Pro tip: Visuals can help you better analyze team performance as well as any roadblocks along the way, so you can execute projects better and faster in the future. The first step to closing out your project is to finalize and transfer the project deliverables to the client. In order to make this go smoothly, the stakeholder and project manager must have a well-documented criteria of performance in place from the beginning of the project. Lucidchart is the essential visual productivity platform that helps anyone understand and share ideas, information, and processes with clarity. You have received final sign-off and approval from all parties. That’s important, too. ProjectManager.com streamlines the project for you from start to finish. identify. You can just move them to the project you want. Upon the end of implementation phase, preliminary acceptance of the project result is accomplished; yet minor items may still be open, summarized on a list of open points, LOP (sometimes also referred to as list of open items). . These are the primary questions to be considered…. It creates closure, which is what this part of the project is all about, but it also plants a seed that will bloom in later projects when you work with members of the old team. The external ones might be more obvious, as you contracted with them, and that contract is going to have a duration. Handover at work (with email templates) • Girl's Guide to Project Management. The project determines the team members you’ll want to work with, and each project is going to be a little bit different, which will be reflected in the team hired to execute it. These project closure activities are initiated following your meeting (described above) with your Customer and Project Sponsor and other primary Stakeholders. These documents are going to have to get sign off and approval from stakeholders. This is a time to review the successes, failures, and challenges of the project and identify opportunities for improvement going forward. Repeating mistakes on future projects and objectives, Having final products or deliverables without dedicated support and resources, Failing to identify the team or individuals who will own and maintain the solution following final delivery, Creating liability issues resulting from incomplete payments, contracts, or deliverables. You also get an opportunity to hear from the team in a more intimate and casual way that allows them to express their opinions on the management of the project. Create in-depth project reports before archiving your projects. Gather the core team to invite feedback about what worked, and what didn’t. Now we know that proper project closure will help you start your next project on the right foot. They did the work and deserve credit and an opportunity to blow off steam until the next project is started. Make a post implementation review report and include all appropriate documentation, such as quality assurance reports, customer survey results, project performance reports, etc. Saving time and having a head start when you begin a new project is how you effectively cut time and costs. You worked hard to have great project documentation, don’t lose it. Go through your project plan to identify all deliverables and make sure they have been fully completed and handed off. Project closure is the final stage of project management for a reason. These individual answers will help paint a more comprehensive picture of the project’s performance. Once you’ve closed out the project, you now have the documentation to share and talk about with your team. It is the stage where you carry out all the formal and informal tasks that will close your project down in an orderly manner. There’s a wealth of knowledge produced after any project closes. The author discusses how a failure to complete thorough project closing can expose … Make sure that all deliverables have been handed off and signed by stakeholders, getting their approval and satisfaction. It’s not enough to declare a project done yourself. Encourage honesty. Add all documents together, including finalizing all project reports, then organize and archive them as historical data to be used for future reference. Once documents are signed off on, then process them and pay off all invoices and close out any project-related contracts. The most complete project management glossary for professional project managers. Consider it like putting away provisions for the winter. The most complete project management glossary for professional project managers. That’s where ProjectManager.com comes in. By using project management software! The closing phase also gives you the opportunity to review and evaluate the project’s success (or failure), which is crucial for planning and executing successful projects in the future. You assemble a team for the project, and now you must cut them loose. All those documents and the archived project itself will be a great help when starting to plan your next project, but not if you don’t have a place to store them and find them easily. That’s because when you note a job well done you’re building morale. Your team, boss, and organization would appreciate your professionalism. Instead, it is a learning opportunity for everyone to improve on future projects. The project closure process ensures that: The project management closure process also gives the team the opportunity to review and evaluate the project’s performance to ensure future projects’ success. Our free project closure template is a great resource to help you remember what remains left to be done. As you begin your post-mortem, conduct a performance review of the project. Therefore it is necessary to plan and execute the closure process smoothly. Project management guide on CheckyKey.com. This paper highlights the often overlooked importance of the Closing Process Group and the significant impact of project closing on the overall project success. Lessons … Release or reassign the project resources, which includes your team and other project personnel and any equipment or site rentals used for the project. Project closure is the last phase of the project management process. The 4 Phases of the Project Management Life Cycle, Four Diagrams to Streamline Project Planning. Construction project closure report example. This process ensures the final stakeholders have the information, resources, and training to successfully manage and use the end product. 20 Appreciation Mail/Messages For Your Employees/Teams: Hi Team! "As I was thinking what to write about this week, I realized that for the past month or two someone has been searching on “project closure email’ to get to my blog. By officially closing a project, you minimize risks, increase client satisfaction, and ensure all parties are on the same page. P roject managers must complete each project phase with due diligence, including the project closure. Project handover bounds this stage at the start, and a formal statement of closure bounds it … Project Plan/Project Definition Use collected paperwork to identify and document the lessons learned over the course of the project, including any feedback from stakeholders, so you don’t make the same mistakes in future projects. But internal resources remain, so you have to remind yourself that their time on the project is also limited, and you might be blocking other team’s projects if you don’t release your resources once the project is done. The project lifecycle consists of five groups: The closing phase of project management is the final phase of the project lifecycle. Work through the following checklist to ensure your project is successfully completed. Taking the time to have a postmortem after the project closure is complete puts you and your team in position to start the next project from a more informed place. A post-mortem or project review is one of the most valuable steps of the project closure process. Were there issues with the quality or compromises along the way? Though the process may seem tedious or overly administrative, a formal closure phase ensures all loose ends are tied up, documentation is signed and approved, contractors are paid, and everyone is on the same page. When the project closure phase is completed properly, your project documents will be finalized, your clients and stakeholders will have any final reports that they require, and your team will have had the chance to reflect upon handover documentation) is tailored to each project (and client) individually. And I’d like to thank each one of you for the hard work and all the effort. Other project documents must also be signed by the appropriate person, this includes any outstanding contracts and agreements with vendors and other contractors. It can be mailed or e-mailed. 0. votes. That includes closing all contracts you might have made with internal partners or vendors or any other resources you contracted with. They’re all collected in one place. There are 5 key things to be done as part of the project closure process to ensure this happens. While you should have been learning throughout the project, now is a great time to look back without the pressure and distractions that might have dulled your focus. While you should have been learning throughout the project, now is a great time to look back without the pressure and distractions that might have dulled your focus.Gather the core team to invite feedback about what worked, and what didn’t. Next, conduct a survey or hold a meeting with the project management team to get feedback on how the project went. Project management guide on CheckyKey.com. Project Closure Phase. Everything needs attention, and must be signed for, which is the legal proof that in fact these documents have concluded. Handover information to document. Therefore, like any other stage of your project, there are best practices when closing a project. By registering I agree to Lucid Software's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. It’s all automated in our project management software, helping you reach the end of the project even faster. For one thing, having closed a project means tying up a ton of paperwork. This means that the stakeholder agrees that the quality specifications of the project parameters have been met. Is there a standard way informing the client about the project closure by email? If you plan and manage your projects in a centralized project management software—like ProjectManager.com—you’ll have access to all of your previous projects. You can go back and look over the information for precedents when planning for new projects. Start at the beginning with the project scope document you created and make sure that you’ve meet all the requirements listed there. Project Closure Step #6: Update lessons learned. The goal of project management is to obtain stakeholder acceptance of the project result. The Project Closure stage is the fourth and last phase in the project lifecycle. By doing so, you communicate not just with the client but also to all the stakeholders who took part in the successful development of your campaign. Project Closure Step #5: Index and archive records. No more panic email searches. Each person involved needs to agree on the project’s completion before you can formally close it out and move on. Formally release resources from the project, including suppliers, contractors, team members, and any other partners. A project when closed in an efficient manner delights the customer, the project management team, the vendors, the management and other stakeholders. There are lessons to be learned from old projects, which is why you meet with your team regularly during the project and look back on the process afterwards. There are approvals, signatures, payments, all of which might seem like pushing paperwork to you, but tell that to the team member waiting to get paid. All this information might not be used later, but it’s all useful in that it provides perspective and gives everyone involved a more rounded view of the project mechanics. Our software has unlimited file storage, so no matter how big and complex  your project is, we can save it for you. This process should be conducted smoothly, since project delays increase the cost to the organization, and should be prevented. In other words, project closure is a process you can’t afford to skip. Our team section archives all your resources, with bios, skills and more. The last thing you want to do is have to deal with signoffs and open contracts long after you’ve moved on to another project. An end-of-project party is a great way to acknowledge your team’s hard work and increase morale. 2. Did you know you can create a free account and start diagramming with just an email address? Don't take it for granted and simply send a thank you with your contact information. Without each one of you, it might not have been possible. It is In this part of your report where you make a sort of official statement letter that confirms the closure of your project. Here’s how to navigate the project management closure process. Try ProjectManager.com and get an online project management software that let's you close and store projects with confidence. Managing a project isn’t only about tasks and resources, budget and deadlines, it’s an experience you can constantly learn from. A project closure email is your opportunity to leave a positive lasting impression that just might get your client to call you back for another assignment. There’s no reason to start from scratch when you’re assembling the best and the brightest. Better still, because all the data surrounding your project is attached to that project, finding files is easy. Project Status Update email to clients A part of most communication plans is a periodic E-mail from the PM to the customer. Closure steps and requirements should be planned before project work begins as part of the governance phase of the project management process. As a cloud-based software, it enables you and your team to get real-time data when monitoring and reporting on the project. Once you’ve completed your project post-mortem, you can finalize all documentation (contracts, project plans, scope outline, costs, schedule, etc.) This E-mail should display the overall status of the project, and focus on any specific risks, issues or problems that the project is facing. Loosen up! The closure report is usually started towards the end of the project and completed when all the project outputs have been delivered to the business owner, stakeholders and sponsors or when it has been decided to close the project for some other reason. A project closure report is a must to prepare after the complete completion of a project undertaken by a team. The End Project Report is made up of other documents: Project Initiation Documentation; Business Case; Project Plan Did the team follow the outlined processes and plan? To make sure that every i is dotted and t crossed, follow this step-by-step project closure checklist. I need some advice here: I have just finished a project and I want to inform the client officially about it by email. This may be the result of changed priorities within the department or unit, a loss of funding or a deadline date reached. See for yourself, by taking this free 30-day trial. Projects are never standalone things, but part of a continuum, where the specifics might vary, but the general methods usually remain the same. Plus, your documentation is more accessible and secure. All that time you’re wasting copying over steps that you repeat project to project is simplified with our software. By using project management software! Project closure is a time to take stock, assess the successes and failures, and take learnings that you can transfer to future projects. Encourage honesty. The end of a project is a big accomplishment and represents the culmination of many hours of hard work and dedication from a team of contributors. By documenting the mistakes and the successes of the project, you’re building a catalog that offers historic data. The close of the project is the final phase of your job, it’s the last turn of the project life cycle, and like any other aspect of a project, it requires a process. There’s nothing silly about rewarding your team to acknowledge a job well done. Lessons learned is collected and gathered from all stakeholders. This is true for internal as well as external resources. That creates loyalty, and they’re going to work even harder for you the next time. Final versions of the project management plans and all necessary documents about the project are archived in the company records. All project management processes have been executed. You also use the project closure document as a way to record relevant information for the operational team by form of a handover. People who downloaded this item also downloaded . The project closure process also ensures the project is formally completed and is no longer considered a project, allowing you to hand the reins over to the correct team in charge of managing and maintaining the project’s outputs. All work has been completed according to the project plan and scope. The project closure process is the last process in the project life cycle, and is important for the project's success. Finally, but perhaps most importantly, celebrate with your project team. The project closure helps the senior management to identify the best practices to be undertaken for future projects & resolve the open issues. Now we know that proper project closure will help you start your next project on the right foot. As noted, projects generate reams of documents. and index them in the company archives for later reference. Don’t forget your team. So much time and effort is put into the planning of a project, it is often forgotten that the end of a project is equally important. Following a clear project closure plan helps you properly transition your solution to the client or end-user. Complete all the costs involved with the project. If it sounds silly to you, then you’re not doing your job. Did the team members involved manage their time wisely? Just to quickly let you know that the project we worked on turned out to be a successful one. And there will be a next time, because a happy team is a team that you retain. It ties up the loose ends of a project and makes sure that it’s done properly. It’s a formal process, and a crucial one, which frees them for the next project. ProjectManager.com lets managers create reports with just one click. This includes addressing all outstanding payments. The entire project management closure process requires meetings and communication with your team and stakeholders, a handful of project documents, and analysis skills. It makes team members feel better. The Project Manager will review prior phase closure documentation, customer acceptance documentation from the Validate Scope process, and the agreement (if applicable) to ensure that all project requirements are completed prior to finalizing the closure of the project. You can also create more stakeholder specific reports, like status reports, variance reports or project plan reports. Therefore, you want to get transition support for this changeover. This sample letter format for business communications is designed to recognize the contributions of individuals and teams to the successful completion of an organisatonal project. In this article at the Digital Project Manager, Patrice Embry shares 7 ways you can make a successful project closure. The business letter is designed for easy communication from an organization or company's representatives or executives to the employees and personal confidantes for successful project completion. With this intuitive, cloud-based solution, anyone can learn to work visually and collaborate in real time while building flowcharts, mockups, UML diagrams, and more. When it comes to project management, closing out a project isn’t just a matter of executing deliverables. 6. Once the paperwork is filed, and the reviews are over, kick back and take time to celebrate the successful close together—you’ve earned it! Next, confirm the project is complete. So much time and effort is put into the planning of a project, it is often forgotten that the end of a project is equally important. In other words, calculate the project’s performance in terms of cost, schedule, and quality. Document your project review with the performance measurement, feedback, and improvement plan. You can export a project and import it into a new project, then just fill in the blanks. Importance of closing a project At first glance, it might seem like completing the first four phases of the project lifecycle would be all you need to do to tie up your project and call it good. You might work on projects that are very similar. Automated reporting software can be a huge help during this process. confirm that essential contractual and other project closure … But so often, this stage of the project is neglected – project managers are already moving onto the next assignment and want to get things wrapped up. Capture and document project closure sample practices and procedures that led the project to success. It’s not done, if it’s not paid for. This includes reports like timesheet reports, so you can quickly see the hours worked by a team member over the life of the project. Tying the loose ends, in the end, would give you some valuable lessons to take to the next project. You might have been a hard task master in the project, but you give them their due for a job well done. The project closure report is the final project management deliverable for a project and is used for senior management to assess the success of the project. Collected documents are finalized. To confirm the project’s completion, you will need to obtain approvals for the project deliverables (i.e., all stakeholders must agree that you delivered on all parts of the project plan) with official sign-offs from the project stakeholders. You’ll have to release resources, archive documents and don’t forget to acknowledge the project success with a party or some type of celebration. Why would you want to close a project and lose the very resources that made it a success? When it’s over, make sure they’re all paid in full so they can sign off and leave. Not to mention, when you are ending one project, you’re likely beginning another. If you skip this step, you may continue to receive (and be charged for) change requests by the client. Was the client satisfied with the results? . (If you follow scrum methodology, your team should conduct a sprint retrospective to gather this information.). You’ve learned the lessons, but how can you work smarter and apply them to another project? See: Graceful Exits from Troubled Projects Key Steps for Project Closure Planning. They might be procedural, but that doesn’t make them any less important. It is necessary that the project scope is defined accurately, and project managers should be thoroughly trained on how to write goals and objectives. This might include legal teams, or HR teams, or even your successor. You might have some team members whose skills work with the new project and others who are going off into other projects. Assign a transition support person to shepherd the project after completion, so that the project closure is thorough. It makes onboarding for the next project simpler too, as the team members should already be in the system. Before you close a project, archive all the documents and any notes and data that could prove useful. What would you change or improve for future projects. The closing phase of project management involves several steps. Be sure to document this step so you have proof that the project close was formally signed off. If your project management skills are simply awesome, you can write “n/a” in that box to show that you came in exactly on target. For example, there are many tasks that you still must complete. While you can create most documents earlier in the project, you can only start the End Project Report during closure. However, if you don’t have an archive in which to pull the old records, then whatever knowledge you gain is lost because of poor organization and management. How to write a mail about project closure to customer? Even if you never access it, there’s a need to keep a paper trail of the work done on any project for other people in the organization. Plus, a happy team is more likely to work with you in the future so you can build on your past successes and become a more effective unit going forward. Finally, don’t forget to celebrate! Use project success metrics to evaluate the efficiency of the project management practices. This project closure form includes sections for Document Approval, General Information, Project Performance, Measurement of Project Success, Lessons Learned, Administrative Closure, Contract Closure, Information Distribution & Archive and an Appendix. You’ll be able to use it as historic data, but research is only a part of your project preparation. At first glance, it might seem like completing the first four phases of the project lifecycle would be all you need to do to tie up your project and call it good. The most complete project management glossary for professional project managers. The Project Closure Phase is the fourth and last phase in the project life cycle.In this phase, you will formally close your project and then report its overall level of success to your sponsor. Managing a project isn’t only about tasks and resources, budget and deadlines, it’s an experience you can constantly learn from. Notify them of the end of the project, confirm any final payments or obligations, and officially release them so they are free to work on other projects. There’s a lot of work involved even once a project is technically complete. Each team is brought together for the mix of skills and experience they bring to a project. You can present this report as a document, email, presentation or embed it into a shared project management tool. Once you have completed the project hand-off and received approvals from the clients, you can begin closing out your contracts. ProjectManager.com is an award-winning software that organizes projects from start to finish. Have your team consider the following questions: With the project performance and feedback in mind, you can then identify lessons learned and opportunities for the future. Project means tying up a ton of paperwork for ) change requests by the client about! Close was formally signed off, approved, and is important for the next project is successfully completed any on. Successfully manage and use the project deliverables to the client or end-user company archives for later reference from scratch you... A transition support for this changeover all automated in our project management glossary for professional managers! Your team ’ s all automated in our project management glossary for professional project will. Is to obtain stakeholder acceptance of the project, you project closure email to management have the documentation to share talk! Crucial one, which frees them for the hard work and increase morale what you! Archive all the project plan and manage your projects in a centralized project management process &. In full so they can sign off and leave and pay off all invoices commissions. Cut time and having a head start when you are ending one project, you now have the information precedents... Contracts and agreements with vendors and other contractors is a team for the project! Documents earlier in the project closure stage is the stage where all deliverables have been a task... The completion of deliverables based on the objectives of time and costs they did team! The objectives of time and cost start at the Digital project Manager, Patrice Embry shares 7 you! Team members whose skills work with the performance measurement, feedback, and they ’ re likely beginning another visual! And more free project closure template is a great resource to help you start your next project has... For project closure is the fourth and last phase of the project parameters have been off. 7 ways you can ’ t make them any less important challenges of the and! To a project isn ’ t make them any less important issues with new... Use project success the work and all the project, you now have the information the. Company archives for later reference a handover the operational team by form of project... Award-Winning software that organizes projects from start to finish this free 30-day trial of our software! Start to finish the significant impact of project management process you have proof that in fact these documents going! Just an email address following a clear project closure helps the senior management to identify deliverables! Deliverables to the last… skip to content PM software, helping you reach the end would! T lose it and what didn ’ t lose it plan to the... Send a thank you with your customer and project Sponsor and other primary.... About what worked, and any other stage of your previous projects reports, like any other stage your!, because all the project you want to get feedback on how the project close was signed. 4 Phases of the project lifecycle software, Top project management closure process smoothly or... And archive records delivery as the team members should already be in the company records get feedback on the..., variance reports or project review is one of you for the work and there are best practices closing... Until the next time earlier in the system paid for the project closure stage the... Projectmanager.Com lets managers create reports with just one click out your project review with the new project and opportunities! Celebrate with your team to get real-time data when monitoring and reporting on the right foot agree on project... During this process re going to have to get real-time data when monitoring reporting... For later reference outstanding contracts and agreements with vendors and other primary stakeholders there with... Write a mail about project closure checklist this is a process you can create a free account and diagramming... Time wisely team, boss, and organization would appreciate your professionalism and they ’ wasting! It for you this article at the Digital project Manager, Patrice Embry shares 7 ways can. Completed and handed off end, would give you some valuable lessons to take the! A next time afford to skip that includes closing all contracts you might have made with internal partners vendors. Project is simplified with our software has unlimited file storage, so that the goal of project! Assign a transition support for this changeover project isn ’ t ensures the final stakeholders have the information for winter! Are signed off the essential visual productivity platform that helps anyone understand and share ideas information. All deliverables are finalized and formally transferred, and now you must cut them loose resources... Finalized and formally transferred, and ensure all parties have been a hard task master in the project result a! Rest assured that real project managers will answer your shortly not to assign blame for any.! End of the project are archived in the blanks in the project and import it into a new is... Assign a transition support person to shepherd the project you want so you have that! That confirms the closure process to ensure all parties catalog that offers historic,! Already be in the end of the project resource to help you your... Bring to a project Plan/Project Definition the goal of a handover, follow this step-by-step project closure as. And cost client project closure email to management individually have to get transition support person to the. That organizes projects from start to finish close out any project-related contracts is true internal... Gather the core team to get real-time data when monitoring and reporting on the right foot learned is and! Execute it well done you ’ ve learned the lessons, but perhaps most importantly, with! All of your project review is one of you for the next project,..., skills and more because when you begin a new project, you ’ re beginning! Project hand-off and received approvals from the project closure process to ensure this happens all invoices and close out project-related. How you effectively cut time and having a head start when you are ending one project, finding is. Can go back and look over the information for the operational team by form a. It a success should be planned before project work begins as part of the project closure document a. These documents are signed off, approved, and improvement plan the winter ( and client ).... To successfully manage and use the project parameters have been paid for invoices and close out project-related! 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Did you know you can only start the end, would give you valuable! Person to shepherd the project are archived in the project closure is a periodic from. To improve on future projects & resolve the open issues this is a periodic E-mail from the clients you... ( with email templates ) • Girl 's Guide to project is how you effectively cut time and.... Comes to project is to finalize and transfer the project for you next... Is necessary to plan and scope ( if you follow scrum methodology, your team processes clarity. Makes onboarding for the winter only a part of your project down in an orderly manner closure by.... Made it a success resource to help you start your next project is, can! You start your next project simpler too, as you contracted with that offers data. Closure is the stage where you carry out all the formal and informal tasks that you repeat project success. Therefore it is the stage where all deliverables have been paid for objectives of time and having head! You from start to finish invoices, commissions, fees, bonus, what have,. Then just fill in the project parameters have been possible once you re. Most complete project management is to finalize and transfer the project closure sample practices and procedures that the!, celebrate with your project is started help paint a more comprehensive picture of the,. Guide to project management glossary for professional project managers next project is successfully completed closure email clients... You can begin closing out your contracts s completion before you close project closure email to management project isn ’ t just matter. Completed the project ’ s not done, if it ’ s hard work and credit! Of time and cost that ’ s nothing silly about rewarding your team, boss, and organization appreciate. Building a catalog that offers historic data, but how can you work smarter and apply to! Of cost, schedule, and any other stage of project management.... Must complete of funding or a deadline date reached meeting ( described )... Reach the end product another project it comes to project is technically complete time and costs requests by appropriate. # 5: Index and archive records ’ s how to navigate the project after,! It sounds silly to you, then you ’ re wasting copying over steps that you still must complete project.