Lessons Learned Document

Project Name:

ABC Software Application Upgrade

Prepared by:

John Doe

Date (MM/DD/YYYY):

09/17/07

The purpose of this document is to help the project team share knowledge gained from experience so
that the entire organization may benefit. A successful Lessons-Learned program will help project teams:

Repeat desirable outcomes

Avoid undesirable outcomes

1. Project Close-Out Discussion

A. List of projects biggest successes
Description

Factors that Promoted this Success

Windows support on time and

responsive to all internally escalated
issues

Staggered shifts, positive attitude and team willingness to do

whatever it takes to succeed

Vendor support outstanding

Vendor on-site support provided, good vendor-client

relationship

Desktop & App Support on go-live on

time and responsive to user issues

Staggered shifts, positive attitude and team willingness to do

whatever it takes to succeed

Unix support on time and responsive

Team willingness to do whatever it takes to succeed

PM support and coordination

outstanding and always present

Presence of PM ensured that the team was focused and

could channel all issues/concerns

50% of ABC Software Application

failures addressed on first point of
contact

Extra support and IT team staff available post-upgrade to

address any issues

Upgrade process for ABC Software

Application Database went quickly
and smoothly.

Upgrade process replicated prior to actual production

upgrade

B. List of projects biggest failures

Description

Net Effect on Project

ABC Software Application deployment

had 30% of all workstations listed as
non-responsive

Number of ABC Software Application cases on post-upgrade

Monday reached 38. Additional support staff needed to
handle extra load.

Customer announcements
inconsistent

Customers unaware of upgrade and or of application

availability

VPN access unavailable post-upgrade

Remote Access to Application unavailable

Deviation from pre-upgrade

Additional time and resources used to address issues

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1. Project Close-Out Discussion

preparation plan.
Domain Name Services changes not
verified successfully.

Additional time and resources used to address issues.

Remote connectivity to application unavailable.

Executive and Senior Management

not available during late night hours

High-level decisions could not be made

C. List areas of potential improvement:

Description

Possible Mitigation

Domain Name Services not updated

immediately on some desktops post
Domain Name Services change

Domain Name Services Resetting on Desktops

Did not take advantage of vendor

support during free moments,
especially post-upgrade

Dedicate resource to work on issues post-upgrade

No secondary Unix resource available

to assist primary resource

Provide secondary Unix resource

Coordination with Hospital-IT must

happen during early stages of the
planning process

Reach out to Hospital-IT earlier

Developers begin code

migration/routines testing directly after
upgrade and thin client testing
deemed successful to cut down on
application downtime

Request IT resources to be available earlier to begin

workflow testing

Code freeze miscommunication.

Sign-off from not only IT Manager, but also resources

Internal communication breakdowns

occurred between ITS groups.

Ground rules that all issues/concerns/request need to be

communicated to PM

Issue Tracking different per group

Need centralized issue tracking system

D. Enter other comments:

Overall IT team deemed the project a success.

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3. Project Lessons-Learned Document / Signatures

Project Manager:

John Doe

I have reviewed the information contained in this Project Lessons-Learned Document and agree:
Name

Title

Signature

Date
(MM/DD/YYYY)

The signatures above indicate an understanding of the purpose and content of this document by those
signing it. By signing this document, they agree to this as the formal Project Lessons-Learned Document.

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