A Pause and Learn (PaL) session is a structured discussion that focuses on recent project developments, challenges, and critical milestones. Consequently, the PaL process is a critical project management tool for learning during the project life cycle. PaLs guide the meaningful collection of “experience-based learning” as teams meet and discuss major events, milestones and reviews immediately after they happen to collectively discover “what happened, why it happened…how to sustain strengths, and improve on weaknesses.”
PaLs enable team members to collectively reflect on their experiences and articulate their lessons learned and insights. At Goddard, the PaL is also leveraged to capture lessons learned from major center wide initiatives and activities including audits and other continuous improvement processes. The PaL focuses on opportunities for improvement. It allows teams to reflect on their communication techniques, team dynamics, and analyze established processes, methods, and identify improvements to accelerate mission success.