Lessons Learned: 5 key examples from recent project experiences

It’s always important to reflect and learn from our experiences. In this blog, we will share 5 lessons learned from some exciting and challenging projects.

Identify Business Drivers

One of the most important lessons we’ve learned is the significance of understanding and aligning with the business drivers behind a project. Gain a clear understanding of the goals and objectives of the project, as well as the impact it will have on the business. Doing so ensures that the project stays focused and delivers value to the organisation. Poor alignment with business needs makes it hard to gain traction.

Planning for Project Success

Planning is crucial for a project’s success. Have a well-defined scope, and a detailed project plan, and identify potential risks and mitigation strategies. A project’s scope defines what is and is not part of the project and establishes clear boundaries. A clear plan will provide a path to success when worked through with the project team.

Navigate Change: Early Engagement and Clear Communication

Change becomes unsuccessful due to individuals fearing uncertainty, lacking conviction and preparation for change, and feeling excluded. To overcome this, communicate ‘in advance’ rather than ‘just in time’. Actively inform and involve in any change process all those who will be affected by the project. Regularly check in with all stakeholders, actively share ideas, and support each other to help them understand why we do things in a particular way.

Human Capital: Proactive Resource Management

Get the right people at the right time and set them up to succeed. Understand the resource requirements and ensure that the capabilities and skills of the project team match these. Resource ahead of time and outline roles and responsibilities clearly from initiation through to completion. Proactively addressing resource constraints can help to prevent delays and ensure the project stays on track.

Leverage Technology Effectively

Technology supports most business change but needs to align well with business goals. It’s important to not only stay up to date with the latest technologies but also to understand how they can help your organisation specifically. Our team has learned the importance of understanding needs and options to address them and being flexible and adaptable when it comes to technology, adjusting when necessary to keep the project on track.

These are the top 5 lessons we’ve learned from our recent projects. Applying these lessons effectively is a little harder and the challenge is always to add value through the nuances of each client’s context.

Rich Downey, Consultant/Project Coordinator, Hague Consulting Ltd. © Hague Consulting Ltd 2023.