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