LAST BUT NOT LEAST

Importance of Project Termination Planning

It is said that “you never get a second chance to make a first impression” (unknown, n.d.); however, you always have the chance to leave the floor with the best finale.

Project Termination Plan (PTP) is the roadmap for closing projects in the most successful manner. Project failure or success is irrelevant to the fact that a proper handover of the final product should be made. PTP is actually one of the criteria that differentiate successful project managers from struggling ones.
Why is it so important?

Early planning minimizes risks of failure. When a project approaches termination or closure its environment changes: resources start thinking or worrying about their next project; final testing adds to the stress; documentation becomes a present issue; installation, production, training, and change control guides need to be in place; necessity of financial closeout; management final reports; equipment handover; and finally a call for a lessons learned brainstorming session.

Without planning, all the above mentioned aspects will be hard to control and achieve. “As projects near completion, there is a natural tendency to minimize costs by transferring people as soon as possible and by closing out work orders.”(Visitask, n.d.) When your project team has already left, or is no longer focused, your termination process is at risk. “Project Termination is usually an emotional time for the project team” (Taylor, n.d.) For this purpose, project managers use the PTP as their guide to avoid such risks in the final stage of the project. “The Project Manager must plan for the termination phase well in advance of the scheduled project end – ideally in the development phase of the project’s life cycle” (Taylor, n.d.)

Managing the last minutes of the project life cycle highlights not only the leadership skills of the PM to control the siphoning of his resources, but, furthermore, proves the validity of his original plans. For instance initiating the documentation process only after the entire project is done will cause a schedule increase. Documentation should be preplanned to cover the different stages of the project allowing swifter project termination.

Documentation and training guides may be the most important deliverable of the project termination process from a client’s perspective; however, the lessons learned brainstorming session report is the vital element of project termination for project managers. This report helps both the development company and project manager learn from previous experiences thus allowing improvements to, and setting guidelines for, any similar future project management plans.

Having a project termination plan increases further the reliability factor of the management towards the project manager. “Although the primary emphasis in any project is to provide the end product to the customer on time and on schedule, the project manager must not forget that there are ancillary support items required in each project.” (Taylor, n.d.) Stakeholders care to know that the final product is not going to be an alien handed over in a rushed manner. Planned periodic audits, continuous support, and a well-documented product with an established change control mechanism constitute what is considered as a successfully delivered project. Moreover, the project manager’s management would surely recognize clients’ satisfaction towards project termination that will reflect positively on the development company’s reputation.

As for projects that are terminated because of some failure, PTP is equally important. “Project Termination can not even be disregarded for an unsuccessful project. Even in such a case, there are key learnings, team evaluations and other wrap-up activities to make the most of what has been done in the project.” (Visitask, n.d.)When projects fail people start blaming each other, getting rid of evidence, and leave the soonest possible in fear of relating their names with an unsuccessful project. “It can take some adjustment to realize that terminating projects can be natural and even healthy.” (Boehm, 2001) This fact makes the termination process even harder to achieve. PTP in this sense, especially if included in the signed-off project charter, offers the project manager the instructions and authority he/she needs in order to close this chapter in the most professional way.


Convincing a project manager to include PTP as part of their project plan should be made easier with the above advantages discussed. I believe the way to remember to do Project Termination Planning is to always associate it with the phrase “Last but not least”; although it tackles the Last or final part of the project, but it is surely not the Least aspect to consider when devising their project plans.

References:

Unknown (n.d.) First Impressions quotes [online] Available from: http://thinkexist.com/quotes/with/keyword/first_impressions/

Taylor, James (n.d.) A Survival Guide For Project Managers: Chapter 14: The Termination Phase - Second Edition – Page 275-287 [book] available from: http://books.google.com/books?id=QRoGPcBfTOkC&pg=PA276&dq=project+termination+planning+books&as_brr=3&sig=ACfU3U0qnI6W1jumP6aOQk_hvBxmQKoMDA#PPP1,M1

Visitask (n.d.) The Importance of Formal Project Termination Procedures [online]
Available from: http://www.visitask.com/Project-Termination.asp

Boehm, Barry (2001) Software Management: Project Termination Doesn’t Equal Project Failure [Article] Available from: IEEE Xplore and www.cs.unc.edu/~welch/class/comp145/media/docs/Boehm_Term_NE_Fail.pdf