18 : Closing a Project Flashcards
The objective of these questions is to get you to think from a PRINCE2 point of view, learn about PRINCE2 at the same time and hold on to this knowledge. And most important don’t worry if you do use the exam same terms as I do in the answers. It is more important that you understand the answers.
Who carries out the work in Closing a Project?
The Project Manager carries out the work in Closing a Project.
Who Closes the Project, the Project Manager or the Project Board?
The Project Manager prepares the project to be closed but it is the Project Board who closes the project, in the activity “Authorize Project Closure”.
Why is the Benefits Review Plan updated in the Closing a Project process and why not closed before the project ends?
One of the most important ways to measure the success of a project is to check that the expected benefits have been delivered by the project. Some benefits can be measured during the project but most likely the products must be in production for some time, e.g., 6 months, 2 years, 5 years before all benefits can be measured. Therefore the Project Manager plans a Benefits Review meeting in the future after the project is closed.
What is the purpose of the Closing a project process?
- To provide a fixed point at which acceptance for the project product is confirmed
- To recognise that objectives set out in the original project initiation document have been achieved
- or to recognise that any approved changes to these objectives have been achieved
- or to recognise that hte project has nothing more to contibute
What are the 5 objectives of the CP process?
- To verify that the users have accepted the projects products
- To ensure that the host site is able to support the products when the project is closed
- To review the project’s performance against its baseline
- To assess any benefits that havve already been realised (and to update the benefits management approach as needed)
- To ensure that follow on action recommendations have been made to deal with any open issues and risks
What 5 opportunities does the CP progress provide?
CP provides the opportunity to:
- Recognise that the original or changed project objectives have been met
- Make sure everyone knows the project has finished
- Make sure that BAU takes over (or the products form an input into another project within a programme)
- Disband the team
- Make sure we do not continue to book time and cost to the project
When do the project closure activities happen?
The project closure activites should be planned into the final stage plan.
Who informs Corporate / Programme management and customers that the project is closed?
The executive
What happens if the project is closed prematurely?
The CP process is still used, but some tailoring might be required.
What are the 5 activities in the CP process?
- Prepare planned closure
- Prepare premature closure
- Hand over products
- Evaluate the project
- Recommend project closure
What happens in the Prepare planned closure activity in the CP process?
The PM asks:
- Has the acceptance criteria been met?
- Can we hand over the projects products
What happens in the Prepare premature closure activity in the CP process?
The PM plans to extract any value possible from the project rather than just walking away.
This includes documenting any outstanding activities to be done on the project.
What happens during the hand over products activity in the CP process?
The products created by the project are handed to the customer or organisation and plans are created to ensure the benefits are realised.
This activity must be completed (is not optional)
What happens during the Evaluate the project activity in the CP process?
The PM compares actuals, with the project baseline. This includes reviewing the PID and Project plan
The PM creates the End Project report and a lessons learnt report.
This must be completed (is not optional)
What happens during the Recommend project closure activity in the CP process?
The PM recommends the project is closed by the project board.
