Human beings are hard wired for optimism. We see what we want to see, and things always look rosier looking back. However, basing business or operational decisions on the way things feel is a risky approach.

Far better to have an independent review that will address questions like:

• Were we clear what we wanted when we started?
• Did we achieve our goals?
• How did we measure our achievements – and did this produce unintended consequences?
• Did our people grow through this process?
• Was there a more effective way of doing it?
• Could we have managed it better?
• How do our stakeholders feel about it?
• Were there missed opportunities, and how could we capture these next time?
• Did the program meet deadlines, and what does this tell us?
• If we were going to do it again, what would we change?
• Can we get other benefits (e.g. Awards) that we didn’t think of?
• What are we going to do with the results of the review (what are we going to do on Monday)?