CHAPTER 6

Project Quality Closure

Closure is defined in the PMBOK^© Guide as “formalizing acceptance of the project and bringing it to an orderly end.”¹ The quality closure stage begins with the customer’s formal acceptance of the final project deliverables and ends with referrals from the capable, satisfied customer. Quality closure follows quality control as the final stage in the five-stage project quality process model shown in Figure 6-1.

As is true of all five stages, the management activities will be much more involved on some projects than on others. Large, complex, unfamiliar projects will require more in-depth closure procedures than smaller, simpler, more familiar projects. The typical quality closure activities required are depicted in the flowchart in Figure 6-2.

Several factors facilitate the movement from customer acceptance of final project deliverables to the point at which the now-satisfied customer provides referrals. These include the role of the project quality pillars in closure, completion of necessary activities, and correct use of project quality tools. Table 6-1 categorizes these pillars, activities, and tools for the project quality closure stage into the project quality closure factors table.

This chapter is structured to follow the order of project quality pillars and their sequenced activities shown in Table 6-1. The first number of the listed activities corresponds to the appropriate quality pillar, e.g., Activity 1.1 is associated with the first pillar and Activity 2.1 is associated with the second pillar. The second number refers to the typical approximate chronological sequence of its execution within the pillar’s domain, although this sequential order may well vary with different projects, organizations, or industries. For example, 3.1 Assess Overall Project Results normally comes before 3.3 Collect, Share, and Document Overall Project Lessons Learned.

FIRST PROJECT QUALITY PILLAR: CUSTOMER SATISFACTION

Throughout project closure, all key project participants must be kept aware of the customer expectations initially mentioned during project initiation and further refined throughout the project. Regardless of pressures concerning any of the other five objectives (cost, schedule, scope, contribution to the organization, and contribution to society), quality should always be at least a co-equal objective during project closure. The very reason for undertaking a project is to create a product or service that is useful to the customer. It would be fruitless to forget that now.

FIGURE 6-1 Five-Stage Project Quality Process Model

FIGURE 6-2 Project Quality Closure Flowchart

TABLE 6-1 Project Quality Closure Factors Table

Thus, the most important customer satisfaction activity during the project quality closure stage is enabling customer capability. Turning over a quality deliverable to a customer who is not fully capable of using it is not a quality ending to a project.

1.1 Enable Customer Capability

Growing dimensions of project customer satisfaction are support service and training opportunities after delivery of project deliverables. Successful computer manufacturers, for example, realize that support services and training available after the sale may determine whether the sale takes place at all. This support and training affect the level of computer customer satisfaction.

Project quality closure requires the two customer Cs: capability and co-partnership. Customer capability means making an assessment of the customer’s readiness to use the project deliverable properly. This assessment should be made as soon as practical so additional support services and training can be made available to the customer. In addition, providing support services and training helps develop a copartnering relationship between the project team and the customer. The customer realizes that the project team has a stake not only in a particular deliverable, but also in the sustained coprosperity of the customer who uses the deliverable. In turn, the enabled capable customer becomes a copartner in expanding the positive referral network for future project work.

SECOND PROJECT QUALITY PILLAR: PROCESS IMPROVEMENT

During the project quality closure stage, two process improvement activities must occur: (1) assessment of the overall quality of contributions from all project participants, and (2) assessment of the overall quality of all project processes.

2.1 Assess Overall Quality of Contributions from All Project Participants

The evaluation of the quality of contributions from all project participants provides appreciative feedback for past performance and for future improvement. Part of project closure assessment is the private and public expression of appreciation for contributions made. Appreciated project participants can be enthusiastic participants on future projects. Unappreciated project participants soon become nonparticipants.

Furthermore, critical feedback can enhance project team contributions in future projects and adds to the team member’s professional development. This evaluation also helps the project manager in selecting members for future projects and matching them with role responsibilities that will leverage their talents and stretch their capabilities.

2.2 Assess Overall Quality of All Project Processes

In addition to evaluating participant contributions, part of project closure process improvement is a final assessment of the overall quality of all project processes. Some of the project processes probably were excellent, while others probably were not. Some might have been eliminated to reduce cycle time and save resources. Others might have been marginally acceptable but could have been improved. If some had been improved earlier in the project, perhaps schedule time and costs could have been reduced. Still other processes might have been drastically improved had they been computerized.

THIRD PROJECT QUALITY PILLAR: FACT-BASED MANAGEMENT

The fact-based management portion of the project quality closure stage is threefold: (1) an assessment of overall project results, (2) the collection and sharing of project quality closure lessons learned, and (3) the collection, sharing, and documentation of overall project lessons learned.

3.1 Assess Overall Project Results

Evaluating overall project results is normally based upon the impact that is realized and predicted at this time. However, the full impacts of the project to the organization and society are rarely realized at the time of customer acceptance of final deliverables. Often a distinction can be made between verified short-term results and estimated long-term results.

Using the metrics established at the beginning of the project, the team will be able to clearly document results in both project and organizational outcomes. Positive project outcomes may include reduced costs, schedule time, and complaints. Positive organizational outcomes may include monetary contributions to the financial bottom line, elimination of organizational inefficiencies, quicker response time, and other documented gains from benchmarking.

3.2 Collect and Share Project Quality Closure Lessons Learned

The collection and sharing of project quality closure lessons can be facilitated through the use of the plus delta tool. The stage-specific lessons can be shared to promote organizational learning and improve future project quality closure activities.

3.3 Collect, Share, and Document Overall Project Lessons Learned

While lessons learned should have been collected periodically—usually at the end of each project stage, it is also important to capture and analyze lessons learned from the perspective of the entire, completed project. Often the total is greater than the sum of the parts. Collecting, documenting, and sharing overall lessons learned is a time-consuming process, but it is usually one of the most organizationally valuable activities. Project lessons can be placed in an organizational data base and serve to enhance organizational memory and accelerate cross-functional organizational learning.

FOURTH PROJECT QUALITY PILLAR: EMPOWERED PERFORMANCE

Recognition and reward celebrations for project participants at the end of the project are activities that empower performance both for the current project (people may work harder in anticipation) and for future projects. Obtaining referrals from capable, satisfied customers is also very empowering since it means there is “life after the project” for many of the participants.

4.1 Recognize and Reward Project Participants

Recognition celebrations and reward ceremonies are appropriate vehicles for reinforcing good project performance and empowering future performance. Most project teams and organizations “under celebrate” project successes. This is a closure mistake. Excellent performers need and deserve recognition and rewards. Enhancing their self-respect and self-esteem is key in motivating them to engage in future projects.²

Organizations that are driven from one project to the next without celebrating their project successes soon burn people out. They disempower themselves by neglecting to celebrate successes.

4.2 Obtain Referrals from Capable, Satisfied Customers

Successful project managers who last for many years obtain referrals from capable and satisfied customers. They indicate their availability for return engagements and usually have more repeat business than others. Project managers who neglect this project quality closure responsibility have fewer opportunities for future leadership.

World-class project managers value referrals and repeat engagements. These managers and their teams enhance their reputations and create strategic competitive advantages for consideration on future projects.

NOTES

1. Project Management Institute Standards Committee, A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK^© Guide) (Upper Darby, PA: Project Management Institute, 2000), p. 30.

2. Morris Altman, Worker Satisfaction and Economic Performance (Armonk, NY: M.E. Sharpe, 2001).