Introduction

As in most personal interactions, how we begin and end the process can make all the difference. The same can be said for projects. Continuing to use the personal interaction analogy, we know how initial impressions and the relationship we establish can make our “goodbye” extremely awkward or very exciting for the promise of what is yet to come. In addition, there is nothing more frustrating in personal relationships than a lack of closure. Our goal, as a project manager, is to bring proper closure to our project for all parties involved and to make sure the last impression everyone has of our work is professional and positive.

We review the key principles that drive successful project closures, the different ways a project can end, the challenges many organizations have in ending a project properly, and of course, the invaluable checklist for ending a project in style.