Project Termination Process T840

T840 - Prepare Project Completion Report

DEFINITION

A document should be prepared and agreed listing the achievements of the project in comparison to its goals, and noting further work required or recommended.

SUMMARY

This process involves

• confirming that project termination tasks have been completed,
• producing and agreeing a project completion report (reviewing the project’s accomplishments and its final status),
• defining the objectives of (and producing a schedule for) a post-implementation review,
• holding a project closure meeting, and
• issuing a formal project closure memo or letter.

PATH PLANNING GUIDANCE

This process is normal practice.

DEPENDENCIES

Prerequisites (Finish-Finish):

• All previous processes
• QA signoff (Q180)

Dependent procedures (Finish-Finish):

• (end of project)

RECEIVABLES

• Project Constitution (L010)
• Definition of Business Needs and Anticipated Benefits (L020)
• Prioritized Requirements Matrix (S070)
• Path Plan
• Segment Plans and tracking information
• Delivered System and documentation
• Outstanding issues noted in:
• Implementation Papers
• Test Control logs
• Issues Control system
• Correct Action Request log
• QA Signoff (Q180)

DELIVERABLES

• Project Completion Report
• Project completion letter / memo

TOOLS

• ITPM Core Guide

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF TASKS

Confirm that Project Termination Tasks have been completed

These tasks should have been covered by the other processes in the Terminate Project path:

• T900 Update Consultant Materials
• T100 Identify / Confirm New Roles for All Project Staff
• T810 File / Archive Materials, Correspondence

The project manager may also need to discuss specific project closure items with the project sponsor and/or steering committee.

Produce & Agree Project Completion Report

The report would typically contain the following information:

• Review of Project Requirements
• Project objectives
• Project scope
• Major deliverables
• Project approach
• High-level schedule

• Review of Project Accomplishments
• Milestones
• Deliverables
• Significant features
• Significant benefits achieved

• Final Status
• Planned versus actual
• Variance analyses and discussion

• Review of Open Items and Outstanding Issues
• List of enhancements
• List of transition issues

• Outline of Recommended Next Steps
• Finalize transition schedule
• Objectives / schedule for post-implementation review

Project Closing Meeting

A formal project closing meeting should be scheduled and conducted normally with the project sponsor, steering committee and project manager as the key attendees.  The meeting would typically review and sign-off the project completion report.  Particular attention would be paid to recommendations concerning “next steps”.

Project Closing Letter

The Project Manager or Project Director should also produce a project completion memo or letter as formal notification that the project is complete and that the team’s responsibilities are now discharged.  It may be appropriate for this letter to state explicitly who is now responsible for the support, control, management and ownership of the system.  This letter would be distributed to relevant parties.

Where Consultant have been involved directly in the project, it is normal practice for the engagement partner to write to the project’s sponsor to close the work and to summarize the project’s achievements.