Chapter 13. Closing the Project
13.5 Key Takeaways
Key Takeaways
- Projects finish when their unique outcomes (i.e., results, deliverables) are produced, and become available for the client and/or customers to use. Some projects are completed successfully, but it is not uncommon to see that many projects fail. In both cases, projects need to be closed, and the activities and procedures must be carried out in the closing phase.
- When closing the project, the project manager reviews the project management plan to ensure that all project work is completed and that the project has met its objectives.
- Once the project outcomes are documented, the project manager needs to request formal acceptance from the client (or the inspection/acceptance committee).
- The contract closure process supports the project completion process because it determines if the work described in the contracts was completed accurately and satisfactorily. One of the purposes of the contract closure process is to provide formal notice to the seller, usually in written form, that the deliverables are acceptable and satisfactory or have been rejected.
- Disbanding the project team and reassigning team members should be finalized in the closeout phase. Besides, project managers deal with releasing other resources such as physical resources, facilities, materials, and equipment used by the team.
- The documents associated with the project must be stored in a safe location where they can be retrieved for future reference.
- After the implementation of project activities is finalized and the deliverables are inspected and accepted by the client, the project team reviews all the documents and meets to discuss what went well and wrong during the project, and what could have been done to avoid the problems that occurred. This leads to the finalization of a lesson learned register.
- Post-implementation reviews include the lesson learned process, reviewing trust and alignment effectiveness, evaluating the schedule and budget management by utilizing various tools such as EVM, reviewing the risks, strategies, and responses, discussing client and stakeholder satisfaction, and producing a final report for the client, senior management, and other stakeholders.
- The performance of the project outcomes is monitored according to the benefits realization plan.
