Post project evaluation
Post project evaluation has proved to be a very critical activity in most organizations. Some of the benefits derived from the evaluation include it helps the members of the project team and the entire organization to learn how to optimize for success and identify the factors that contributed to the outcome. The evaluations cal lead to notes that can be used for improving future projects. Evaluations also provide an opportunity to collect the participants’ feedback, which is very important in showing that the team values the opinions of its members. Unfortunately, most organizations do not conduct post-project evaluations. Ironically, this is often experienced in cases the project was a success as compared to when the project failed since most organizations investigate cases if project failure.
Studies have shown that some of the reasons why project teams do not conduct post-project evaluations are because the activity is considered to be time-consuming. This mainly occurs in projected –oriented firms where managers intend to cut on the resources that been allocated to projects. Some people find it difficult to invest more time in an activity that they believe is already a success. The focus of such organizations is on future projects and not the once that are already completed. Another reason why organizations do not conduct post-project evaluations is that they find it challenging to rewind. Most people prefer looking forward and setting up plans for what is to happen next instead of revisiting the events that are already past. The issue of social relations is also a significant barrier to post-project evaluations. Individuals are afraid that visiting the recent events may lead to blaming games and reminding each other what they one should have done better and which could have led to better results or helped avoid bad experiences. In a bid to retain good relations and avoid hatred, project teams prefer to move forward. Experience is the other issue that affects post-project evaluations. According to many, experience helps one to know what to avoid and what to repeat under similar circumstances. As a result, the mere fact the team experienced every instance of the project makes them more qualified for future projects.