Ending a project effectively helps project managers increase communication with other stakeholders and improve an organization’s development procedures. Each step of the project closure process can benefit from meticulous planning and clear expectations for everyone involved. By learning how to complete the end-of-project phase, you can make the final closure easier for both the client and the organization and determine how to improve your strategies for the future.
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In this article, we discuss the definition of project closure, explain why it’s important to do it effectively and list the key steps for completing the end-of-project phase.
What is the end-of-project phase?
The end-of-project phase, or project closure, is a series of actions a team conducts to complete a project formally. These actions often involve delivering a product or specific result to an external stakeholder and then discussing the process steps for future reference and record-keeping purposes. It may also involve reviewing a project’s requirements and contracts to ensure a team accomplishes all necessary items.
Here are the main criteria for a completed end-of-project phase:
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Completed tasks: Teams typically create a project scope document that describes each task and how to accomplish it. To end a project successfully, it’s important for a team to complete all project tasks or explain any alterations.
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Finished processes: Project managers often conduct a series of official processes before ending a project. During the end-of-project phase, they report on the status of each one.
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Final confirmation: It’s often helpful if all key stakeholders agree a project is complete before a team disbands or starts preparations for a new process. This step may involve receiving approval from a client or a company executive.
Why is project closure important?
The end-of-project phase is important because it allows project managers and their teams to deliver process results to stakeholders thoroughly, reflect on the overall process and determine new strategies for future endeavors. Developing an effective project closure also helps with:
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Preserving a project’s resources: It’s often helpful for other departments or partner organizations to know a project is complete, as they may reclaim certain resources from it. Some examples may include leftover funds or personnel.
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Transferring the project to a new team: After a project ends, another team typically handles the day-to-day tasks involving its deliverables, like reproducing a product to sell. If a project completes a constructive end-of-project phase, you can ensure the new team knows all the necessary information.
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Creating a guide for similar projects: Some projects have similar elements or purposes as a previous process, and their managers often review previous records to determine best practices. By completing a project formally, you can better assess which documents and reports to preserve.
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Acknowledging employee work efforts: After completing a process, you can spend some time appreciating the work of project employees. As a result, you can maintain strong bonds with your team members and better recuperate before the next project begins.
How to complete the project closure phase
Here are the key steps for completing the end-of-project phase:
1. Review all project tasks and processes
Evaluate your project scope document, your timelines and any other checklist to confirm a team completed all necessary tasks and process steps. Then, identify any out-of-scope items, which describe activities that exist outside of current budgeting limitations and scheduling plans. If you identify any incomplete items, contact the client or supervisor to learn whether they prefer the team to address them. After resolving any potential issues, you can plan the remaining elements of the project closure phase.
2. Deliver the project items
Transferring a project’s results to its final owner is a critical part of this project phase. First, gain approval from the client or company executive, then prepare all necessary documentation to ensure this individual receives the correct inventory supplies. Then, determine a new manager to handle the day-to-day operations for the project, such as manufacturing the products. After a certain timeframe passes, you can also transfer liability, or financial obligation, to that individual and complete the delivery process officially.
3. Address contract requirements
Review the project’s contracts and other documents to ensure you completed all legal obligations for business partners, vendors and suppliers. Afterward, process all necessary payments to key project stakeholders, including your team members. For example, you might develop invoices for different transactions or pay equipment fees to a rental service. If you’re working alongside a company’s accounting department, be sure to notify them when you plan to complete a contract, as they may prefer to handle certain tasks.
4. Archive project documents
Develop a robust archiving process to ensure your team saves important information for the next project manager. A company’s departments may also view your records to gain critical knowledge about a project’s process and resolve issues, including legal teams and human resources professionals. It may be helpful to use a digital filing system that allows users to search for documents easily and provides security protection. Consider reviewing a wide variety of documents for your archiving efforts, including project reports, process notes and significant datasets.
Here are some examples of project reports you might save:
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Assumption logs: This document contains records of expected project events to occur and limitations to encounter. Assumption logs can help individuals better understand the beginning stages of a project and its specific conditions.
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Changelogs: These files typically track any requested changes to a project’s scope or schedule, and whether the team had permission to enact them. Changelogs can provide key insights into the day-to-day events of a project process.
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Basis of estimates: You can use this document to forecast a project’s timeline, required resources and costs. Other project managers may benefit from comparing this document to the project results to improve their own predictions.
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Milestone list: This document outlines a project’s critical steps and contains information about when the team completed each action. Stakeholders can use this information to measure a team’s efficiency and prepare new timeline strategies.
Here are some additional reports you might archive:
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Issue logs
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Project communications
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Quality control reports
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Deliverable specifications
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Cost-benefit analysis reports
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Risk reports
5. Release the project’s resources and personnel
Notify all key personnel about a project’s completion, including payment and other contract-related information. Your team members may appreciate a formal notice so they can begin work on other projects or search for new opportunities. Depending on your needs, you might reassign personnel to another ongoing project. Afterward, discharge any external project resources, such as rented equipment or leased site locations.
6. Arrange a post-mortem meeting
Contact your team members to schedule a performance review meeting for the project, giving everyone an opportunity to provide critical feedback. Consider arranging this meeting after completing any challenging aspects of the project closure phase so individuals can better focus their efforts. It may be helpful to quantify this performance review by measuring how a project’s estimated budget compared with final costs.
Here are some additional topics to discuss at a post-mortem meeting:
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Time management: Consult with your team members about how long each project component took. You can also share time management strategies and ask team members whether you delegated tasks effectively.
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Communication: Ask your team about their communication habits and styles, including whether everyone felt able to voice their ideas to the entire group. If any issues occur, spend some time brainstorming solutions for a future process.
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Client or company satisfaction: if you received feedback from key stakeholders, you can review it during a post-mortem meeting session. Discuss the reasons a team may have received certain feedback, as everyone can better reflect on their conduct during the process.
7. Identify lessons learned
“Lessons learned” typically refers to designated end-of-project reflections on each step of the process to identify areas of improvement. It typically involves analyzing different process records and your notes from a post-mortem meeting to determine specific action steps. You can create a separate document for each stakeholder in a project, including the managers, team members, and company executives. Afterward, be sure to store these documents in a project’s archived files for future reference.
Tips for completing the end-of-project phase
Here are some tips for completing an effective project closure phase:
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Use project management software. Using a digital tool can help you optimize an end-of-project phase, as most options allow you to view multiple documents simultaneously, develop status reports and measure critical data. Research online to find an option that best suits your needs.
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Hire additional support. It may be helpful to appoint specialized personnel for the deliverable transfer process, as they can enhance your efforts to end that end-of-project phase and better ensure you can fulfill all requirements.
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Develop a survey for team members. To gain additional feedback data, create a survey for your team members to complete either before or after a post-mortem meeting. Staff may appreciate an opportunity to share their thoughts more anonymously.
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Host a celebration for your team. Offer a party or small gathering for your team to celebrate their achievements. Consider preparing a speech beforehand so you can thank them individually for their hard work.
I hope you find this article helpful.
