When should a lessons learned log be reviewed?

• A. At project start
• B. Mid-project reviews
• C. When changes occur
• D. At project end

Answer: (D)

Timing matters for a lessons learned log because you want a complete picture of what happened, what worked, and what didn’t. Reviewing it at project end allows you to capture all outcomes, the impact of any changes, and the root causes behind results. This full reflection can then be documented, validated, and fed into the organization’s knowledge base so future projects benefit from the consolidated experience.

Starting too early means you’re missing later outcomes or the true effectiveness of corrective actions. Mid-project reviews can surface issues and enable tweaks, but they don’t provide the final, comprehensive view of the project. Changes happening during the project should be noted, but the formal consolidation and dissemination of learnings are most effective at closeout, when the entire lifecycle has been completed.