In Closing…. With a Bang not a Whimper

1. In Closing….With a Bang not a Whimper A look at Project Management Closing Processes Richard A. Unis, PMP PMI Westchester Chapter Meeting October 9, 2003 RA Unis & Company, Inc.

2. Outline • Quick Review of PMBOK Guidance • Why Much is often Neglected • A Different Perspective • Exploiting newly found Value RA Unis & Company, Inc.

3. What’s in the PMBOKon Project Closure • Contract Closeout • Procurement Project Management • Managing the Termination of contracted Work • Administrative Closure • Communication Project Management • The final Project Communication Activities RA Unis & Company, Inc.

4. Contract Closeout • Settle Final Payments and Releases • Review Contract Performance • Update Purchasing Database RA Unis & Company, Inc.

5. Administrative Closure • Collect Project Records and Updates • Include / develop Reports and Presentations • Analyze Project Success, Effectiveness, Lessons Learned • Update Formal Archives and Skills Database • Formally Close with Sponsor • Don’t Wait until the End of the Project - do at each phase RA Unis & Company, Inc.

6. Fascinating! Isn’t it? 6 RA Unis & Company, Inc.

7. Why Much is Often Neglected • We “take care of business” and satisfy the system • As for the rest: “It is a custom more honored in the breach than the observance” RA Unis & Company, Inc.

8. “Taking Care of Business”Satisfy the System • Everyone is paid • Contracts formally documented to client as complete • releases obtained and given as required • All subcontractors / suppliers contracts settled • Notification to finance all contracts closed • no receivables or payables • accept no more invoices • All Required Forms Completed (by order of the Project Police) RA Unis & Company, Inc.

9. Why the Neglect of the Rest? • PM rolled off prior to closure • No Time to Work on “Old Stuff” • Old Projects don’t really close... • “… they just fade away” / morphed into an operation • want to expand it - don’t want it to end it • No glory in “cleaning up” • low visibility • project is already over • have to “dig up” out of date records and “fix them” • Net: Doesn’t seem very important or cost effective RA Unis & Company, Inc.

10. A Different PerspectiveRe-examine the Value • Marketing Capital • Knowledge and Information Developed and Recorded which can Foster Obtaining Future Business • Intellectual Capital • Knowledge and Information Developed and Recorded which can be utilized in the execution of future business RA Unis & Company, Inc.

11. Marketing CapitalValue Proposition • As a PM under contract: • For future references / company marketing • As an internal PM and for team members • For consideration of future opportunities / advancement • For the Project Sponsor (as well as the PM and team) • To highlight the Project Sponsor’s Accomplishment RA Unis & Company, Inc.

12. Marketing CapitalThe Final Report • Final project summary will say: • “Project Scope Successfully Accomplished” • “Responsive to Customer Needs and Requested Changes” • “Plan impacts, particularly schedule and cost, skillfully minimized, clearly defined and willingly accepted by customer” • “Work skillfully and successfully driven to high quality completion, according to plan, despite significant technical challenges, external disruptions, and necessary customer-requested changes” RA Unis & Company, Inc.

13. Marketing CapitalThe Final Product Description • Final Product Description will include: • Highly effective implementation/enhancement made to product and/or service • Business value statements (revenue increase, cost reduction) • Impressive quality solution • addresses newest requirements • overcomes technical challenges • available at the right time • Very positive customer acceptance -- delighted users RA Unis & Company, Inc.

14. Marketing CapitalPublishable Team Recognition • Participants formally recognized by sponsors for work well done • Very Positive Wrap-up comments & Quotable Endorsements • Awards / tokens of appreciation from management to members of team RA Unis & Company, Inc.

15. A Different PerspectiveRe-examine the Value • Marketing Capital • Knowledge and Information Developed and Recorded which can Foster Obtaining Future Business • Intellectual Capital • Knowledge and Information Developed and Recorded which can be utilized in the execution of future business RA Unis & Company, Inc.

16. Intellectual Capital • Developed over course of project • Packaged for the Closure • Two basic categorizations • Historic Foundation • Reference & Reusable Assets RA Unis & Company, Inc.

17. Intellectual CapitalHistoric Foundation • Charter / Initial Scope Statement / SOW • Formal Project Plan • Change Management Records • Deliverable Work Products • Formal Presentations • Published Status Reports • … plus other unique items RA Unis & Company, Inc.

18. Intellectual CapitalReference & Reusable Assets • Contact lists • Contractor / supplier assessments • Private assessments of team members • Intermediate work products / artifacts • designs, estimates, risk analysis, project plans, notes, activity logs, and annotated reports and presentations • value as templates, patterns, references with re-use potential • … plus unique items RA Unis & Company, Inc.

19. Closure as an Organizing ElementGuides Initiation, Planning, Execution, Control • View Closure as the final act of a play.The story’s in the telling… write it AS YOU GO • Organize mind set around how will stakeholders view results • Consider how potential future stakeholders will view results • Organize thinking around how to continually capture marketing & intellectual capital for future work RA Unis & Company, Inc.

20. Organizing by ClosureExample • As Scope Creeps - Remember Marketing CapitalRemember the final report: • “Responsive to Customer Needs and Requested Changes” • Plan impacts, particularly schedule and cost, skillfully minimized, clearly defined and willingly accepted by customer • Manage Expectations & Document as you Go RA Unis & Company, Inc.

21. Organizing by ClosureExample • Recognize team contributions -as they happen • Document & Publicize the Cumulative Recognition • Awards / tokens of appreciation from management to members of team • “Upgrade” skills in database • not “update” RA Unis & Company, Inc.

22. Organizing by ClosureExample • Put more tools in your personal toolbox • They’re paid for*, why throw them away? *(contract may restrict how artifacts are used but the knowledge contained is generally available unless explicitly confidential) • Intermediate work products / artifacts • designs, estimates, risk analysis, project plans, notes, activity logs, and annotated reports and presentations • value as templates, patterns, references with re-use potential RA Unis & Company, Inc.

23. JEDI PM’s: • Closure is a force propelling good practices • a voice in the ear of the PM • how will we look to the stakeholders • how will we look to future stakeholders • but … • beware the dark side of the force • not to be used only to create great Public Relations and amass Personal Capital • directed towards achieving value for stakeholders -- the rest will follow RA Unis & Company, Inc.

24. Net • Write the closing act first - you have it already • Perform the Project play to make it so • manage the requirements and people as well as the deliverables • build buffer through risk management • Collect the documentation to support it • Continually Align Stakeholder Support RA Unis & Company, Inc.

25. Summary • Closure can be a valuable organizing element for project discipline in all knowledge areas and other processes: • integration, scope, time, cost, quality, human resources, communication, risk, procurement • Initiation, Planning, Execution, Control RA Unis & Company, Inc.

26. This is the way the project ends Contract Closeout 26 RA Unis & Company, Inc.

27. This is the way the project ends Administrative Closure 27 RA Unis & Company, Inc.

28. This is the way the project ends Satisfy the System 28 RA Unis & Company, Inc.

29. Recognition Marketing Capital Intellectual Capital But With a Bang not a Whimper RA Unis & Company, Inc.

30. Thank You 30 RA Unis & Company, Inc.