capture: When an issue arises or a success occurs during a stage, the Project Manager (or Project Support) adds an entry to the Lessons Log. Analyze: The Project Manager reviews the log to identify patterns or significant insights. Report: At the end of a stage or the project, specific high-value lessons are extracted and formatted into a Lessons Report. Disseminate: The Lessons Report is sent to the Project Board and the local Centre of Excellence (or corporate management) to embed the learning into organizational standards.
Exam Tips: Answering Questions on Lessons Report and Log In the Practitioner exam, you will likely face questions asking whether a specific action or piece of information belongs in the Log or the Report, or if the document is being used correctly.
1. Dynamic vs. Static: If the scenario describes a Project Manager noting down a thought, an observation, or a quick learning point during the execution of a Work Package, the correct answer is the Lessons Log. If the scenario describes a formal submission to the Project Board at the end of a stage, it is the Lessons Report.
2. Target Audience: Questions often ask who receives the information. The Lessons Log is primarily for the Project Manager and the project team. The Lessons Report is for the Project Board and the wider corporate organization (to update quality management systems or best practices).
3. Content Verification: Watch out for 'decoy' options. A Lessons Report should include: What went well, What went badly, and Recommendations. It should NOT contain detailed technical specs (that belongs in Product Descriptions) or active issues requiring immediate decision (that belongs in the Issue Register or Exception Report).
4. The Trigger: If the question asks what happens during 'Closing a Project', you are looking for the creation of the End Project Report which includes the comprehensive Lessons Report. If the question asks about 'Starting Up a Project', you are looking for the creation of the Lessons Log based on previous project data.