Chapter 5: Project Closing

OVERVIEW

Closing is the final stage of the project leadership responsibilities model, as highlighted in Table 5-1. Closing is a fundamental element of the management of any project. By its very definition, a project is a temporary endeavor so there must be an ending. Despite the obvious importance of project closing, the specifics are often not performed well and sometimes not performed at all.

Table 5-1: Project Leader Responsibilities: Closing

Category of Project Leadership Task	Project Leadership Stage
	Initiating	Planning	Executing	Closing
Project Priorities	Align project with parent organization	Understand and respond to the customer	Authorize work	Audit project
Project Details	Perform risk analysis	Oversee detailed plan development	Monitor progress and control changes	Terminate project
Project Integration	Justify and select project	Integrate project plans	Coordinate work across multiple projects	Capture and share lessons learned
Human Resources	Select key project participants	Select remainder of project participants	Supervise work performance	Reassign workers
Human Relations	Determine team operating methods	Develop communications plan	Lead teams	Reward and recognize participants
Project Promotion	Develop top management support	Motivate all participants	Maintain morale	Celebrate project completion
Project Commitment	Commit to project	Secure key stakeholder approval	Secure customer acceptance	Oversee administrative closure

As in the previous stages in the project lifecycle, seven project leadership tasks are involved in this stage:

• Audit project

• Terminate project

• Capture and share lessons learned

• Reassign workers

• Reward and recognize participants

• Celebrate project completion

• Oversee administrative closure.