Remember Institutional Knowledge on New Projects - Learn From the Ancient Greeks

Remember Institutional Knowledge on New Projects - Learn From the Ancient Greeks

An essential part of the Project Management process is to conduct a Lessons Learned session with the team members and stakeholders on what went well on a project and what did not go well ( areas for improvement) . The objective is to capture best practices to continue on new projects and learn from and avoid previous mistakes. This information , processes and practices become part of an entities institutional knowledge, which should be maintained and referenced on future projects.

Here we can learn from the Ancient Greeks in the building of the iconic Parthenon in Athens. The Parthenon was completed around 432 BC and utilized many advanced and innovative construction techniques during its construction. One example involves the joining of the marble sections to form a single vertical column ( of which there are many). Fasteners and supports on the inside of the column were made of iron. However the ancient Greeks were aware that iron rusts , so they coated all the iron fasteners with lead to prevent rust and deterioration that would compromise the buildings structural strength.

Parthenon in Athens Greece

Unfortunately institutional knowledge was not applied many centuries later during a project to restore the Parthenon. Again iron supports and fasteners were used on the columns, however these were not coated with lead. Unsurprisingly these iron supports rusted over several years , compromising the structural integrity and necessitating another restoration project. This later restoration project , used titanium fasteners and supports in place of the iron fasteners.

This is an interesting example of the impact of not utilizing institutional knowledge. While not all prior institutional knowledge is useful or relevant for specific new projects, it is always beneficial to review and build on prior knowledge and experience.