The Post Implementation Review is a special case of Lessons Learned.
There are two different types of review which should take place when a project is completed:
- within the project team:
an “internal” lessons learned event as described under section 4 above. This will normally take part as part of the closure phase of the project with a focus related to the project approach, processes, behaviours etc. - external customer focus:
scheduled after the project has finished and set-up for an appropriate party of stakeholders with a focus on the value of the project outcomes and achievement of business changes and potential benefits.
Depending on the size and the complexity of the project, the review cycles can be iterative. In larger organisations, quality assurance or the internal audit group may also perform such a review. It must be taken into consideration that the potential benefits are usually realised three to six months after a new implementation has been completed. A Post Implementation Review Report should be signed-off by the Project Sponsor or whoever commissioned the project.
Internally focused Post Implementation Review
The set-up and the objectives of this meeting are described under section 3.
Externally focused Post Implementation Review
The activity of identifying the lessons learned for the business condenses repeatable sets of change principles that are “owned” by the business to support successful implementation of future projects, including sustaining the current initiative following deployment. Present the outputs from the Lessons Learned Workshop including the key issue/problem identified:
- Discuss the feedback given by the stakeholders.
- Discuss the recommended strategies and their impact on the decision making, problem addressing and employee involvement principles.
- Address a change request for the corporate road map for guidance in designing future initiatives if required.
- Introduce the key concepts to describe and communicate the way people reach the end result.
Address the identified infrastructure requirements to support future projects and to sustain the current project, such as the formation of an internal change function and the identification of external facilitation, coaching, and planning/advisory services. This activity promotes the business’s capability to undertake future major initiatives successfully.