Lessons Learned Log
What worked, what didn't, and what you'd tell the next person — captured while it's fresh, so the next opening (or the next hire) starts smarter.
Lessons Learned Log
You just learned a huge amount the hard way. Write it down before it evaporates. The lessons log is a gift to the next person who does this — which might be future-you, or the next hire, or a colleague at another site.
What it’s for
To capture what actually worked, what you’d do differently, and the things nobody warned you about — while the move is fresh enough to remember the details that matter.
How to use it
- Spend 30 minutes at closeout capturing the honest version.
- Note what to keep doing as much as what to fix — both are useful.
- File it in the Closeout Binder so it’s found next time.
The structure
| Topic | What happened | What we’d do differently | Keep doing? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Freight elevator | Booked late, nearly lost a day | Reserve in week one, not week three | — |
| COIs | One vendor’s was wrong on move day | Send required language the day we book | Track in one sheet |
| Daily standup | Caught blockers early | — | Yes, every day |
Tips
- Honest beats flattering. The near-misses teach more than the wins.
- Capture the surprises. “I didn’t know I had to…” is the most valuable line for the next person.
- Share it. A lesson kept to yourself helps no one — and this is exactly what the feedback page wants to hear.
More on the long game: Running a Good Workplace.