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In some cases, a project manager will reach the stage where scheduled tasks are complete, but the project is not ready to close due to outstanding issues. When this occurs, the project manager must document these issues and develop a plan to move the project to successful completion.
Issues that might require additional work could be any of the following:
The first decision to make is whether the closing process should start. There are several actions a project manager can take based on what is needed
If the benefit of having the deliverables, even with known issues, is greater than not having them at all, then the project is closed and the project manager will document limitations and/or risks.
Sometimes though the issues are too large or too numerous to consider immediate closing. If deliverables are not performing to quality or performance standards, or if new deliverables have emerged due to changing business conditions or changing stakeholder expectations, then the project should probably not be closed.
When that occurs, there are three ways to handle a project with such significant outstanding issues.
The project manager will prepare a schedule and budget for the work needed to address outstanding issues. Approval for the change request will be received.
The project may re-enter at any of the previous phases of the project life cycle. New deliverables will likely require the project to return to the beginning phase and the scoping activity, then proceed through the following phases.
Schedule |
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Budget |
EXAMPLE
If a project is developing a tablet computer and a direct competitor releases a tablet with the ability to record television, then your project may need to add that feature as well. This would require a return to the scope activity.Projects are often extended when quality is critical to a product's success, or if it's acceptable to have a time delay if it means the deliverable meets the customer's expectations.
In this case, the project manager would proceed with the closing process for the existing project with outstanding issues documented. A new project would then be initiated to address the outstanding issues and may or may not be handled by the same team.
This choice might allow the organization to begin using the deliverable from the original project, while work continues to fix the issues with the deliverable. It is often used when the existing deliverable has value to the organization and issues can be fixed incrementally.
EXAMPLE
This is a good option for software projects when version releases might fix bugs or provide needed improvements.This path can be a difficult choice for a project manager to make. However, if they determine that a project is not ready and may never be ready under the current process, a project manager may need to recommend project termination.
This might occur when deliverables do not perform as expected:
Should the Project be Closed? | |
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Yes | No |
Close and Deliver As Is: Use when the deliverables need to be implemented without delay to business | Extend Project: Use when the implementation can be delayed to ensure deliverables meet all project requirements and quality standards |
Close and Start New Project: Use when existing deliverables are usable in their current state and then improved upon as part of a new project | |
Kill the Project: Use when the project fails to perform as expected and cannot be easily fixed, there are organizational or industry changes, it costs too much, competing products or technology has made the deliverable obsolete, and safety, social, or ethical reasons. |
Source: This work adapted from Sophia Author Jeff Carroll.