Project Closure and Post Implementation Review for Cycle Phase

Question: Discuss about theProject Closure and Post Implementation Review for Cycle Phase. Answer: Project Closure Towards the end of any project managers will need to prepare for the closure. Project closure is the last phase of a project life cycle (Heagney 2016 p.34). It represents a phase in which activities and functions of a project come to a stop. It is all normal for projects to come to a closure because they must begin and end this is part of its characteristic. The project closure may take place quickly, clean or a longer process depending on the reason for closure. Project closure take place if goal of the project has been met, it is not economical and mutual agreement of stakeholders. Project managers need to be ready for any project closure in case it comes early or later. The project closure becomes the first event before project stakeholders review the post implementation. Project closure activities Once the management of the project decides to close the project all process leading to it must be planned and implemented (PMI 2013 pp.56). It should be a smooth planned process that will bring significant results. Similar to other project life cycle phase it should be planned, budgeted and scheduled appropriately. The first step to a closure process is to have a termination manager who will oversee the process. There are several activities, procedures and events that take place during project closure. Project managers organize a briefing meeting with all stakeholders (Heagney 2016 p.34). The meeting is preparing all stakeholders explaining to them events that takes place during project closure. A plan in form of a checklist for closure is created by the project manager. The checklist enables project team to follow them as part of steps during closure (example of checklist is attached in appendix 1). An inventory list was created of all resources and assets that are available and use d in the project. The inventory list of assets was useful in providing a methodology in which assets was disposed of. For example others were transferred to parent projects and others were sold for residual value. The project closure is not an individual activity every stakeholder needs to be informed and participate in the entire process. During closure all project team members, investors, suppliers and customers were summoned to a brief meeting were agreements were done mutually on matters that affected them directly or indirectly. Before accounts were closed the contractors, creditors and suppliers owing the business were paid for full statements of their accounts. All debts that the business owes are collected and banked. The human resource department was engaged in coming up with suitable plan of compensating the employees. For example some of the employees who had completed their contract were given gratuity as form of compensation. The termination managers who in most cases are the project manager will ensure that documents and records are closed, filled and stored well. Those documents with critical information are stored well in locked cabinets, while others are disposed of. The closure of works should be done smoothly to avoid conflicts and breakdown of operations. For example it can be done in stages or phases to allow organization and scheduling of resources and employees involved. A budget review was done to establish variances of the planned and actual performance. The review was done by having a project audit that covered finance and asset management. Later a ceremony of project closure was done involving the project stakeholders. Potential issues arising from none closure of projects The project closure was performed to ensure a smooth end to the project seek approval of project client or sponsor. The can be two potential issues that can arise if a project is not closed completely include: The first issue is that it can bring uncertainty among stakeholders if the processes and functions of the project continue. The second issue is that management cannot be able to evaluate how they performed by carrying out a post evaluation. The first issue can be solved by having a stakeholder closure briefing meeting, while the second issue is by having a post evaluation audit to establish if the goals have been met. The project closure phase is important in project because it signifies the end of process and acceptance of the project (Heagney 2016 pp.45). Project managers need to have a clear budget and schedule for project closure. Post Implementation Review Post implementation review comes after project closure has taken place. It is an assessments carried out after completion of a project which defines time and life cycle of the project (PMI 2013, pp.45). But is normal practice to allow time for project changes before PIR is done. The assessments are done based on three elements of aims, scope and objectives. PIR should clearly indicate what went wrong or right, indicating persons who contributed to success. Not forgetting activities and functions that brought value to the project. In project management it is important for project managers to review experiences in order to learn approaches for new experiences. PIR activity can be done by project team through audit or evaluation process with final report being made. A suitable PIR should cover the following subjects: project overall performance, technical/operative performance, techniques of project management, and organization structure. A review of overall performance was carried out to make comparison of had been achieved on the basis on what was planned. The findings from PIR process did provide proper justifications of the failures and triumphs that occurred. A review of technical and administration performance were useful in explaining if certain practice or procedure were efficient or effective. The PIR did provide findings of structure and schedule reviews of the project of which some aided or impeded the project (Crawford Nahmias 2010, pp.34). The project teams review helped in describing performance of each team member towards project. The findings did provide appraisal data was used to make decisions of retaining some of the skilled and competent employees. Lastly the PIR did provide data that was used to assess the effectiveness of the project tools, techniques and methodologies employed in executing project activities. Role of PIR in projects The fundamental purpose of PIR process is to improve and provide baseline data future projects. Many projects carry out PIR in order to establish if the project is meeting the required deliverables. The data collected can be useful in providing baseline information for future projects. They will be used by project managers as part of evidence of good practices that will be adopted. It is useful information when making estimates and budgets for similar projects in future. The projects can use PIR as a post evaluation activity that management can use to provide reports to relevant stakeholders. The team can review performance to establish whether the project did meet the goals and expectations of the stakeholders. In addition it can be useful in providing learning experiences. The data from PIR can provide weaknesses, failures and successes in which can be used to correct future projects. Project managers will need to integrate PIR in their projects in order to assess performance after they have been completed. Reference lists Crawford, L., A. H. Nahmias, 2010, Competencies for Managing Change, International Journal of Project Management, 28 (4), pp.405-412. Heagney, J., 2016, the project manager leader: in fundamentals of project Management. New York: Adventure works press. PMI, 2013, A guide to project management body of knowledge . Newtown Square: PA: PMI.