Purpose

Project closeout meetings, like project kickoff meetings, may be internal or external. The external closeout meeting is designed to affirm that the customer’s deliverables have been produced and accepted, while the internal closeout meeting is designed to ensure that administrative issues have been addressed and that the organizational resources are free to return to their other duties. The agenda for each must be modified to serve the proper purpose.

Application

The meetings are used to minimize the probability that outstanding project issues will surface at a later date, when resources are no longer available for the project within the organization. They are used with the customer to serve as a finalizing act, asserting that after the meeting issues are addressed, the project will be formally closed out. The agenda for such meetings should be forwarded to the customer and/or the team well in advance of the meeting to allow time for changes and alternatives to be presented. Because the meeting is a formal act (often contractually required), the agenda is subject to review prior to use.

Content

Closeout meetings and their agendas should be focused on acceptance. The content of the meeting should be directed on affirming that all work packages within the WBS have been closed and that all of the deliverables have been properly forwarded to the customer. External closeout meetings may also include an effort to get the customer’s signature on acceptance documents. The external closeout meeting is normally held prior to the internal closeout meeting.

Sample External Closeout Meeting Agenda Participants: (Names/Organizations)

(This will include the internal or external customer, as well as key team members to field questions regarding project performance or outcomes.)

Date:

Time: Place:

The project overview should be provided by the project manager or his designee. It should be a brief analysis of what has been delivered to the customer.

2.0 Synopsis of Deliverables

The synopsis should include detail on who the deliverables were transferred to and who acknowledged acceptance. Any deviations from specifications should be clearly identified, as well as the authority who accepted the deviations.

If the customer (internal or external) has not already done so, she should be asked to sign project acceptance documentation. This will either finalize the project or raise any last-minute issues for resolution. If there are last-minute issues, the project manager may draft an amendment to the acceptance document indicating that when the final action items are addressed, the project will be considered “accepted” by the customer.

In most project relationships, there are opportunities for follow-on work or supplemental activity associated with the project. If those opportunities exist (or may exist), the project manager should identify them during the closeout meeting for further action.

The project manager should summarize the action items gathered during the meeting and provide a synopsis of those requirements. These will ultimately be logged on the action item register.

Sample Internal Closeout Meeting Agenda

Participants: (Names/Organizations)

(This will not include the customer, but should include key team members from all aspects of the project. Depending on the project culture, project subcontractors may or may not be invited to participate.)

Date:

Time: Place:

The project overview should be provided by the project manager or his designee. It should be a brief analysis of what has been delivered to the customer and the success of the approach.

2.0 Synopsis of Deliverables

This should include detail on who the deliverables were transferred to and who acknowledged acceptance. Any deviations from specification should be clearly identified, as well as the authority who accepted the deviations.

3.0 Project Lessons Learned

The project manager or a facilitator should lead the group in developing lessons learned (see later section).

In most project relationships, there are opportunities for follow-on work or supplemental activity associated with the project. If those opportunities exist (or may exist), the project manager should identify them and identify the resources whomay or may not participate in any supplemental activity.

The project manager should summarize the action items gathered during the meeting and provide a synopsis of those requirements. These will ultimately be logged on the action item register.

Approaches

Every project has some measure of success. A key component of the project closeout meeting is to identify that success. Even projects where relations with the customer have been tortured include some aspects that can be deemed successful. Closing with success in both the internal and external closeout meetings builds the hope that project team members and customers will want to continue the relationship with the project manager and the project organization.

Considerations

It is sometimes difficult to retain team members long enough to participate in the closeout activities associated with a project. Incentives directly associated with closeout participation are sometimes the only way to ensure they will still be available for the experience. Also, because such meetings come at a time when most of the compelling project work has been completed, a sense of ennui can sometimes take over. The project manager’s role as cheerleader is rarely as important as it is at the project closeout meeting. Ending projects on a positive note serves to affirm team member contributions as well as customer wisdom in selecting the project organization in the first place.