Lessons learned: Structuring knowledge codification and abstraction to provide meaningful information for learning

Abstract

Purpose

To increase the spread and reuse of lessons learned (LLs), the purpose of this paper is to develop a standardised information structure to facilitate concise capture of the critical elements needed to engage secondary learners and help them apply lessons to their contexts.

Design/methodology/approach

Three workshops with industry practitioners, an analysis of over 60 actual lessons from private and public sector organisations and seven practitioner interviews provided evidence of actual practice. Design science was used to develop a repeatable/consistent information model of LL content/structure. Workshop analysis and theory provided the coding template. Situation theory and normative analysis were used to define the knowledge and rule logic to standardise fields.

Findings

Comparing evidence from practice against theoretical prescriptions in the literature highlighted important enhancements to the standard LL model. These were a consistent/concise rule and context structure, appropriate emotional language, reuse and control criteria to ensure lessons were transferrable and reusable in new situations.

Research limitations/implications

Findings are based on a limited sample. Long-term benefits of standardisation and use need further research. A larger sample/longitudinal usage study is planned.

Practical implications

The implementation of the LL structure was well-received in one government user site and other industry user sites are pending. Practitioners validated the design logic for improving capture and reuse of lessons to render them easily translatable to a new learner’s context.

Originality/value

The new LL structure is uniquely grounded in user needs, developed from existing best practice and is an original application of normative and situation theory to provide consistent rule logic for context/content structure.

Citation

Michell, V. and McKenzie, J. (2017), "Lessons learned: Structuring knowledge codification and abstraction to provide meaningful information for learning", VINE Journal of Information and Knowledge Management Systems, Vol. 47 No. 3, pp. 411-428. https://doi.org/10.1108/VJIKMS-11-2016-0061