Create The Issues And Lessons Learned Databases

Create The Issues And Lessons Learned Databases

Keys to the diagram in Fig. 5.1 are issues and lessons learned. You do not have time to establish databases for issues and lessons learned for each international project. Moreover, the same issues and lessons learned will recur many times. Therefore, you want to have a common issues database and a common lessons learned database.

What is the structure of these databases? Experience from past international projects has revealed the benefit of having three linked databases for each of the issues and lessons learned. For issues the databases are:

• General issues database. This is a common database for all projects.

• Issues applied to a specific project. This consists of the information for the issue as it applies to a specific project.

• Actions on the specific issue. This database records the actions and results of steps taken for a specific issue.

The data elements for these databases are given in Fig. 5.3.

Figure 5.3: Data Elements for the Issues Databases

Turning now to the lessons learned, the three databases are as follows:

• General lessons learned database. This database contains the general guidelines for applying and using the lessons learned.

• Cross reference of lessons learned to projects and templates.

• Update database to record experience in applying specific lessons learned.

Data elements for these are given in Fig. 5.4. These databases can be established using a standard database management system such as Microsoft Access or groupware such as Lotus Notes. You might want to start out by using a spreadsheet first and then migrate to a database later.

Figure 5.4: Data Elements for Lessons Learned Databases

All of the databases are resident on the computer network in the organization so anyone can access the information on a read-only basis. Write access is controlled and restricted to project leaders or a central coordinator (discussed later in this chapter).