LECTURE 11

Project Evaluation and Closure

Project Evaluation

To ensure project success, you need periodic project evaluations to be sure work is being accomplished as planned.

A project is like a journey, and project plans serve as road maps to help team members measure their precise location.

Project reviews also help to motivate team members, customers, and clients.

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When to Perform Project Evaluations

On-going reviews

Periodic Inspections

Milestone Evaluations

Final Project Audit

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Considerations in Project Evaluations

Quality of Work – The initial project plan outlines

quality specifications and evaluations should inspect whether or not these are being sacrificed to meet time and cost deadlines.

Team Performance• Comparison with past performance

• Comparison with benchmarks

Project Status• Compares the actual to projected scope, cost,

schedule, and performance.

• Give special attention to activities on the critical path.

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Classroom Activity 11a

Does your organisation have a formal

evaluation process?

What project reviews do you currently

perform?

What improvements could you make in

evaluating performance, quality, and status?

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Project Closure

Project closure involves taking formal steps at the conclusion of a project to get acceptance of the final product, close project records and reallocate personnel and other resources.

A good project management plan will include steps to close the project.

The purpose of project closure is to verify that all work has been accomplished as agreed and that the client accepts the final product.

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Project Closure

Conditions for Closure• Normal

• Premature

• Perpetual

• Failed Project

• Changed Priority

Close-out Plan: Questions to be Asked• What tasks are required to

close the project?

• Who will be responsible for these tasks?

• When will closure begin and end?

• How will the project be delivered?

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Barriers to Project Success

Activity* Barrier Incidence (%)

Planning Unclear definition 16%

32% Poor decision making 9

Bad information 3

Changes 4

Scheduling Tight schedule 4

12% Not meeting schedule 5

Not managing schedule 3

Organizing Lack of responsibility/ accountability 5

11% Weak project manager 5

Top management interference 1

Staffing Inadequate personnel 5

12% Incompetent project manager 4

Project member turnover 2

Poor staffing process 1

Directing Poor coordination 9

26% Poor communication 6

Poor leadership 5

Low commitment 6

Controlling Poor follow-up 3

7% Poor monitoring 2

No control system 1

No recognition of problems 1

*To interpret the table, note that 32 % of the 1,654 participants reported the barriers under “Planning,” 12 % reported the barriers under “Scheduling,” and so on.

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Implementing Closedown

Ensure all payments are made

Complete a financial reconciliation

Completed project documents including final reports

The remaining budget, materials and other resources are properly dispersed

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Implementing Closedown

Project closure is also a time to recognise individual efforts and celebrate project success.

Final evaluations and reviews should also be completed at this stage.

The project manager should also ensure that the team members have a smooth transition to other projects or work assignments.

It is recommended that a project checklist be created.

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Project Closure ChecklistCheck here

when completed

1 Have all activities of the project plan been completed?

2 Have all work orders been completed?

3 Have all contracts been completed?

4 Have all outstanding commitments been resolved?

5 Has the client or customer accepted the final products?

6 Are all deliverables completed?

7 Has agreement been reached with the client on the disposition of any remaining deliverables?

8 Have external certificates and authorisations been signed and approved?

9 Have all audits been completed and issues resolved?

10 Have ongoing maintenance procedures been activated?

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Project ___________________

Project Manager ___________

Customer ________________

Completion date __________

Classroom Activity 22a

Consider how you closed your previous projects.

Explain what you will do at the end of your current project to make project closure more effective.

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Questions?