This is a process for in-depth, team-based reflection to capture and prioritize lessons from a project or important initiative - for use a project has just been completed or after any major milestone. The goal is to identify key factors and actions that contributed to success or failure, and make recommendations for more effective future actions. These are then turned into a knowledge resource for use by the team for new project design, or for other types of similar initiatives.
Retrospect can be particularly useful for comprehensive learning, focusing on overall outputs and outcomes. The primary outputs of a Retrospect are recommendations for future action, which can be used to inform future project design. These are based on the team's knowledge of what worked, what didn't work, and why. It produces a formal meeting record and lessons learned that are written up. [Retrospect and an After Action Review are complementary. The latter is for short-term learning and quick course corrections to improve performance during a project or initiative.]
Retrospect can be particularly useful for comprehensive learning, focusing on overall outputs and outcomes. The primary outputs of a Retrospect are recommendations for future action, which can be used to inform future project design. These are based on the team's knowledge of what worked, what didn't work, and why. It produces a formal meeting record and lessons learned that are written up. [Retrospect and an After Action Review are complementary. The latter is for short-term learning and quick course corrections to improve performance during a project or initiative.]
WHEN TO USE IT AND WHY
If done correctly and regularly, Retrospects can lead to an increase in openness, the establishment of a learning culture, and an increase in performance focus. The best candidates for a Retrospect include:
- Projects/ initiatives that consumed a lot of time and/or resources.
- Pilot or demonstrative projects (because they will be scaled up).
- Projects that were seen as very successful, or ones that ‘failed’ (although appropriate acknowledgement of sensitivities is needed to ensure that the Retrospect does not become a ‘blame game’; remember that it is not for audit or performance evaluation).
- Projects that were in any way innovative – either in terms of issues addressed, population groups or partners involved in the project, new ways of working, or any other innovative aspect of work.
HOW TO?
1. Prepare in advance. Schedule the Retrospect during the completion process, or as soon as possible following the finalization of an important initiative, and
2. Conduct the Retrospect. Briefly summarize the objectives and methods of the meeting, and then start the process by posing a series of questions:
3. Follow up. Write up a report of the meeting, summarizing the proceedings, the lessons and clear, practical recommendations for the future, which can then be incorporated into the project completion report. The report in full should be shared as widely as appropriate. The lessons and recommendations can also be distilled into other knowledge, capacity building and communication resources, and disseminated to different audiences as needed. Lessons learned can be captured in any suitable format.
- Engage a facilitator who was not involved in the project. Ensure they are fully briefed on the subject matter of the project.
- Invite participants, including country programme staff, project leaders and other members of the implementation team, and partners (up to 12 people).
- Consider inviting observers
- Ask the project coordinator to prepare two short presentations: the first summarizes the project context, objectives and expected deliverables; the second summarizes what actually happened: the results achieved, whether objectives were met, and any relevant measurements.
- Allocate adequate time – from two hours to one full day.
2. Conduct the Retrospect. Briefly summarize the objectives and methods of the meeting, and then start the process by posing a series of questions:
- Question 1: What were the objectives and intended deliverables of the project? The project coordinator makes their first presentation. Then the group discusses and identifies whether there were any differences in the understanding of objectives among team members.
- Question 2: What was actually achieved? Have the team leader deliver their second presentation. Then hold a group discussion to ensure that the team has a fairly complete and shared understanding of the results. The process of jointly piecing together what actually happened in the project helps draw out knowledge that would have been hard for any individual working alone, even the project coordinator, to pinpoint.
- Question 3: What went well? Why? Related questions include: What were the moments or actions that were most important for success? This is an open discussion to determine the important successes and the key factors that contributed to them, so that these can be sustained or recreated in future projects. It is often useful to ask ‘why’ more than once for every success, in order to get at the real reasons. This will stimulate reflection, deeper insight, and possibly also prompt the realization that not everything went as well as possible.
- Question 4: What could have been improved, and how? Related questions include: What internal obstacles, and what external factors, hindered the project? How could they have been overcome? Knowing what we know now, what would we do differently to improve results? This may be a difficult or sensitive portion of the discussion, so ensure that all participants understand that the objective is to find recommendations for future improvement. This will help get objective responses without assigning blame. Ask the project leader(s) to speak first, and then give each participant a chance to speak. Encourage the contribution of practical ideas for change.
- Question 5: Are there still any relevant project-related issues that we don’t know how to address? Don’t spend too long on this part of the session, but do include it as it is potentially very valuable for guiding future research, planning and action. Some participants may feel uncomfortable with admitting that there are unanswered questions, just as they might with discussing how things could have gone better. Don’t force participants to contribute; rather, just give them the opportunity.
3. Follow up. Write up a report of the meeting, summarizing the proceedings, the lessons and clear, practical recommendations for the future, which can then be incorporated into the project completion report. The report in full should be shared as widely as appropriate. The lessons and recommendations can also be distilled into other knowledge, capacity building and communication resources, and disseminated to different audiences as needed. Lessons learned can be captured in any suitable format.
WHAT DO YOU NEED?
- Facilitator, not previously involved with the project and having solid facilitation skills
- 4 – 12 people: members of project/initiative team
- Flipchart
- Cards and marker pens
- From two hours up to a full day
MORE INFORMATION / SOURCES
- UNICEF, 2019. Knowledge Exchange Toolbox. A collection of tools "for anyone who needs to make effective decisions, facilitate or guide effective decision-making processes, or manage or coordinate group work in development that requires the knowledge of multiple persons to succeed."