Develop Employee Lessons Learned Orientation/Training

Lessons Learned Handbook:

DOE-HDBK-7502-95

will make it easier to store, search, access, and use lessons learned once they have

been documented. The DOE Lessons Learned Technical Standard requires that all

lessons placed on the complex-wide Lessons Learned Information Services be prepared

according to the DOE lessons learned template (provided in Appendix B of the

Technical Standard, available through the Office of Science and Technical Information,

Oak Ridge, Tennessee). To save the work of converting site lessons learned to the

DOE format for complex-wide dissemination, sites should consider using the DOE-wide

template for internal use.

Develop Employee Lessons Learned Orientation/Training

Organizations should develop a brief employee orientation program that provides an

overview of the lessons learned concept and explains how it will be implemented at

the site. In addition, management may determine that it is necessary to develop a

more detailed training program to ensure that employees understand how to

document lessons learned, gain approvals and clearances, disseminate the

information, address timeliness issues, search and access lessons learned, and

incorporate lessons learned into plans and future activities. The "Lessons Learned

Training" section of this Handbook provides information to assist the development of

lessons learned training programs.

Integrate Lessons Learned into Existing Management Processes

It is important that personnel at all levels understand how and why the lessons learned

program will be integrated into the "big picture" of activities and management

processes that exist throughout the organization. This information can be provided

graphically in a chart that identifies key program interfaces. Program integration

should also be discussed in policy and management documents such as the Program

Description and the Management Plan.

Develop Review and Self-assessment Plans

Review and self-assessment plans should be developed to assess the effectiveness of

the lessons learned program. Reviews and self-assessments should be conducted to

identify the strengths and weaknesses of the program and to pinpoint areas that need

adjustment. Assessments should highlight both problem areas and positive results.

Additional information on reviews and self-assessments is provided in the "Continuous

Improvement" section of this Handbook and in Volume II, Appendix X.

10.

Develop Performance Measures

Performance measurement should focus on improvements or worsening conditions in

the organization that are directly impacted by the lessons learned program. In many

cases, organizational improvements or problems will be tied to many variables, making

it difficult to isolate the effects of the lessons learned program. However, measures

can be developed that are tied to the goals and objectives of the lessons learned

program and reflect the information that is shared through the lessons learned

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