Learning plan

Abstract

[tbd] This article is about the ‘Learning plan’ - a tool to overcome the challenge of making sound decisions while facing uncertainties. It provides a systematic framework to facilitate a learning process that turns un-knowns into knowns. In principle, a learning plan is a document that can be used by a project team to resolve uncertainties in four different categories: market, technical, resource and organizational uncertainty. For the most critical ones the team develops assumptions for their solution. These are then tested and, if disproved, turn into a new assumption or, if proved, into a fact. A learning plan is essential to successful project management in the light of uncertainty. This is especially the case in new product development where the degree of uncertainty is typically high. In detail, learning from experience is one of the principles that reflect successful programmes and projects . An example learning process consists of several learning loops or passes through the learning plan. In each, a set of assumptions get tested until a sufficient level of certainty is reached. Typically, a project team needs about 3-4 learning loops to progress on the project. Each iteration consists of two phases: the testing of critical assumptions and the evaluation. The latter consists of a review of the results where new assumptions and further tests are identified.

Big idea

A learning plan is a tool to overcome the challenge of making sound decisions while facing uncertainties. It provides a systematic framework to facilitate a learning process that systematically turns un-knowns into knowns. It is particularly useful in the project planning stage when a project team needs to manage multidimensional uncertainties. This is especially the case in new product development where the degree of uncertainty is typically high. Therefore, learning from experience is one of the principles that reflect successful projects as they involve a temporary organization that may not already have the necessary experience. Through the learning plan, a project team can systematically gain this experience through experimentation during the life cycle of a project .

In short, a learning plan has the following characteristics: - It catalogues uncertainties - It connects uncertainties with assumptions - It prioritizes uncertainties based on their criticality - It presents testing approaches to resolve critical uncertainties - It documents a project’s progress in terms of learning outcomes and consequences thereof

While a learning plan has no universal format, a basic learning plan should consist of at least two sections. In the first section, the participants of the learning process catalogue uncertainties in four categories: market, technical, resource and organizational uncertainty. For the most critical ones the team then develops assumptions that get tested and, if disproved, turn into a new assumption or, if proved, into a fact. In the second section, this is then followed by an evaluation of the learning where results are reviewed and, if necessary, new assumptions and tests are developed to initiate another iteration of the learning plan. The learning plan is therefore continuously revised to adopt learning outcomes.

Background

A common characteristic of projects is that they all face uncertainty in the planning process. As projects mature the project team will gain experience which increases the availability of decision-relevant knowledge while never fully eliminating all un-knowns. Uncertainty can be seen as the cause of individual project risk which is defined as "an uncertain event or condition that, if it occurs, has a positive or negative effect on one or more project objectives". . Reducing uncertainty to make decisions based on knowledge is therefore a common goal in project management. The process of acquiring new, or modifying existing, knowledge, behaviors, skills, values, or preferences based on experience is called learning . Uncertainty as a lack of knowledge or information can therefore be reduced with an appropriate learning process and is also an essential part of risk and uncertainty management procedures .

The learning plan as a tool for systematic learning which ideally results in uncertainty reduction. It is widely used for innovation projects, particularly for radical innovations, where the degree of uncertainty is typically higher. In order for project teams to proceed, assumptions have to be made. Over time, learning reduces the number of these assumptions and turns them into new knowledge. This in turn leads to a higher certainty in management decisions while projects mature.

There are different established approaches to cope with project uncertainty. The following figure provides an overview of different project planning approaches each associated with a certain degree of uncertainty where it proved most useful. The learning plan is therefore seen as the project planning framework that can be used in situations of particularly high uncertainty. While the degree of uncertainty ideally gets reduced throughout the lifecycle of a project and several iterations of the learning plan, other project planning approaches may take over.

Figure 1: Project Planning Approaches .

Application

The following figure shows a template for a basic learning plan. It incorporates both the steps of the learning plan process and the categories of uncertainties that are found to occur in projects. These refer to the multidimensionality of uncertainty. For a successful application of the learning plan it is crucial to understand these categories, which are therefore presented further before digging into the actual learning plan process.

Figure 1: Learning Plan Template .

Dimensions of uncertainty

The learning plan process

- Template for the learning plan - The three dimensions of uncertainty - Detailed steps for conducting a learning loop - Learning plan resources and online tools

Limitations

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Annotated bibliography

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