(12) Project Closure Flashcards

1
Q

What is a Project Audit?

A
  • About 90% of all projects are not seriously reviewed or audited, often because..
    • The organisation is too busy to conduct audits.
    • Audits are conducted primarily on failures or disasters.
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2
Q

Types of Project Audits (in..)

A
  • In-process project audits.

- Allow for corrective changes if conditions have changed and for concentration on project progress and performance.

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3
Q

Major tasks of a project audit (1)

A
  • Evaluate if the project delivered the expected benefits to all stakeholders.
    • Was the project managed well?
    • Was the customer satisfied?
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4
Q

Major tasks of a project audit (2)

A
  • Assess what was done wrong and what contributed to successes.
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5
Q

Major tasks of a project audit (3)

A

Identify changes to improve the delivery of future projects.

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6
Q

Conducting a project audit.

A

1) Initiation and staffing.
2) Data collection and analysis.
3) Reporting.

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7
Q

Key points in conducting audits.

A
  • Project manager should be involved.
  • Senior management should support.
  • Avoid surprises.
    • Define points when audits will take place.
  • Audit staff must be independent from the project.
  • Audit reports need to be used and accessible.
  • Conduct team evaluations on project issues.
  • The audit should be completed as quickly as is reasonable.
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8
Q

Data collection.

A
  • Compare benefits in the business case to the benefits that were actually achieved (benefits might not be evident upon the completion of the project).
  • Was the organisational culture supportive and correct for this project?
  • Did senior management provide adequate support?
  • Has the objective been fulfilled?
  • Were the planning and control systems appropriate?
  • Were the risks identified and assessed?
  • Were the right people and talents assigned to this project?
  • Did the project conform to plan? Was the project over or under budget and schedule?
  • Were the project kick-off and handover successful?
  • Is the customer satisfied?
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9
Q

Project Audit (che..)

A
  • Check both successes and failures!
    • Lessons learned.
    • Mistakes.
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10
Q

Types of Project Audits (pos..)

A
  • Post-process audits.
    • Take a broader and longer-term view of the project’s role in the organisation.
    • Emphasise improving the management of future projects.
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11
Q

Audit report content outline.

A
  • Classification of project.
  • Executive summary.
  • Analysis of information gathered.
  • Recommendations.
  • Lessons learned.
  • Appendix.
  • Summary booklet.
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12
Q

Audit report content outline.

A
  • Classification of project.
  • Executive summary.
  • Analysis of information gathered.
  • Recommendations.
  • Lessons learned.
  • Appendix.
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13
Q

Executive summary.

A
  • Project goals met/unmet
    • Stakeholder satisfaction with project
    • User reactions to quality of deliverables
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14
Q

Analysis of information gathered.

A
  • Project mission and objectives
    • Procedures and systems used
    • Organisation resources used
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15
Q

Recommendations.

A
  • Corrective actions

- Improvements in project progress

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16
Q

Lessons learned.

A
  • Reminders

- Retrospectives

17
Q

Appendix.

A
  • Backup data

- Critical information

18
Q

To improve chance of effective/successful audits.

A
  • Complete the audit as quickly as is reasonable (timeframe depends on the size of the project, if possible within a month)
    - Data accuracy should be verifiable.
    - Give the audit leader access to management above the project manager.
    - Provide the audit team with access to all data, team members and customers.
19
Q

Project closure.

A

All projects eventually end, some end successfully, others end in disasters.

20
Q

Conditions for closure.

A
  • Normal.
    • Premature.
    • Failed project.
    • Changed priority.
21
Q

Close-out plan - questions to be asked.

A
- 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?
22
Q

Audit - what you review.

A
  • Outcome vs. plan – scope, schedule and budget.
    • Project manager’s performance – room for improvement.
    • Team performance – room for improvement
    • Project management methodology – did it work?
    • The initial idea – was it good?
    • Strategic alignment – how the project contributed to the organisational strategy.
23
Q

Closing down the project (a..)

A
  • A formal notice of closure is issued to inform team members and support staff that there are no further activities to be carried out.
24
Q

Closing down the project (in..)

A
  • In contract project activities…

- The legal termination of activities occurs at the time when the customer signs off the project.

25
Q

Implementing closedown (1).

A

Getting delivery acceptance from the customer.

26
Q

Implementing closedown (2).

A

Shutting down resources and releasing to new uses.

27
Q

Implementing closedown (3).

A

Reassigning project team members.

28
Q

Implementing closedown (4).

A

Archive the project information.

29
Q

Implementing closedown (5).

A

Closing accounts and seeing all bills are paid.

30
Q

Implementing closedown (6).

A

Evaluating the project team and the project manager.

31
Q

Handover.

A
  • Dismantle project.
    • Transfer to “business as usual” and integration in existing businesses processes.
    • Prepare completion reports for various authorities.
    • Training of the users.
      • Necessary to understand the pros and cons to run the project.
    • Re-integration of project team members.
32
Q

Classification of project.

A
  • Project type
    • Size
    • Staffing
    • Technology level
    • Strategic project / support project