Chapter 16
Bringing Your Project to Closure
In This Chapter
Planning for a successful project termination
Dealing with early closure of the project – a ‘crash stop’
Helping your team members move on to new work
Evaluating your project’s successes and failures
One characteristic that distinguishes a project from ‘business as usual’ work is its distinct end – the point at which all work is complete, the results are achieved (of course) and reviewed, and the project team disbanded. However, with intense demands pulling you to your next assignment, you may need to show some determination in order to finish the project properly and thank all the people who made it possible.
Unfortunately, not bringing your projects to full closure hurts both the organisation and the people who performed the work. When you don’t assess the extent to which your project achieved the desired outcomes, you can’t determine whether you conceived, planned and performed the project well. Furthermore, team members don’t have the chance to experience closure, achievement and a job well done.
This chapter shows you how to close your project successfully by finishing all substantive work, performing the final administrative tasks and helping team members complete their association with your project and move on. In addition, this chapter helps you carry out a project evaluation, which is important to pick up on good and bad things that happened in this project, from which you and the organisation can take lessons ...
