Lessons learnt

Why capture lessons learnt?

Capturing lessons learnt is a vital part of project closure and an ongoing process throughout the project lifecycle. It allows us to identify successes, address challenges and improve processes for future projects, as well as feed back to the department as they develop criteria and policy for future schemes.

Sharing this knowledge benefits other teams, ensuring a continuous cycle of learning and growth. 

Plus, remember that you are required to submit a final lessons learnt report as a part of your project closure.

Do you have insights or strategies that have worked well for you? If so, we’d love to hear from you! Email us at [email protected] to share your experiences.

Supporting pages

Plus, remember that you should submit a final lessons log and lessons report as part of your project closure.

These will be reviewed together with your other closure documentation and reports to provide the department with a comprehensive and accurate understanding of the programme’s delivery challenges, successes and key learnings.

Guidance

Field What to enter Example Tips
Unique ID A unique identifier for each lesson entry LL-001 Use a sequential or structured ID for easier tracking
Category /theme Select a category relevant to the lesson Community engagement Choose from categories provided in template
Lesson title Provide a short, descriptive title Improved stakeholder communication Keep it concise – the title should summarise the lesson in a few words
Source Where the lesson came from Team meeting Mention specific events, feedback, or reports that inspired the lesson
Date Date the lesson was recorded MM/DD/YYYY Dates should be entered in day–month–year format
Pos/neg/overview Indicate if it’s positive, negative, or neutral Positive This helps categorise lessons by success, challenge, or observation
Project/programme The specific project or program this relates to Project ABC Include project names if you manage multiple projects to help identify lessons
Description Briefly describe what happened Increased engagement due to regular check-ins Use bullet points for clarity
Adjusted reporting timelines for flexibility Focus on key events or issues
Recommendations Suggested actions or takeaways Implement monthly check-ins Add practical steps or suggestions based on the lesson
Simplify reporting templates
Share externally? Yes/No, for sharing outside your organisation Yes Consider if the lesson is suitable for external sharing to foster learning
Value Matrix Rating Rate from 1-4 based on importance and effort 4 (high impact, low effort) Use the matrix guide to prioritise lessons for future action
Raised by Name or email of the person who identified the lesson Jane Doe
Actions identified Specific actions to take based on the lesson Schedule regular check-ins List concrete steps to take, so the lesson is actionable
Adjust reporting format
Action owner Person or team responsible for implementing actions Project coordinator Assign responsibility to ensure follow-through
Action(s) completed 'Yes/no' to indicate if actions have been completed Mark as 'yes' when actions are completed for easy tracking
Action completed date Date actions were completed MM/DD/YYYY Dates should be entered in day–month–year format

The value matrix

The value matrix helps you evaluate the importance of each lesson based on impact (value) and the effort (or complexity) needed to implement changes.

This allows you to prioritise your lessons, focusing on high-impact changes first and deferring less critical items.

Description Action priority
1: Low impact, high effort These lessons require significant resources or time but yield minimal benefits to the project. Defer or consider only if circumstances change. Examples include adding complex tools that minimally affect efficiency.
2: Low impact, low effort Minor improvements that don’t require much effort but also have limited benefits. Optional. Implement these if resources allow, as they can offer small gains without straining resources. Example: a minor form simplification to save a bit of time.
3: High impact, high effort These lessons offer substantial benefits but will need considerable resources, time, or organisational change. Plan and implement carefully. Examples include hiring specialised staff or adopting a new reporting system.
4: High impact, low effort These are quick wins that deliver major improvements with minimal resource demands. Prioritise and act quickly. Quick changes that yield big benefits, like adding regular check-ins to improve team communication.

Tips for capturing high-quality lessons

  • Be specific and clear:  focus on what happened, why it mattered and how it ties back to the project’s goals. Keep it brief but meaningful
  • Look beyond successes: sometimes, neutral outcomes or unexpected results provide important insights too
  • Prioritise key insights: focus on lessons that offer high impact or are particularly valuable to the team or stakeholders

Tools and templates

Below, you’ll find downloadable templates and guidance designed to streamline the lessons learnt process. 

These resources provide a consistent approach to documenting insights and ensure compliance with reporting requirements.

What happens next?

Your lessons learnt log will be reviewed and shared with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.

  • The insights will contribute to improving resources and support for other projects
  • Where appropriate, anonymised insights may be shared with peers to foster collaboration and best practices
  • You will help shape future initiatives and guide funding strategies

Quick tips for effective lessons learnt documentation

  • Start documenting lessons from the beginning of the project

  • Involve the entire team to get diverse perspectives

  • Focus on actionable insights that others can apply

  • Be specific about challenges and how they were overcome

Frequently asked questions

Spotlight opportunity

Exceptional insights may be featured in our newsletters or highlighted as case studies to help other grant recipients to succeed.

Have questions or need additional support? 
Contact your SPOC for assistance with the lessons learnt process.

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