Project Close-Out Report Template

Project Close-Out Report

Report Date: Late 20XX

KEY INFORMATION
Project Name Develop an Application (App) to Provide Real-Time
Marketing Data
Division/Department Marketing
Project Sponsor Mary Smithers
Project Manager Cary Manning

PROJECT GOALS
Document the original goals from the project charter.
1. Real-time Market Data
2. Improved Customer Experience
3. Enhanced Marketing Support
4. Efficient IT Integration
5. Timely App Launch

PROJECT GOAL SUCCESS ANALYSIS

Highlight the success or failure in meeting the project goals from the original plan and
explain deviations. (Success, Partial Success, Not Accomplished)
1. Real-time Market Data (Success)
2. Improved Customer Experience (Partial Success)
3. Enhanced Marketing Support (Success)
4. Efficient IT Integration (Partial Success)
5. Timely App Launch (Partial Success)

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Explanation of Deviations:

The partial success in achieving the improved customer experience goal resulted from
inadequate requirements gathering at the project's beginning. This led to several change
requests and the need to incorporate outstanding requirements in version 2 of the app.
Improved requirements gathering in future projects can mitigate such deviations.

The partial success in efficient IT integration was due to minor interface issues that were
not initially identified. Conducting comprehensive testing and interface validation during
development could have minimized these issues.

The partial success in timely app launch was a consequence of the scope incompleteness
caused by inadequate requirements gathering. The team's adaptation, incorporating a third
sprint, allowed the app to be developed within the 90-day timeline, but some features were
deferred to version 2.

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SCOPE REVIEW
Call out any variances to the original scope plan and briefly describe why they happened.
Can these variances be prevented in future projects? If so, how?

1. Scope Incompleteness: The app development project experienced scope

incompleteness as some initially planned features, including two required data
feeds and several desired reports, were not included in the version 1 of the app.
Additionally, confirmation of all transactions for an improved customer
experience was not fully implemented.

2. Additional Third Sprint and Version 2: To accommodate scope adjustments and

complete outstanding requirements, the project required an additional third
sprint and plans for version 2 of the app.

Reasons for Variances:

1. Inadequate Requirements Gathering: The main reason for scope incompleteness

was inadequate requirements gathering at the project's beginning. Insufficient
clarity on customer needs and stakeholder requirements resulted in change
requests and scope adjustments during development.

2. Scope Creep and Late Feedback: The variance in scope occurred due to scope
creep, wherein new requirements were added during the development process.
Late feedback from stakeholders, such as customers and leadership, led to
changes that were difficult to incorporate within the original scope.

Prevention for Future Projects:

1. Comprehensive Requirements Gathering: Future projects should emphasize

comprehensive requirements gathering at the project's outset. Engaging
stakeholders early and conducting thorough analyses of customer needs will
provide a clear understanding of the scope and minimize the likelihood of scope
incompleteness.

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2. Regular Stakeholder Engagement: Ensuring regular and open communication

with stakeholders, including customers, leadership, and team members, is crucial.
Regular feedback and progress updates will allow timely adjustments to the
scope, avoiding late changes that disrupt the project's flow.

SCHEDULE REVIEW
Call out any variances to the original schedule plan and briefly describe why they happened.
Can these variances be prevented in future projects? If so, how?
Variances to the Original Schedule Plan:

 Additional Third Sprint: The project experienced a variance in the original schedule
plan by requiring an additional third sprint to complete the app development. This
was not initially accounted for in the original project timeline.

 Version 2 Development: The need to develop version 2 of the app to incorporate

outstanding requirements caused a deviation from the original schedule plan.

Reasons for Variances:

 Scope Incompleteness and Change Requests: Inadequate requirements gathering

and scope incompleteness resulted in the identification of additional features and
changes during the development process. As a consequence, the project required
more time, leading to the need for an extra sprint and version 2 development.

 Late Feedback and Adjustments: Late feedback from stakeholders, such as

customers and leadership, led to scope adjustments and changes that were not
initially factored into the schedule. These late adjustments impacted the project
timeline.

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Prevention for Future Projects:

 Comprehensive Scope Planning: To prevent deviations in the schedule plan, future

projects should emphasize comprehensive scope planning at the project's inception.
A thorough understanding of customer needs and stakeholder requirements will
lead to a more accurate estimation of the project timeline.

 Regular Stakeholder Engagement: Ensuring regular and open communication with

stakeholders throughout the project is crucial. Early engagement and frequent
feedback will allow for timely adjustments to the schedule, avoiding late changes
that disrupt the project's timeline.

 Change Control and Impact Analysis: Implementing a robust change control process
with impact analysis is essential. This process will assess proposed changes'
implications on the project schedule, enabling informed decision-making and
preventing uncontrolled schedule variations.

 Scrum or Agile Methodologies: Adopting Scrum or Agile methodologies can enhance

schedule predictability and adaptability. Short development iterations with frequent
feedback loops enable early identification of potential schedule variances and
facilitate timely adjustments.

 Realistic Project Timeline: Ensure that the project timeline is realistic and considers
potential contingencies. Building buffer time into the schedule for unexpected
delays or changes can help mitigate the impact of schedule variances.

COST REVIEW
Call out any variances to the original budget plan over or under and briefly describe why
they happened. Can these variances be prevented in future projects? If so, how?

Variances to the Original Budget Plan:

 Additional Costs ($7,000): The project incurred additional costs of $7,000 due to
equipment requirement omissions and inflationary cost factors that were not
considered during the initial budget planning.

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Reasons for Variances:

 Inaccurate Cost Estimation: The variance in the budget plan was primarily due to
inaccurate cost estimation during the project's initiation phase. The initial cost
estimates did not account for certain equipment requirements, leading to
unforeseen expenses during the execution phase.

 Inflationary Cost Factors: The project did not consider inflationary cost factors that
affected the prices of materials, services, or labor during the project's execution.
This oversight contributed to the variance in the budget.

Prevention for Future Projects:

 Comprehensive Cost Estimation: Future projects should emphasize comprehensive

cost estimation during the project planning phase. Engaging subject matter experts,
conducting market research, and obtaining detailed vendor quotes will lead to more
accurate budget projections.

 Contingency Planning: Including contingency reserves in the budget is essential to

account for unforeseen expenses or inflationary factors. These reserves act as a
buffer to handle unexpected costs and help maintain the project's financial stability.

 Regular Budget Reviews: Conducting regular budget reviews and cost tracking
throughout the project's execution enables timely identification of budget variances.
This allows the project team to take corrective actions promptly.

 Cost Management Control: Implementing effective cost management control

practices, such as change control processes and budget tracking tools, helps monitor
and manage expenses throughout the project lifecycle.

 Vendor Contracts and Negotiation: Carefully negotiating vendor contracts and

including clear cost clauses can prevent unexpected cost increases. Contracts should
outline cost terms, pricing adjustments, and any applicable discounts.

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RISK ANALYSIS
Call out anticipated or unanticipated risks that impacted the project. Could these risks be
prevented in future similar projects? If so, how? Refer to the Risk Register to review or link
to register directly.
Anticipated Risks:

 Scope Incompleteness (Risk ID: R001): The risk of scope incompleteness was
anticipated due to the dynamic nature of customer requirements and evolving
market trends. The risk materialized as some planned features were not included in
version 1 of the app. To prevent this in future projects, comprehensive
requirements gathering, regular stakeholder engagement, and thorough impact
analysis during change requests are recommended.

Unanticipated Risks:

 Late Feedback and Adjustments (Risk ID: R002): Unanticipated late feedback from
stakeholders, such as customers and leadership, led to scope adjustments that
impacted the project timeline. To mitigate this risk in future projects, project teams
should emphasize regular stakeholder engagement and early feedback collection.

 Inflationary Cost Factors (Risk ID: R003): The risk of inflationary cost factors
impacting the budget was unanticipated. To prevent this in future projects, budget
planning should consider inflationary trends and include contingency reserves to
accommodate unforeseen cost fluctuations.

 IT Personnel Recruitment Challenges (Risk ID: R004): The unanticipated challenge in

recruiting IT personnel impacted the project's timeline. Future projects can mitigate
this risk by starting the recruitment process early, engaging external recruitment
agencies, and offering competitive compensation packages.

 Interface Issues (Risk ID: R005): Unanticipated interface issues were encountered
during IT integration. To prevent this risk, comprehensive interface testing and
validation should be conducted during the development process.

 Reporting Requirements (Risk ID: R006): Unanticipated reporting requirements were

added by key executives, impacting user story 0001 in Sprint 2. To prevent this risk,
project teams should engage all stakeholders early and conduct thorough
requirement gathering to identify and document all needs.

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Prevention for Future Similar Projects:

 Risk Identification and Analysis: Conducting a comprehensive risk identification and

analysis process at the project's initiation allows project teams to anticipate and
plan for potential risks. This should include both anticipated and unanticipated risks.

 Continuous Risk Monitoring: Regularly monitoring and reviewing the risk register
throughout the project ensures that new risks are identified and managed promptly.

 Proactive Stakeholder Engagement: Engaging stakeholders proactively and regularly

gathering feedback throughout the project minimizes the impact of late changes
and scope adjustments.

 Comprehensive Cost Estimation: Including inflationary cost factors in budget

planning and incorporating contingency reserves helps manage budget variances
caused by unforeseen cost fluctuations.

 Early Recruitment and Resource Planning: Starting the recruitment process early and
planning for resource availability ensures that the project team has the required
expertise and manpower in place when needed.

 Comprehensive Testing and Quality Assurance: Rigorous testing, interface

validation, and quality assurance processes help identify and address potential
interface issues early in the development phase.

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OUTSTANDING ITEMS
List any outstanding project-related follow-up items, how they are being addressed, and
who is responsible.
Issue Planned Resolution Assigned To
Version 2 Development features not included in Cal Hamer
version 1
Interface Remediation comprehensive interface Priya Service
testing
Recruitment of IT a second IT personnel Priya Service
Personnel

LESSONS LEARNED
DID WELL
Note what aspects of the project went well or better than expected, and share your
thoughts on how this positive outcome could be replicated in future projects.
ITEM NOTES
Timely Project Completion
Customer Satisfaction
Proactive Risk Management
Appreciation for Subject Matter Expertise
DO BETTER
Note what aspects of the project went poorly or worse than expected, and share your
thoughts on how this less than desirable outcome could be avoided in future projects.
ITEM NOTES
Scope Incompleteness and Change
Requests
Late Feedback and Adjustments
Recruitment Challenges
Inflationary Cost Factors

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RECOMMENDATIONS
Note any recommendations for future project managers managing similar projects.
 Comprehensive Requirements Gathering: Future projects should prioritize
comprehensive requirements gathering at the project's initiation. Engaging
stakeholders, conducting thorough analysis, and documenting detailed
requirements will reduce the likelihood of scope incompleteness and change
requests.

 Early Stakeholder Engagement: Engaging stakeholders early and regularly

throughout the project will ensure timely feedback collection and reduce the
chances of late adjustments and scope changes.

 Early Recruitment Planning: To avoid recruitment challenges, project teams should

start recruitment planning early. Partnering with HR and external recruitment
agencies can expedite the hiring process.

PROJECT ARCHIVES
Note where those wanting to reference documents related to this project in the future will
be able to find them.

AHI PM Archives

PROJECT CLOSEOUT
• Lessons Learned Conducted: End 20XX
• Closeout Review Complete: End 20XX

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