One of my favorite programs on TV is “Monday Mornings”. The cast, the creator, the concept. Because we have always done a post-mortem (I think the military jargon is after-action review) on each project and campaign we have run. We need to know what worked, what didn’t, what we learned, and what we still need to find out.
Basically, the object is to compare the goals of the project or campaign with the realities of what occurred. And, that means the goals of the client need to be included in this analysis. (Would you accept the premise that the surgeon effected his cutting, sewing, and replacement perfectly if the patient died or could not work? That’s the same as saying you performed your job perfectly, but the client did not get what she expected.)
We employ a chart detailing anticipated results compared to achievements, project milestones vs. deliverables, budgeted items and actual expenditures, plus client or customer satisfaction. But, that’s not enough- we need to know why they happened. If our project cost half as much as we thought, was that because we had no clue what we needed to do, found a better way or supplier, or reached the goals much sooner than we expected, among other reasons. And last, but not least, which processes/actions are worth repeating and for what client/customers/projects?
We have also found that this is best done after-hours. We have the meeting- with food served- in the conference room, so no one has location benefits, and the atmosphere is a little less formal than a normal meeting. And, it’s limited to two hours. (When we did these reviews without food, we managed to keep the duration to under 80 minutes, but we find the food [and libation] useful additions to improve the discussions.
We also involve at least one staff member who was not involved in the project/campaign, to insure that we are not deluding ourselves. We also try to involve (when we have them) new employees as observers, so they can better discern the “Adjuvancy” way of doing things.
Moreover, each of these analyses are posted on our Sharepoint server. That way every in the firm can see what we did, what we learned, and what we should have learned.
Don’t you think this is a useful process to improve your company’s operations?
The last company I worked with had Friday morning breakfast meeting every week. The company did a lot of meetings actually, but in my perspective of things the breakfast meeting was the only one that I ever felt was truly productive.
Lisa recently posted..Sale Ends This Month
Ah, Lisa…
There are meetings- and then there are meeting to learn and teach something…
I am not a fan of meetings, I find them the practical alternative to work. However, some like these types are important for learning. We call them ‘Wash-up’ meetings here.
Anita-Clare Field recently posted..Blessed Are The Cheesemakers – The Best Cheese Board
That is more related, I believe, to the fact that folks that run the meeting you attend do not know how to have them. That is, indeed, an issue- and would make want most of us to avoid them, Anita-Clare. Too many make meetings into conditions of power and ego- and not information transfer- it’s the latter, with the desire to obtain knowledge, that makes these sessions vital.