CLOSURE

Transfer

A key aspect of closure is transfer.

Transfer is the process of making sure the client has an ongoing capability to support the change after the consultant has gone. Methods of effecting transfer include:

• training;

• writing manuals and programmes;

• establishing systems and procedures.

Key points are, firstly that transfer is part of the project. If consultant and other resources are not contracted for transfer, it won't happen. Transfer should be included, where appropriate, in the terms of reference and provisions should be made in the project costing for carrying it out. Secondly, transfer should include follow-up. Follow-up visits by the consultant can be used to ensure that transfer has been successful, and can be used to deal with any problems that might have cropped up. A further advantage of follow-up is to consultants - it gives them a further right of entry to a client organization, and therefore provides a commercial opportunity.

Evaluation

Finally, there needs to be some sort of review of the project. At a superficial level, evaluation is simply assessing the degree to which the client was satisfied; but on a project of any significant size, you should carry out a case review, which identifies the key learnings arising from the project and records these on the practice's knowledge management system. Case review can also be done jointly with the client - not only leading to richer results but in a growth in the relationship.