Hello everyone, so next we have the fourth process of integration management knowledge
area, which is manage project knowledge; so this is that process which was first of all
not part of PMBOK fifth edition and now it's part of the PMBOK sixth Edition, very important.
I have some discussions with my students those who actually prepared for the fifth edition
but somehow they were not able to take the exam in fifth edition but when they went ahead
and took the exam in 6th edition, they told me they got a lot of good questions from this
particular process.
So an important one, I would say, you could assume around six to seven questions from
this.
So what does this particular process involve, it's used for future project or phases, so
basically whenever you see this statement or see this process which says manage project
knowledge, this means they are talking about lessons learned.
Something which will help your future projects, so this lessons learned which actually becomes
part of your organization process asset, ok so let's see what it is.
It is a process of using existing knowledge and creating new knowledge to achieve the
project objectives and contribute to the organizational learning.
So there are two keywords over here, first we have the use of existing knowledge, for
example we're working on a project, we try to make sure that something which is helping
us from our past projects, Right?
We create the knowledge in this particular process, which will help the future projects,
so that is new knowledge.
So new knowledge is something whatever I will create, the lessons learned which would help
the future project but existing knowledge is something, which I have got it from the
past projects which have been done by the organization.
So prior organization knowledge is leveraged, it improves the project outcomes.
See I am actually one of the biggest advocates of this and the reason why I would say so
is because I get a lot of feedback from the students, sometimes it is good, sometimes
it is bad and I always take it sportingly, and I want to make sure I improve and give
you the best product.
Until and unless I get that feedback, get that lessons learned, from you guys, I won't
improve.
So this is the process which is helping me to gather those lessons learned, so that next
time I come up more prepared and I come up with some more knowledge.
It supports organizational operations and future project or phases, so our main goal
is for future projects, to make sure that whenever those future projects are starting
they can get something good from our project.
So whatever mistakes we did in this particular project, we don't want that.
The other projects to do the same.
So let's review the tools and techniques, inputs and the outputs.
So for the inputs we have the project management plan then we have the project documents, deliverables,
EEF and OPA.
For the tools we have the expert judgment, knowledge management, information management,
and we have few of the interpersonal and team skills.
So good information which we have not done till now.
So we will be discussing about those today, then we would also discuss about the primary
output, which is the lessons learned register.
I would say a document which contains everything about the project, when I say everything,
what were the good things which happened what were the bad things, like what are the things
which could help us in the future.
So all of that information, what was the project success, is it a success or a failure, all
that information which can help the future project is this as part of the lessons learned
register.
And of course based upon those lessons learned what planned documents may get updated and
one of the most important output, which is a common output is the OPA update, but this
is where I would definitely say it's important ,why because the lessons learnt register which
is form there it will automatically become part of the OPA updates.
Okay now, let us review the some of the inputs, which we have , let us discuss those inputs
in detail, first we have the project management plan, so it's a common output all components
which are part of the project management plan would be a part, because you can get the information
from anything.
If your main concern is to gather the knowledge, use the existing knowledge, you can actually
get it from the project management plan, anything which is part of the project management plan.
Then you will definitely get the deliverables.
When the first time I see the deliverable, when I have the deliverable with me that will
give me the lessons learned.
Okay like for example the same example of buying that new car, let's say initially I
was being lazy and I could have got that car pretty quickly, instead it took me like five
to six months to get the car, that's not a good thing.
I could document that kind of information in the lessons learned, and then we have the
project documents.
So lessons learned register, which is an output is also an input, and the only reason why
it is, that the process which keeps on going repeatedly.
So assume the first time when this process is done this lesson and register is not the
input, so you got the lessons learned register as an output but next time if you do, it will
become more like a chain reaction that will go and become an input as well.
You will have the project team assignments will give you these lessons learned, who give
you this knowledge, the team members who are working on a project, right.
So you need to know the people those who are working on a project, similarly resource breakdown
structure, same resource like what I would say, which resource belongs to, which group,
you need to know those information, is this from the dev group, is this from the implementation
group, all those information.
So they are the people those who help you to gather the knowledge and take an informed
decision.
Source selection criteria, so source selection criteria is very important, this is actually
I would say one of the biggest contributor of the lessons learned, why? because if let's
say you, are in the procurement management, you hired a contractor and things did not
go as planned, so now you would say, okay, yeah the contractor was not good, you might
probably blame the contractor, but ask this to yourself, is this really the reason that
the contractor did not do well, was there any point in the source selection criteria,
what if, you probably might have come with more stringent rules around that.
Right?
So source selection criteria could be one of the biggest factor of the lessons learned,
so that is why it is an input here.
And of course you can get some lessons learned from the stakeholder register.
So you can get some from this stakeholder register as well, so the people those who
are involved, the stakeholders, the customer, all the people can also give you the lessons
learned.
And then we have of course we have the common output which is the OPA updates and the EEF
updates, the organization culture, the policies, all those things could help you to get the
lessons learned as well.
So again, these are some of the inputs.
As far as tools and technique are concerned, these are some of the tools and techniques
which I would say not common except the expert judgment, which you have learnt till now in
the first three processes of this knowledge area, you'll probably see that expert judgment
in the following processes as well.
So of course in the expert judgment the expert could help you to get that knowledge and share
his or her past experience and accordingly you can improve.
So expert judgment is one of the important input over here.
As far as knowledge management is concerned, it is a tool, which connects people to create
new knowledge, share and integrate existing knowledge.
Many sub tools are included in this, for instance networking, communities of practice, meetings,
work shadowing, discussion forums, and knowledge sharing events.
I would give you a real-life example of this knowledge management, so every time it's talking
about the tool, it is a tool, which helps you to get you to create a new knowledge and
use existing knowledge.
One of the biggest example of this knowledge management is the Facebook and the LinkedIn
group, so those Facebook and LinkedIn group lot of students like you visit and post different
questions and lot of other people answer those questions, they give reasons to those questions.
So all of those that is actually one of the biggest contributor of your knowledge, they
will help you to create, help your concept.
Therefore, I would say the FB group and the LinkedIn group that is your knowledge management.
We can say we have some of the experts which are part of those group who try to help people,
so that's the expert, it will be the expert judgment.
An important concept, and I would say two or three questions probably from this particular
concept in knowledge management.
There are two different types of knowledge- explicit knowledge and the tacit knowledge.
So explicit knowledge is about the knowledge that can be expressed using words, pictures,
number, like I can actually give you that, like for example if I say more than 60% of
the people pass the PMP exam in the first attempt, so I'm giving you numbers, when I
give you information like this is like an explicit knowledge.
On the other hand, we also have a tacit knowledge, when I say tacit knowledge, it is all about
the personal knowledge, which is very difficult to express, which is something, which somebody
gets it with experience, based upon the insights.
So that is the tacit knowledge as well.
Then remember, the explicit knowledge can be actually documented, but it is a pretty
big misconception which we say that knowledge is all about lessons learned, it's not necessary.
How could you get the knowledge from an experienced person, that's where it is very important,
you want to make sure you do conversations with them, you make this atmosphere of trust,
all those information help you to get that knowledge from that resource.
Okay another problem which I have normally seen is that it depends from person to person,
and they would probably interpret it differently.
For example, if I say your score is good so for me good means 70%, for you good means
80% 90%.
So again, this is how every individual interprets so that is all about knowledge.
Then information management, it's a tool which connects people to information, it is used
for sharing simple unambiguous information.
Many sub tools are there for instance PMIS, information gathering, updating the lessons
learned registers, so all of those I would say these are the tools; the PMIS, the knowledge
base, community of practice all of those things are actually part of this information management.
Then interpersonal and team skills, so let's go back to knowledge management and information
management, so when I talk about information management this is your PMI, project management
information, like a real software tool, but I'm talking about knowledge management, that
is the example which are talked about the community of practice, the social the FB groups
the LinkedIn groups, although the groups like the PMI workshops, like the local chapters
,they do some kind of meetings and those are actually knowledge management.
So this can actually help you to differentiate between knowledge and information management.
Then you also need interpersonal and team skills to get the lessons learned, like active
listening, it is something which we will probably discuss in communication management knowledge
area, like I'm teaching you something , you are actively listening, you're asking me questions
and I am also asking a question, did you get it.
All those are examples of active listening actually.
Then networking, the PMI workshops, which are conducted, I normally go once or twice
a month and try to attend these lunch and learn and things like that, so all of those
are actually networking events which are used.
Political awareness, like who is a strong person in your organization, again politics
is not a wrong word, it is all about power, also you as a project manager needs to make
sure you need to know who all are the powerful stakeholders and accordingly you want to manage
their expectations as well.
This is something which we would be discussing in much more detail in the communication management
as well as in the stakeholder management knowledge area.
Then of course leadership, how a leader speak, how they are giving you the vision, are you
able to relate to that vision.
All those are important aspects.
Then facilitation, we have already discussed the facilitation, there is a facilitator who
is making sure that you are gathering the information.
It's more structured, if you remember the example, it was a JAD session; joint application
development.
So the primary output from this process would be our lessons learned register, this output
is something which is created early in the project and is constantly updated, it includes
problem, success, challenges, description, recommendations etc.
First, I want to make sure that whenever you read the PMBOK, make sure you read the bullet
point of this document, what all things are part of it, try to relate it with your real-life
projects.
I would say I bought the car and what are the lessons learned, I probably might have
discussed about the mileage, I did not care about the mileage initially, Right?
I probably might have gone for a SUV, if I am thinking about making the family and things
like that, so a SUV we probably would give me a better fit, Right.
So all of these are some of the lessons learned.
Ok was my project success of buying a car, I would say yes, I wanted to follow my passion
and I bought it, right?
I wanted to get a good car, which is like more like a racing car, a speedy car, all
those are type of the lessons learned which I got from this project.
Then of course you will get the project management plan updates and the OPA updates, so that
lesson learned as I told, if you if you see it closely, lessons learnt register was updated
constantly.
So next time if I do, again that document would be updated and again that would become
part of OPA . So that the future projects may use this document and whatever mistakes
we did, whatever failures we had, I don't want them to make the same mistake.
Whatever success we have, I want them to make sure that they follow.
They do some kind of benchmarking and follower whatever things we did, they might do the
same, and they might get benefit out of it.
Okay, so let's just do a quick revision, so focus your efforts on understanding the primary
output, the lessons learned register, as I told you the lessons learned register is your
key output, so this is something which you need to focus, make sure you read the bullet
points.
Review the tools knowledge management and information management; understand the difference
between knowledge management and the information management and specifically about the explicit
and tacit knowledge.
Okay, explicit again, I repeat something that can be expressed using words, using document,
using pictures, but tacit is something which is very difficult to express, something which
you will get it by experience or insights.
Okay then obtaining lessons learned is done throughout the project, this is something
you will do all through your project, you will do that and finally motivation, it is
an important aspect of the knowledge management area, is very important.
So if the team is not motivated they will not feel comfortable to share their lessons
learned, so make sure the team is motivated and what how you can motivate them, this is
something which we will talk about in the resource management.