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Organizational Learning and Organizational Memory 379

Project
memories
Verify generalizability
and store in database

Organizational
Capture lessons memory
learned and best
practices

Organizational learning
Used as is Publicize and share
Analyze usage Modified with others
Get feedback Not used
Revise/retire accordingly

Figure 11.1
Lessons learned process

Verifi cation Lessons are verifi ed before dissemination to ensure that they are valid and
applicable. This process may involve subject-matter experts or additional research, and
the lessons are typically verifi ed to ensure that they meet or exceed a set of defi ned
criteria outlined in established standards.
Store Once approved, lessons are stored in an accessible database in a format that
allows for easy search and retrieval of information. Some storage issues include catego-
rization, indexing, formatting, and structure.
Disseminate Active dissemination of lessons is essential for getting value out of a
lessons learned program; lessons are of little benefi t unless they are accessed and
reused. Dissemination can be active (lessons are pushed to potential users) or passive
(users access a repository to retrieve lessons).
An illustration from the NASA lessons learned database is presented in box 11.4 .

Organizational Learning and Organizational Memory Models

A knowledge resource can therefore be defi ned as valuable organizational knowledge
that has been packaged either as a discrete digital unit of content or that can be