Chapter 13. Closing the Project
13.0 Learning Objectives and Overview
Learning Objective
- Explain the importance and benefits of the project closure.
- Elaborate on the activities conducted by the project team while closing a project.
- Explain the post-implementation review.
- Describe how the benefits realization is monitored and validated following the closing phase of a project.
Overview
As discussed in Chapter 1 “Introduction to Project Management”, projects are temporary. They have a definite beginning and ending date. Projects finish when their unique outcomes (i.e., results, deliverables) are produced and become available for the client and its end users as well as the customers to use. Once the project deliverables are approved by the internal or external client (or an inspection and acceptance committee), the project manager can start the closing phase. Although closing a project might seem easier compared with the implementation phase, this process still requires delicate attention as detailed in the following sections.
