Project Management and Project Closure
Name
Institution
Introduction
In business today, new trends in project management is a common concept. In any project, aspects of project management should always be considered to ensure success. It may be puzzling to a new manager to handle the first project successfully, but those territories will be a familiar concept after going through this paper. The journey of developing a project idea and actualizing it at the end requires a systematic and thoughtful process that I will walk with you through these scribing. The process of closing down a project, the ups and downs during the project management process, and solutions to improve any other project management scheme are the discussion’s major concerns.
Project management is a systematic process with well-ordered phases of development. To manage a project successfully, one should consider all the phases to ensure fulfillment of the desired goals as stipulated by the objectives. (Meredith, Shaffer & Mantel, 2017) outlined that the major phases of project development included Initiating a project, planning it, executing, monitoring, controlling the project, and finally closing the project mark the major phases of project management. It is of importance to understand the importance of each phase. Before closing down a project, the above-mentioned phases should be completed to the latter. The question then comes down to how do we close down a project successfully.
Project Closure
To begin with, closing down the project is the final phase of any project. The importance of closing down the project is as important as the project itself. So how do we ensure the successful closure of any project? To answer this, we need to know the purpose and the importance of closing g down a project. To avoid leaking important information about the project, I strongly advocate for closing down a completed project. Further, project closure helps avoid repeating mistakes on any other project, case of incomplete payments or contracts, or failure to identify the person who owns the project and come up with solutions in case of any problems. The importance of closing down a project is not limited to the above-mentioned list of importance.
Project closure may have several steps, but how did I close down my project; choosing the correct steps helps avoid repeating mistakes in any new project. Just but to mention, according to Lucidchart article, “Get it Done: Nailing the Project Management closure process,” posit that the following steps are important in closing down a project; formally transfer all deliverables, confirm project completion, reviewing all contracts and documentation, realizing resources, conducting a post-mortem, archive the document the finally celebrate the success of the project (Lucidchart, 2020). The above-mentioned steps ensure the total and successful closure of the project.
The initial step of closing down any project is to transfer all the deliverables to the clients formally. To transfer all the deliverables, one should assess the project plan, identify all the deliverables, and ensure that they are completed to the latter and finally handed off. Transferring all that needs to be transferred ensures the clients’ satisfaction, the management, and the team that took charge of the project management.
Confirming the project is complete is the next step in the hierarchy. During this process, every member of the project team needs to agree that the project is fully complete. This step is significant as it avoids any major setbacks from the clients or the management. For the project to be complete, every team member needs to sign to ascertain the project’s completion.
Reviewing all the contracts and documentation is also a major phase in project completion. Any contract given needs to be closed upon completion of the project. Necessary documentation also needs to be completed to ensure that all dues are paid, and everything is in order. Project documents need to be reviewed to avoid cases of impeding invoices.
Further, formally release resources from the project. These resources may include but are not limited to team members, suppliers, and contractors. Notifying the stakeholders of the project about completion is as important as the project itself. This helps in confirming any missed payment or duty. After notifying all the resource persons, they are now free to work on any other new project.
Project review or post-mortem of the project is the most important of the project closure phase. During this step, the successes, failures, and challenges of the project are put to light. This helps in identifying ways of making future projects more successful. A performance review in terms of cost schedule and quality needs to be assessed to determine a given project’s success. By engaging the project team and getting their feedback, you can easily get the project’s lessons. The purpose of reviewing the project is to make each member learn from the project and make better decisions in any future project.
To archive, the documents follow the project review. Finalizing documentation includes filling and indexing contracts, costs, and scope, and any other important information. Archiving the project helps refer to them if a similar project is to be sanctioned in the future. Notes on improvement opportunities and project performance should not be left out at any cost. With the modern trends in record keeping, the archived files can be stored and accessed electronically in case of the need for reference,
Finally, a celebration is in order. To adjourn the project successfully, you should end the project with a huge celebration to celebrate the projects’ accomplishment and the team in their sacrifices during the project development and actualization phases. The best way to acknowledge every member of the team’s effort is through a group party where you appreciate the effort and the sacrifice of every member who actively, directly, or directly participated in the project. It is important to note that a happy team is more likely to work with you in the future should an opportunity arise.
During the post-mortem step of project closure, we noted that a “lessoned learned” period was a major concern. The project I have partaken in, whatever went well and wrong during the project, contributed to the many lessons I have learned over the years. Choosing the correct team and the correct objectives were some of the things that went well in most of my projects. Issues of time frame and period have always been a challenge. Through overcoming these challenges, one can make better decisions for future references.
In conclusion, project management has always been a process that needs to be handled systematically and professionally. To achieve the set goals, the project team should work together for the project’s greater good. The closure phase of project development is critical as it closes all the loopholes of the project and congratulates the team on their success.
References
Fourie, A., & Brent, A. C. (2006). A project-based mine closure model (MCM) for sustainable asset life cycle management. Journal of Cleaner Production, 14(12-13), 1085-1095.
Lucidchart (2020) Get it Done: Nailing the Project Management closure process. Retrieved November 20, 2020, from https://www.lucidchart.com/blog/nailing-the-project-management-closure-process
Meredith, J. R., Shafer, S. M., & Mantel Jr, S. J. (2017). Project Management: A Strategic Managerial Approach. John Wiley & Sons.
Zohrehvandi, S., Khalilzadeh, M., Hajizadeh, M., & Cheraghi, E. (2017). Planning the project closure phase in combined cycle power plant projects. Procedia computer science, 121, 274-281.