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