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The final stage of the lifecycle of a successful project is to review the completed project and evaluate its effectiveness. Use this practical framework to guide you through the review and evaluation stage, helping you to ensure that current and future projects will be a success.
Successful project closure can ensure:
- similar mistakes are not repeated from project to project
- the intended outputs are delivered
- customers are satisfied with the way the project has been run/delivered
Methodology
Tie Up the Loose Ends
First, you will have some important logistical arrangements to make when closing down the project:
- Decide on the relevant documents and correspondence that need to be archived, and where you will store these files.
- Even if the project has been signed off, it is important to establish a contact for future inquiries and let everyone know who it is.
- Prepare and work with the incoming team to hand over the project (if appropriate).
- Reallocate any remaining project resources, e.g. money that was not spent, materials that were unused, etc.
Recognize Achievements and Disengage Team Relationships
Sometimes, concluding the operations of a team can be distressing for team members, especially if they have worked together for long periods of time. The ‘adjournment’[1] stage of a project should therefore be carefully managed.
You may wish to hold an event to formally mark the end of the team relationship. This could be in the form of a final project team meeting, party, night out or away-day. Whichever way you choose to mark the end of the team relationship, ensure that you do the following:
- Recognize and praise team members’ efforts and thank them for their contributions. This could be in the form of some kind of bonus or reward, or by simply expressing your thanks and appreciation in a letter or email.
- Make the achievements known and celebrate them. You may wish to do this by circulating an email outlining the project’s successes to the rest of the department or organization, or by posting an article on your organization’s intranet or bulletin board.
- Analyze how effectively the team worked together by asking team members for feedback.
- Make sure that you communicate the way forward to team members. (For example, does the team have a future role and, if so, how might it reform?)
Review the Project After Completion
The project management process does not stop after the project has been implemented. Reviewing and evaluating the success of a project is crucial for identifying if any further work needs to be done, and if any lessons have been learned that can be applied to increase the success of future projects.
Assess Project Success
- It is at the evaluation stage that the need for defining clear objectives, goals and deliverables at the outset becomes clear. Without a gauge against which to measure the project, it is impossible to determine its success. The more carefully the project is planned, the easier the evaluation stage will be. Compare the initial objectives and deliverables agreed at the outset to the actual outputs.
- It is quite possible that the original objectives and deliverables may differ in some respects from the actual final outputs. What is important is that there is a clear explanation for this, that the causes are examined, and that there is a definite line of accountability. In most cases, ultimate accountability must lie with the project manager.
- If the objectives or deliverables were revised during the course of the project, review why this happened. Do you need to focus more attention on defining the objectives in the planning phase, or conduct a more detailed assessment of the potential problems and risks?
- In the event of some disparity, examine the impact and identify whether further work needs to be done.
- Examine whether the project was completed on or under budget, and whether it was completed within the agreed timescales.
- Review whether the project met the agreed quality controls.
- Review the success of the project from a strategic point of view. Did it build the brand, increase profits, reduce costs, generate more market share, or create competitive advantage for the business?
Evaluate Customer Satisfaction
The degree to which outputs meet stakeholders’, and particularly customers’ requirements is vital. You will need to review:
The degree to which outputs meet stakeholders’ (and particularly customers’) requirements is vital.
- Review whether the outcomes/deliverables fulfilled, or even exceeded, the customers’/stakeholders needs and expectations.
- Review how satisfied customers/stakeholders were with the project.
Reflect on Lessons Learned
Review any unforeseen problems that were encountered while working on the project. Examine:
- why they happened
- whether they could have been avoided
- what their impact was
- how you will deal with them if they arise again in the future
If there are any lessons to be learned, ensure that these are noted, communicated to the project team, and that action is taken to apply the lessons learned in order to improve future projects. Reviewing project success is a pointless exercise if the lessons learned are not applied to improve future working practices.
References[1] In 1965, psychology professor Bruce W. Tuckman published an article in the Psychological Bulletin titled 'Developmental Sequence in Small Groups,' identifying four important stages of team development. A copy of the article is available
here.
Following another period of research, he identified a fifth crucial stage, adjourning, which involves the disengagement of relationships between team members and a short period of recognition for the team’s achievements.
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