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Evaluating the project
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in practice
This exercise, involving all team members, should be
conducted at the end of the project to evaluate whether the project met
its objectives and identify key lessons learned. It is important to:
- have a meeting to do this explicitly. Make this a formal post-case
review and audit session.
- use the session to assess content and process learning
- make sure everybody is present.
Possible Agenda:
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Agenda Items |
Purpose |
|
Project evaluation |
To debate satisfaction with outcome and process of the project
|
|
Lessons learned |
Top insights
Key process learnings |
|
Stakeholder and relationship development |
Identify/prioritise opportunities for further developing relationship
- Who and how
- Timeline definition
|
|
Plan knowledge capture |
Satisfaction of material for Knowledge Management |
|
Team discussion on support staff performance |
Provide team feedback and evaluation |
Key aspects to cover are:
- what went well
- what went less well, and
- lessons for future projects or pieces of work.
Some of the issues the discussion should cover are:
- How well was the study specified?
- How convincing was the analysis?
- How effective were the working methods?
- What impact has the work had?
- What was media coverage of the work like?
- How should the results of the evaluation be disseminated?
- Is there a mechanism in place to ensure follow up and implementation
of the report's recommendations?
- What was the value of the work for the key stakeholders?
- How was the project managed?
- Did you get the work/life balance right?
In order to make sure that the lessons are taken on
board for future projects, it can be useful to present the outcomes to
senior management or other projects teams.
Why Projects Fail?
- Failure to agree the key question or issue
- Planning is carried out superficially
- Eye off the ball
- People aspects are not well managed
- Risks are not properly addressed and insufficient contingencies are
allow
- It is difficult to make tough decisions
- Lack of authority
- Lack of commitment
Evaluating the project
In Practice: SU Workforce Development Project
At the end of the project the team arranged an extended
lunch to discuss lessons learned. Prior to the lunch, the facilitator drew
a timeline of the project on a white board in the team's room. The team
(anonymously) marked their high and low points in different colours on a
timeline of the project. This encouraged the team to think about the
lessons to be learned from the project as a whole and not just the end
game. This was used to produce slides to stimulate discussion at the
lunch. That discussion
considered a wide range of issues.
Following the lunch, a team member prepared a presentation summarising the
discussion. This was presented first to the senior managers and then to an
all-staff meeting.
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