Plan and manage project/phase closure

Enablers

• Determine criteria to successfully close the project or phase. (ECO 2.17.1)
• Develop transition planning artifacts.
• Validate readiness for transition (e.g., to operations team or next phase). (ECO 2.17.2)
• Conclude activities to close out project or phase. (ECO 2.17.3)

Deliverables, and Tools

Close Project or Phase

Several important activities occur during closeout:

• The planned work is completed.
• Project or phase information is archived.
• Project team resources are released to pursue other endeavors.

Close Project or Phase Criteria

Any one of the following events can result in closure:

• The project or phase successfully met its completion objectives.
• The requirements changed during execution to the point where the project is no longer feasible.
• Adequate funding is no longer available to complete the requirements.
• Significant risks are encountered that make the successful completion of the project impossible.
• The organization no longer needs the project deliverables.

External factors arise that do away with the need for the project. Examples of these factors include:

• Change in laws or regulations.
• Merger or acquisition that affects the organization.
• Global or national economic changes.

Close Procurements

• Procurements are closed when the contract terms of a procurement have been satisfied by both the buyer and seller.
• This occurs throughout the life of the project, not during project closure.
• Contracts are not kept open any longer than necessary, to avoid erroneous or unintentional charges against the contract.

Acceptance

Acceptance criteria: A set of conditions that is required to be met before deliverables are accepted.

• Project deliverables are deemed accepted when certain acceptance criteria have been met.
• These criteria generally refer to some or all of the requirements that were established at the beginning of the project (and which might have been modified during the project’s life cycle).
• Deliverables that meet these acceptance criteria are formally signed off and approved by the customer or sponsor.

Payments

• Payments made to a supplier or vendor are made in accordance with the terms of the contract between the buyer and the supplier or vendor.
• Unless a contract is closed at the completion of the project or phase, payment will most likely have been made at the time of contract closure.
• It should not be delayed until project or phase closure (unless specified in the contract), to avoid the potential for accidental charges to the contract.

Knowledge Management

Lessons-learned repository * A store of historical information about lessons learned in projects.

• Knowledge management during project or phase closure consists of finalizing the lessons-learned register, which is compiled throughout the project life cycle.
• This document should then be added to the lessons-learned repository *, which is a database of lessons learned from multiple projects.

Transition Planning Artifacts

• Coordination and strategy about how best to deliver and transition the product and other deliverables is needed.
• Release and deploy deliverables in the most suitable manner ensures end-user awareness and increases the proper usage and adoption of the outputs.
• Preparation of artifacts includes:
• Training
• Documentation
• Communication
• Support

Transition Readiness

• Releasing, delivering, and deploying your project's work into an environment that is not ready may negate its value.
• Project teams must examine the readiness of all parties and prepare them for delivery, including:
• The end users
• The business
• The physical resources
• The project team
• Most critical in situations where there is an upgrade or improvement to an existing product or service.
• Assess the readiness of all parties, then implement the transition plans accordingly, and finally capture lessons learned for the next release or project.

Lessons-Learned Register

Lessons-learned register*: A project document used to record knowledge gained during a project so that it can be used in the current project and entered into the lessons-learned repository.

Considerations:

• Scheduling lessons learned
• Conflict management lessons learned
• Sellers lessons learned
• Customer lessons learned
• Strategic lessons learned
• Tactical lessons learned
• Any other aspects of lessons learned

Close-Out Meetings

• Sessions held at end of project or phase
• Involves:
• Discussing the work
• Reviewing lessons learned
• May include stakeholders, team members, project resources, and customers

Retrospective

• The close-out meeting in an agile project is called a retrospective.
• Includes the agile team, Product Owner, and key stakeholders.
• Encourages the participants to review:
• What went well
• What could have been done better

This assessment includes the work on the product and also:

• The processes, level of collaboration inside and outside the agile team
• Other areas that influence the effectiveness of product delivery

Guidelines to Close a Project or Phase

• Review the project management plan.
• If applicable, use a project termination checklist.
• Gather and organize performance measurement documentation, product documentation, and other relevant project records.
• Confirm project's products meet compliance requirements.
• Release project resources.
• Update records to ensure that they reflect final specifications.
• Be sure to update the resource pool database to reflect new skills and increased levels of proficiency.
• Analyze project success and effectiveness and document lessons learned.
• Prepare lessons-learned reports and a final project report.
• Obtain project approval and formal project acceptance.
• Archive a complete set of indexed project records.
• Celebrate the success of the project with the team and other stakeholders.