4.3.19.4. Lessons Learned, Best Practices, Case Studies
4.3.19.4. Lessons Learned, Best Practices, Case Studies
Most programs represent a new combination of existing capabilities or the insertion of incremental advances in technology. By reviewing the successes, failures, problems, and solutions of similar programs, Program Managers and Systems Engineers can gain insights into risks, uncertainties, and opportunities that their programs may encounter.
Lessons learned and case studies generally describe areas of risk, pitfalls encountered in programs, and strategies employed to mitigate or fix problems when they arose. Best practices are proven techniques and strategies that can avoid common problems and improve quality, cost, or both.
Best practices and lessons learned are applicable to all aspects of a program – technical, managerial, and programmatic – and at any point in the acquisition life cycle. However, they are not universal or “one-size-fits-all” solutions. The greatest benefits occur when Program Managers and Systems Engineers judiciously select successful practices or strategies from analogous programs/systems and tailor them to meet current program needs.
Design, build, test, and certification standards are an implementation of lessons learned over time. Program Managers and Systems Engineers should be aware that Standards are not ad hoc requirements developed by a single engineer or program office. They result from years of engineering, manufacturing, or sustainment knowledge that eventually migrates to a standard that should be followed.
Program Managers and Systems Engineers should be aware of available resources, and they should take advantage of prior experience and knowledge gained when appropriate. Various organizations in DoD, industry, and academia produce and maintain online repositories of lessons learned, best practices, and case studies. These resources can serve as a starting point for Program Managers and Systems Engineers to search for and find relevant data that can be applied to their current program. Knowledge sharing resources include, but are not limited to:
- Service lessons learned repositories (including Service safety centers)
- Government Accountability Office reports
- DoD Systems Engineering community of practice websites
- Other Departments and Agencies such as National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) or Department of Energy (DoE)
- Professional organizations such as the International Council on Systems Engineering (INCOSE) or the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
- Industry organizations such as National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA) or Aerospace Industries Association (AIA)
Program Managers and Systems Engineers are encouraged to research current analogous programs, not just past programs, that may be experiencing similar challenges and have not yet formally documented what they have learned. The Program Manager and Systems Engineer should ensure that the program establishes and utilizes a robust process to identify and document best practices and lessons learned, to aid both internal activities and other programs. This process should focus on ensuring accurate and timely documentation of all relevant information, and the Systems Engineer should monitor its use and products throughout the life cycle. Each best practice or lesson learned that is developed throughout the program execution should include enough contextual information about the program and surrounding circumstances so that future practitioners find it useful. Program Managers and Systems Engineers should consider using this data as a form of process improvement feedback, or as evidence for proposing policy and guidance changes.
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