| DescriptionThe well known English phrase
| |
| | that will be invited. Choosing the right
|
| "last but not least" could not better
| |
| | people for the review will enhance the
|
| describe how important the project
| |
| | value of the meeting and help the
|
| closeout phase is. Being the very last
| |
| | learning process while having an
|
| part of the project life-cycle it is
| |
| | objective critique not only by the team
|
| often ignored even by large
| |
| | members but also from a neutral external
|
| organizations, especially when they
| |
| | auditor. The outcome of this review
|
| operate in multi-project environments.
| |
| | should be a final report which will be
|
| They tend to jump from one project to
| |
| | presented to the senior management and
|
| another and rush into finishing each
| |
| | the project sponsor. Whitten (2003) also
|
| project because time is pressing and
| |
| | notices that "often just preparing a
|
| resources are costly. Then projects keep
| |
| | review presentation forces a project team
|
| failing and organizations take no
| |
| | to think through and solve many of the
|
| corrective actions, simply because they
| |
| | problems publicly exposing the state of
|
| do not have the time to think about what
| |
| | their work".5. Disband the project
|
| went wrong and what should be fixed next
| |
| | teamBefore reallocating the staff amongst
|
| time. Lessons learned can be discussed at
| |
| | other resources, closeout phase provides
|
| project reviews as part of the closeout
| |
| | an excellent opportunity to assess the
|
| phase. Closure also deals with the final
| |
| | effort, the commitment and the results of
|
| details of the project and provides a
| |
| | each team member individually.
|
| normal ending for all procedures,
| |
| | Extra-ordinary performance should be
|
| including the delivery of the final
| |
| | complemented in public and symbolic
|
| product. This paper identifies the
| |
| | rewards could be granted for innovation
|
| reasons that closeout is neglected,
| |
| | and creativity (Gannon, 1994). This
|
| analyzes the best practices that could
| |
| | process can be vital for team
|
| enhance its position within the business
| |
| | satisfaction and can improve commitment
|
| environment and suggest additional steps
| |
| | for future projects (Reed, 2001).
|
| for a complete project closeout through
| |
| | Reviewing a project can be in the form of
|
| continuous improvement.Project managers
| |
| | a reflective process, as illustrated in
|
| often know when to finish a projects but
| |
| | the next figure, where project managers
|
| they forget how to do it. They are so
| |
| | "record and critically reflect upon their
|
| eager to complete a project that they
| |
| | own work with the aim of improving their
|
| hardly miss the completion indicators.
| |
| | management skills and performance" (Loo,
|
| "Ideally, the project ends when the
| |
| | 2002). It can also be applied in
|
| project goal has been achieved and is
| |
| | problematic project teams in order to
|
| ready to hand over to customer" (Wellace
| |
| | identify the roots of possible conflicts
|
| et. al, 2004, p156). In times of big
| |
| | and bring them into an open
|
| booms and bubbles, senior management
| |
| | discussion.Ignoring the established point
|
| could order the immediate termination of
| |
| | of view of disbanding the project team as
|
| costly projects. A characteristic example
| |
| | soon as possible to avoid unnecessary
|
| of that is Bangkok's over investment in
| |
| | overheads, Meredith and Mandel (2003,
|
| construction of sky-scrapers, where most
| |
| | p660) imply that it's best to wait as
|
| of them left abandoned without finishing
| |
| | much as you can for two main reasons.
|
| the last floors due to enormous costs
| |
| | First it helps to minimize the
|
| (Tvede, 2001, p267). Projects heavily
| |
| | frustration that might generate a team
|
| attached to time can be terminated before
| |
| | member's reassignment with unfavourable
|
| normal finishing point if they miss a
| |
| | prospects. Second it keeps the interest
|
| critical deadline, such as an invitation
| |
| | and the professionalism of the team
|
| to tender. Kerzner (2001, p594) adds some
| |
| | members high as it is common ground that
|
| behavioural reasons for early termination
| |
| | during the closing stages, some slacking
|
| such as "poor morale, human relations or
| |
| | is likely to appear.6. Stakeholder
|
| labour productivity". The violent nature
| |
| | satisfaction PMI's PMBoK (2004, p102)
|
| of early termination is also known as
| |
| | defines that "actions and activities are
|
| 'killing a project' because it "involves
| |
| | necessary to confirm that the project has
|
| serious career and economic consequences"
| |
| | met all the sponsor, customer and other
|
| (Futrel, Shafer D & Shafer L, 2002,
| |
| | stakeholders' requirements". Such actions
|
| 1078). Killing a project can be a
| |
| | can be a final presentation of the
|
| difficult decision since emotional issues
| |
| | project review which includes all the
|
| create pride within an organization and a
| |
| | important information that should be
|
| fear of being viewed as quitters blurs
| |
| | published to the stakeholders. This
|
| managerial decisions (Heerkens, 2002,
| |
| | information can include a timeline
|
| p229).RecognitionThe most direct reason
| |
| | showing the progress of the project from
|
| that Project Closeout phase is neglected
| |
| | the beginning until the end, the
|
| is lack of resources, time and budget.
| |
| | milestones that were met or missed, the
|
| Even though most of project-based
| |
| | problems encountered and a brief
|
| organizations have a review process
| |
| | financial presentation. A well prepared
|
| formally planned, most of the times
| |
| | presentation which is focused on the
|
| "given the pressure of work, project team
| |
| | strong aspects of the projects can cover
|
| member found themselves being assigned to
| |
| | some flaws from the stakeholders and make
|
| new projects as soon as a current project
| |
| | a failure look like an unexpected
|
| is completed" (Newell, 2004). Moreover,
| |
| | success.Next StepsEven when the client
|
| the senior management often considers the
| |
| | accepts the delivery of the final product
|
| cost of project closeout unnecessary.
| |
| | or service with a formal sign-off (Dvir,
|
| Sowards (2005) implies this added cost as
| |
| | 2005), the closeout phase should not be
|
| an effort "in planning, holding and
| |
| | seen as an effort to get rid of a
|
| documenting effective post project
| |
| | project. Instead, the key issue in this
|
| reviews". He draws a parallel between
| |
| | phase is "finding follow-up business
|
| reviews and investments because both
| |
| | development potential from the project
|
| require a start-up expenditure but they
| |
| | deliverable" (Barkley & Saylor, 2001,
|
| can also pay dividends in the
| |
| | p214). Thus, the project can produce
|
| future.Human nature avoids accountability
| |
| | valuable customer partnerships that will
|
| for serious defects. Therefore, members
| |
| | expand the business opportunities of the
|
| of project teams and especially the
| |
| | organization. Being the last phase, the
|
| project manager who has the overall
| |
| | project closeout plays a crucial role in
|
| responsibility, will unsurprisingly avoid
| |
| | sponsor satisfaction since it is a common
|
| such a critique of their work if they
| |
| | ground that the last impression is the
|
| can. As Kerzner (2001, p110) observe,
| |
| | one that eventually stays in people's
|
| "documenting successes is easy.
| |
| | mind.Continuous improvement is a notion
|
| Documenting mistakes is more troublesome
| |
| | that we often hear the last decade and
|
| because people do not want their names
| |
| | review workshops should be involved in
|
| attached to mistakes for fear of
| |
| | it. The idea behind this theory is that
|
| retribution". Thomset (2002, p260)
| |
| | companies have to find new ways to
|
| compares project reviews with the 'witch
| |
| | sustain their competitive advantage in
|
| hunts' saying that they can be "one of
| |
| | order to be amongst the market leaders.
|
| the most political and cynical of all
| |
| | To do so, they must have a
|
| organizational practices where the
| |
| | well-structured approach to
|
| victims (the project manager and the
| |
| | organizational learning which in
|
| team) are blamed by senior management".
| |
| | project-based corporations is
|
| While he identifies top management as the
| |
| | materialized in the project review.
|
| main responsible party for a failure,
| |
| | Garratt (1987 in Kempster, 2005)
|
| Murray (2001) suggest that the project
| |
| | highlighted the significance of
|
| manager "must accept ultimate
| |
| | organizational learning saying that "it
|
| responsibility, regardless of the factors
| |
| | is not a luxury, it is how organizations
|
| involved". A fair-minded stance on these
| |
| | discover their future". Linking
|
| different viewpoints would evoke that the
| |
| | organizational learning with Kerzner's
|
| purpose of the project review is not to
| |
| | (2001, p111) five factors for continuous
|
| find a scapegoat but to learn from the
| |
| | improvement we can a define a structured
|
| mistakes. After all, "the only true
| |
| | approach for understanding projects.This
|
| project failures are those from which
| |
| | approach can be implemented in the
|
| nothing is learned" (Kerzner, 2004,
| |
| | closeout phase, with systematic reviews
|
| p303).AnalysisWhen the project is
| |
| | for each of the above factors. Doing so,
|
| finished, the closeout phase must be
| |
| | project closure could receive the
|
| implemented as planned. "A general rule
| |
| | attention it deserves and be a truly
|
| is that project closing should take no
| |
| | powerful method for continuous
|
| more than 2% of the total effort required
| |
| | improvement within an organization.
|
| for the project" (Crawford, 2002, p163).
| |
| | Finally, project closeout phase should be
|
| The project management literature has
| |
| | linked with PMI's Organizational Project
|
| many different sets of actions for the
| |
| | Management Maturity (OPM3) model where
|
| last phase of the project life cycle.
| |
| | the lessons learned from one project are
|
| Maylor (2005, p345) groups the necessary
| |
| | extremely valuable to other projects of
|
| activities into a six step procedure,
| |
| | the same program in order to achieve the
|
| which can differ depending on the size
| |
| | highest project management maturity
|
| and the scope of the
| |
| | height.References1. A Guide to Project
|
| project:1. CompletionFirst of all, the
| |
| | Management Body of Knowledge, 2004, 3rd
|
| project manager must ensure the project
| |
| | Edition, Project Management Institute,
|
| is 100% complete. Young (2003, p256)
| |
| | USA, p1022. Arora M, 1995, Project
|
| noticed that in the closeout phase "it is
| |
| | management: One step beyond, Civil
|
| quite common to find a number of
| |
| | Engineering, 65, 10, [Electronic], pp
|
| outstanding minor tasks from early key
| |
| | 66-683. Barkley & Saylor, 2001,
|
| stages still unfinished. They are not
| |
| | Customer-Driven Project Management,
|
| critical and have not impeded progress,
| |
| | McGraw-Hill Professional, USA,
|
| yet they must be completed". Furthermore,
| |
| | p2144. Bucero A, 2005, Project Know-How,
|
| some projects need continuing service and
| |
| | PM Network, May 2005 issue, [Electronic],
|
| support even after they are finished,
| |
| | pp 20-225. Crawford K, 2002, The
|
| such as IT projects. While it is helpful
| |
| | Strategic Project Office, Marcel Dekker,
|
| when this demand is part of the original
| |
| | USA, p1636. Department of Veteran
|
| statement of requirements, it is often
| |
| | Affairs, 2004, Project Management Guide,
|
| part of the contract closeout. Rosenau
| |
| | Office of Information and Technology -
|
| and Githens (2005, p300) suggest that
| |
| | USA Government, p137. Dvir D, 2005,
|
| "the contractor should view continuing
| |
| | Transferring projects to their final
|
| service and support as an opportunity and
| |
| | users: The effect of planning and
|
| not merely as an obligation" since they
| |
| | preparations for commissioning on project
|
| can both learn from each other by
| |
| | success, International Journal of Project
|
| exchanging ideas.2. Documentation
| |
| | Management vol. 23, [Electronic], pp
|
| Mooz et. al (2003, p160) defines
| |
| | 257-2658. Futrel R, Shafer D & Shafer L,
|
| documentation as "any text or pictorial
| |
| | 2002, Quality Software Project
|
| information that describe project
| |
| | Management, Prentice Hall PTR, USA,
|
| deliverables". The importance of
| |
| | p10789. Gannon, 1994, Project Management:
|
| documentation is emphasized by Pinkerton
| |
| | an approach to accomplishing things,
|
| (2003, p329) who notes that "it is
| |
| | Records Management Quarterly, Vol. 28,
|
| imperative that everything learned during
| |
| | Issue 3, [Electronic], pp
|
| the project, from conception through
| |
| | 3-1210. Heerkens G, 2002, Project
|
| initial operations, should be captured
| |
| | Management, McGraw-Hill, USA,
|
| and become an asset". A detailed
| |
| | p22911. Kempster S, 2005, The Need for
|
| documentation will allow future changes
| |
| | Change, MSc in Project Management: Change
|
| to be made without extraordinary effort
| |
| | Management module, Lancaster University,
|
| since all the aspects of the project are
| |
| | [Electronic], slide 1612. Kerzner H,
|
| written down. Documentation is the key
| |
| | 2004, Advanced Project Management: Best
|
| for well-organized change of the project
| |
| | Practices on Implementation, 2nd Edition,
|
| owner, i.e. for a new investor that takes
| |
| | Wiley and Sons, p30313. Kerzner H, 2001,
|
| over the project after it is finished.
| |
| | Project Management - A Systems Approach
|
| Lecky-Thompson (2005, p26) makes a
| |
| | to Planning, Scheduling and Controlling,
|
| distinction between the documentation
| |
| | 7th Edition, John Wiley & Sons, New York,
|
| requirements of the internal and the
| |
| | p59414. Kerzner H, 2001, Strategic
|
| external clients since the external party
| |
| | Planning For Project Management Using A
|
| usually needs the documents for audit
| |
| | Project Management Maturity Model, Wiley
|
| purposes only. Despite the uninteresting
| |
| | and Sons, pp 110-11115. Lecky-Thompson G,
|
| nature of documenting historical data,
| |
| | 2005, Corporate Software Project
|
| the person responsible for this task must
| |
| | Management, Charles River Media, USA,
|
| engage actively with his
| |
| | p2616. Loo R, 2002, Journaling: A
|
| assignment.3. Project Systems Closure
| |
| | learning tool for project management
|
| All project systems must close down at
| |
| | training and team-building, Project
|
| the closeout phase. This includes the
| |
| | Management Journal; Dec 2002 issue, vol.
|
| financial systems, i.e. all payments must
| |
| | 33, no. 4, [Electronic], pp
|
| be completed to external suppliers or
| |
| | 61-6617. Maylor H, 2005, Project
|
| providers and all work orders must
| |
| | Management, Third Edition with CD
|
| terminate (Department of Veterans
| |
| | Microsoft Project, Prentice Hall, UK,
|
| Affairs, 2004, p13). "In closing project
| |
| | p34518. Mooz H, Forsberg K & Cotterman H,
|
| files, the project manager should bring
| |
| | 2003, Communicating Project Management:
|
| records up to date and make sure all
| |
| | The Integrated Vocabulary of Project
|
| original documents are in the project
| |
| | Management and Systems Engineering, John
|
| files and at one location" (Arora, 1995).
| |
| | Wiley and Sons, USA, p16019. Murray J,
|
| Maylor (2005, 347) suggest that "a formal
| |
| | 2001, Recognizing the responsibility of a
|
| notice of closure should be issued to
| |
| | failed information technology project as
|
| inform other staff and support systems
| |
| | a shared failure, Information Systems
|
| that there are no further activities to
| |
| | Management, Vol. 18, Issue 2,
|
| be carried out or charges to be made". As
| |
| | [Electronic], pp 25-2920. Newell S, 2004,
|
| a result, unnecessary charges can be
| |
| | Enhancing Cross-Project Learning,
|
| avoided by unauthorized expenditure and
| |
| | Engineering Management Journal, Vol. 16,
|
| clients will understand that they can not
| |
| | No.1, [Electronic], pp
|
| receive additional services at no
| |
| | 12-2021. Organizational Project
|
| cost.4. Project Reviews
| |
| | Management Maturity (OPM3): Knowledge
|
| The project review comes usually comes
| |
| | Foundation, 2003, 3rd Edition, Project
|
| after all the project systems are closed.
| |
| | Management Institute, USA22. Pinkerton J,
|
| It is a bridge that connects two projects
| |
| | 2003, Project Management, McGraw-Hill,
|
| that come one after another. Project
| |
| | p32923. Reed B, 2001, Making things
|
| reviews transfer not only tangible
| |
| | happen (better) with project management,
|
| knowledge such as numerical data of cost
| |
| | May/Jun 2001 issue, 21, 3, [Electronic],
|
| and time but also the tacit knowledge
| |
| | pp 42-4624. Rosenau & Githens, 2005,
|
| which is hard to document. 'Know-how' and
| |
| | Successful Project Management, 4th
|
| more important 'know-why' are passed on
| |
| | Edition, Wiley and Sons, USA,
|
| to future projects in order to eliminate
| |
| | p30025. Sowards D, 2005, The value of
|
| the need for project managers to 'invent
| |
| | post project reviews, Contractor, 52, 8,
|
| the wheel' from scratch every time they
| |
| | [Electronic], p3526. Thomset R, 2002,
|
| start a new project. The reuse of
| |
| | Radical Project Management, Prentice Hall
|
| existing tools and experience can be
| |
| | PTR, USA, p26027. Whitten N, 2003, From
|
| expanded to different project teams of
| |
| | Good to Great, PM Network, October 2003
|
| the same organization in order to enhance
| |
| | issue, [Electronic]28. Young, 2003, The
|
| project results (Bucero, 2005). Reviews
| |
| | Handbook of Project Management: A
|
| have a holistic nature which investigate
| |
| | Practical Guide to Effective Policies and
|
| the impact of the project on the
| |
| | Procedures, 2nd Edition, Kogan Page, UK,
|
| environment as a whole. Audits can also
| |
| | p256Dimitris Litsikakis is currently
|
| be helpful but they are focused on the
| |
| | studying MSc Project Management in one of
|
| internal of the organization. Planning
| |
| | the top business schools in UK, Lancaster
|
| the reviews should include the
| |
| | University. He has published a series of
|
| appropriate time and place for the
| |
| | articles in Ne.O (New Technology
|
| workshops and most important the people
| |
| | Observer).
|
