Project closure: the importance of closeout reports

If you have ever been involved in a project, you probably know how it usually ends. In the weeks or months prior to the formal conclusion, several project members and teams are already moving to new projects because their work is done. Then, at the project’s formal ending, there’s probably a meeting or gathering with champagne, a lot of hands to shake, and some congratulations… Then everybody goes their own way.

Forgot anything? Right. Proper project closeout.

Why project closeout matters

Although often forgotten or rushed through, proper project closure is crucial. It allows you and your future colleagues to learn from the mistakes and successes of a specific project. A high-quality closeout report will improve future projects by providing a detailed overview and serving as a reference for future endeavors. Depending on the similarity of the projects, you can use such a report as a helpful tool or even as a guideline.

Tip: Start writing the closeout report or collecting the necessary information from the beginning of the project. No need to wait until the end of a project. This reduces the likelihood of forgetting important aspects and minimizes the time required to complete the report after the project ended.

Structure of a project closeout report

The exact structure of a closeout report isn’t fixed, but its content can be roughly divided into two categories:

1) Project overview

A project overview allows people unfamiliar with the project to understand the background and processes involved. Someone who is not familiar with the project should be able to get up to speed by reading the report and apply the information to future projects. From the closeout report, it should be clear:

• What the objectives were and what the scope of the project was.
• Any scope changes (if there were any), and their reasons.
• Who was responsible for what.
• Achievements of the project and documentation of the planning and control process.
• Project quality, performance, and communication quality.

Basically, anything which should be known to fully understand and assess the project should be included.

2) References for future projects:

Lessons Learned

By documenting lessons learned, you effectively create a guide for future projects. This section should include both successes and areas for improvement, creating a do’s and don’ts list for similar future projects.

Tip: When you are finished with a project, ensure that the lessons learned are easily accessible to those who need it. For example, you can add a hyperlink to the closeout report in Cleopatra Enterprise.

Historical data and benchmarks

Another important aspect of the closeout report is the collection of historical data and benchmarks.

• Historical data and benchmarks are crucial for comparing future projects and developing Cost Models using actual data for high-level factor estimates.
• Historical data can also be used to check key project metrics against previous projects.
• In Cleopatra Enterprise’s project controls software, for example, project metrics can be defined and historical data can be used to develop Cost Models.

3) Recommendations for future projects

Finally, write recommendations for future projects based on the closeout report’s content. This allows future readers to quickly improve their projects and find relevant details within the report.

Conclusion

Proper closing procedures and well-structured closeout reports are essential for continuous improvement in project management. By documenting the project overview, lessons learned, and historical data, you create valuable resources for future projects. Organizations can improve their project closure processes by using closure documents or project closure checklists. These documents help ensure that all required steps are followed and completed in a systematic way.