What Is Involved in Project Closure?

 Closing processes include gaining

stakeholder acceptance of the final product
and bringing the project or phase to an
orderly end
 Closing verifies that all of the deliverables
have been completed
 Closing includes completing the Project
Notebook
 A project audit is often done at the end of
the project

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 Transition Planning
 It is important to plan for and execute a
smooth transition of the project into the
normal operations of the company
 Most projects produce results that are
integrated into the existing organizational
structure
 Some projects require the addition of
new organizational structures
 Some projects lead to follow-on efforts

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 AT CONTRACT CLOSURE

Performance Integration of Project Performance

Evaluation by Team Members to their Evaluation by
Buyer of Contract Functional Departments Seller of Contract

Transfer of Transfer of
PROJECT MANAGER Materials
Responsibilities

Release Resources

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 CONTRACT FILES

 Formal Acceptance: The person or

organization responsible for contract
administration should provide the
contractor with formal written notice
that the contract has been completed

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 Administrative Closure
 Administrative closure involves
– verifying and documenting project
results to formalize acceptance of the
products produced
– collecting project records
– ensuring products meet specifications
– analyzing whether the project was
successful and effective
– archiving project information for
future use
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 Lessons Learned
 Projects can result in informal or formal
lessons learned.
 Here are some common examples of
“Lessons Learned”:
– Beginnings are important
– Top management support is critical
– Set realistic milestone dates, and then
stick to the schedule as much as possible
– Plan at a workable level
 Did the project meet goals?
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 Summary: Project Closure
 Gain stakeholder acceptance of the
final product(s)
 Bring the project to an orderly end
 Verify that all of the deliverables have
been completed (and accepted)
 Complete the Project Notebook
 Write Lessons Learned
 Conduct a project audit

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 Planned Closure – An
Overview
 Transferring responsibility
 Completion of project records
– Historic reports
– Post project analysis
 Documenting results to reflect “as
built” product or installation
 Acceptance by sponsor/user
 Satisfying contractual requirements

Source: Harold Kerzner, Project Management 8

 Planned Closure (Continued)
 Releasing resources
– Reassignment of project office team
members
– Disposition of functional personnel
– Disposition of materials
 Closing out work orders (financial
closeout)
 Preparing for financial payments

Source: Harold Kerzner, Project Management 9

A Design for Project
Completion

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 We Know What We Should
Do

Handover Gain
Finish Review
the acceptan
the work performance
product ce

Put everything to bed (example: Close out

contracts)

Disband the team

Source: Dr. Terry Cooke-Davies, Human Systems International Limited, presented

at the 4th European Project Management Conference, London, June 6-7, 2001 11
 Finish the Work
 Small elements get
left.
 Loose ends remain
untied.
 So involve the
customer.
 Use “punch lists.”
 Increase review
frequency.

Source: Dr. Terry Cooke-Davies, Human Systems International Limited, presented

at the 4th European Project Management Conference, London, June 6-7, 2001 12
 Hand Over the Product
 Plan handover
carefully
 Train users
 As built
drawings and
concepts
 Manage
warranty

Source: Dr. Terry Cooke-Davies, Human Systems International Limited, presented

at the 4th European Project Management Conference, London, June 6-7, 2001 13
 Gain Acceptance
 Accomplish clear cut-
off
 Emotional barriers
– Lacks confidence
– Doubts benefits
– Hassle from users
– Doesn’t want product
 So plan acceptance
early
 Build relationship

Source: Dr. Terry Cooke-Davies, Human Systems International Limited,

presented at the 4th European Project Management Conference, London, 14
June 6-7, 2001
 Review Performance & Lessons
 Assess successes
 Two stage process
– Immediate with team.
– Later with sponsor/users
 How to create climate for
honesty (immediate)?
– Clear ground rules
– Description then
interpretation
– Prevention for future, not
blame for past
 Review benefits delivered
(later)
– Focus on product in
operation
 Communicate findings
Source: Dr. Terry Cooke-Davies, Human Systems International
Limited, presented at the 4th European Project Management 15
Conference, London, June 6-7, 2001
 Put Everything To Bed
 Complete technical
documentation
 Archive records
 Hand back resources
 Integrate benefits
into customers’
business plans

Source: Dr. Terry Cooke-Davies, Human Systems International Limited, presented

at the 4th European Project Management Conference, London, June 6-7, 2001 16
 Disband The Team
This is about ending
relationships!!
 Close down contracts
 Release resources
 Celebrate successes
 Give honest feedback

Source: Dr. Terry Cooke-Davies, Human Systems International Limited, presented

at the 4th European Project Management Conference, London, June 6-7, 2001 17
 Project Post-Mortem
Formalising the process of
learning from past experience

 Post-milestone review meetings

 Capture project learning to develop
team members and improve the process
 Bring closure to a project
 Are fundamental to a learning
organization

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 Benefits of a Postmortem
 Helps team members learn from
successes as well as mistakes
 Provides a way to improve the future
process
 Documents lessons learned so that
future teams and others can benefit
from them
 Enhances team morale

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 The Final Report -
Project Closure Report
 The final report is the history of the
project
 It is a chronicle of the life and times of
the project, a compendium of what went
right and what went wrong
 The required information is contained in
the master plan, all project audits, and
evaluations
 The precise organization of the report is
not of great concern; the content is
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 The Final Report
 Several Subjects should be addressed in the final
report:
– Executive Summary
– Closure Activities
– Project Performance
– Financial Management
– Post Project responsibilities
– Project and administrative teams
– Summary of Recommendations

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 The Final Report
 For each element covered in the final
report, recommendations for changing
current practice should be made and
defended
 Equally important are comments and
recommendations about those aspects of
the project that worked unusually well
 The fundamental purpose of the final
report is to improve future projects
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 Closure Process/Plan:
 Developing a closure plan
– How, when, where, who affected, etc.
– Use a checklist
– Staffing
– Arrange for redeployment of resources
 Communicating the plan
– Formal announcement of the ending of
the project.
 Implementing the plan
 Project / Team evaluation

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 Why Projects Fail
 Inadequately trained and/or inexperienced project
managers
 Failure to set and manage expectations
 Poor leadership at any and all levels
 Failure to adequately identify, document and track
requirements
 Poor plans and planning processes

 Poor effort estimation

 Misalignment between the project team and the
business or other organization it serves
 Lack of clear, realistic project objectives
 Misunderstanding of team roles and responsibilities
 Failure to communicate and act as a team 24