Proactive Review – learn from experience to improve bottom line: An Educational Design for Knowledge Discovery and Knowledge Creation

This article aims to provide a theoretically based and proven educational design for lessons learned. Called a Proactive Review, this educational design is exemplified in a case study of a global information technology company classified as big business, where Proactive Reviews were developed and implemented in over 40 countries. This article explores how employees who solve a task together can learn from the experience and share this learning with relevant colleagues to improve work practices, services, and/or products.
This article describes the format of Proactive Reviews, suggestions for starting points called PR Triggers, and the four roles involved—the participant, sponsor, top management, and facilitator. The tangible and intangible results of Proactive Reviews are presented, with their impacts on the participants; their teams; and the organization’s products, services, and/or work practices. Finally, the article provides recommendations for implementing and maintaining Proactive Reviews in organizations.