2. Organizational Learning in Wildland Fire: Moving Toward a Learning Culture Raytheon Presentation May 12, 2005

3. Objectives Review background behind Lessons Learned Center (LLC)
Where fire community has come in 3 years using the LLC
Where do we need to go?

4. Setting the Stage Diverse interagency community
Are we learning the lessons?
Clear link needed to training

5. Lessons Learned Center
Objectives
Improve organizational learning
Improve safe work performance
Share knowledge
Promote organizational change

6. What is a Learning Organization?
An organization skilled at…
Creating, acquiring, interpreting, transferring, and retaining knowledge.
Purposefully modifying its behavior to reflect new knowledge and insights.

7. Critical Tasks A learning organization tries to do six things …
1. Collect intelligence about the environment.
2. Learn from the best practices of other organizations.
3. Learn from its own experiences and past history.

8. 4. Experiment with new approaches.
Continued …
4. Experiment with new approaches.
5. Encourage systematic problem solving.
6. Transfer knowledge throughout the organization.

9. Center Focus Areas Collection and Analysis Knowledge Retention
Knowledge Transfer

10. After Action Reviews (AARs)
An inexpensive, simple, systematic process that has the power to change an entire work culture:
1. What did we set out to do?
2. What actually happened?
3. Why was there a difference?
4. What are we going to do next time?

11. AARs Begin The Knowledge Transfer Process
Most of the AAR results will be used to enhance or sustain the performance of your unit or team.
“Gems and nuggets” will surface that are valuable to others, but only if they can have access to the knowledge.

12. AAR Rollup to the Lessons Learned Center
A tool for collecting the gems and nuggets from your AAR:
1. Describe one or more of your successes that others can learn from?
2. What was one of the challenges you faced and how did you overcome it?
3. How can training be improved?
4. What are your recommendations for any unresolved issues?

13. Information Collection Teams (ICT)
Collection plan developed
Collect tactics, techniques, procedures, processes
Initial Impressions Report shared
ICTs do not investigate or review

14. 2004 Collection Team Efforts
States – Southern Fire Chiefs and Northeast Fire Supervisors
Alaska Wildland Fires
Wildland Fire Use Event
Hurricane Response

15. Center Focus Areas Collection and Analysis Knowledge Retention
Knowledge Transfer

16. Communities of Practice:
A Key Component
Informal group of people with similar work-related activities and interests
Can belong to multiple agencies or reporting structures
Community members regularly transfer and retain knowledge

19. Center Focus Areas Collection and Analysis Knowledge Retention
Knowledge Transfer

24. Workshops Achieving The Learning Organization
Managing The Unexpected: Assuring High Performance in an Age of Complexity
Overcoming Our Immunities To Change

25. High Reliability Organizing
Organizations having “less than their fair share of accidents” even though they perform, sometimes on a daily basis, high-risk operations.
Organize themselves in such a way that they are better able to notice the unexpected and halt its development.

26. Capturing Stories
Important venue to share knowledge with others, especially with those who are nearing retirement.
Burn Boss Stories
FMO Lessons Learned
Fire Effects Monitoring Stories
FBA Experiences
Portal Experiences

27. Moving Forward Adopt a culture of continuous organizational learning
Focus effort on the entire wildland fire profession
Expand the pockets of learning to the entire community

28. Summary Review background behind Lessons Learned Center (LLC)
Where fire community has come in 3 years using the LLC as a resource
Where do we need to go?

29. www.wildfirelessons.net Paula Nasiatka, Center Manager (520) 799-8760
Dave Christenson, Asst. Ctr. Mgr.
(520)