📘 ECO Domain II - Task 17

Plan & Manage Project/Phase Closure or Transitions

🎯 What is Task 17?

This process finalizes all activities to formally close a project, phase, or Agile iteration and transition the product to the customer or operations.

🔄 Project Closure Context

Project Type	Closure/Transition Frequency
Plan-Driven	Transitions between phases + final closure
Change-Driven	Frequent iteration cycles based on product release plan

Key: Regardless of project type, closure activities are critical and often overlooked.

🛠️ Core Activities in Project Closure

Activity	Icon	Description
Confirm work done to requirements	✔️	Ensure all project deliverables meet scope.
Complete final procurement closure	📄	Close contracts and finalize procurement tasks.
Gain final product acceptance	📝	Get formal acceptance from customer/stakeholders.
Complete financial closure	💵	Finalize budget, payments, and financial reporting.
Hand off completed product	🎁	Transition product/service to customer or operations.
Solicit customer feedback	💬	Gather feedback for lessons learned.
Complete final performance reporting	📈	Summarize project constraints, variances, and success.
Index and archive records	📚	Store all project documents and lessons learned.
Gather & update lessons learned	💡	Identify and share insights for future projects.

📌 Important Concepts

Close Project or Phase process: Formal final acceptance of the whole project or phase. Differs from Validate Scope which is acceptance of interim deliverables.
Integration Management Role: Reporting final performance involves analyzing all constraints (scope, time, cost, risks).
Closure is an essential integration step in project management.

⚠️ Common Pitfalls to Avoid

Skipping or incomplete closure activities (procurement, archiving, lessons learned).
Not obtaining formal acceptance from stakeholders.
Ignoring financial, legal, and administrative closure steps.
Underestimating the importance of transition to operations.

🔁 Transitions: Key Points

Transitions may be part of the project (phase/increment) or a separate project if complex.
Requires a good understanding of the business environment for smooth handoff.

📊 Data Analysis for Closure

Work with subject matter experts to:

Analyze project artifacts and data.
Perform regression analysis on variables like schedule, budget, and risks.
Compare planned vs actual outcomes.
Identify variances and impacts.
Extract lessons learned.

🧩 Integration Management & Closure

The project manager:

Pulls all pieces together (charter, plan, changes).
Tailors methodologies to fit the project.
Ensures every project or phase is properly closed every time—no exceptions.

📚 Case Study: Library Project

Scope includes:

Construction of a new library building
Acquisition of furnishings
Movement of resources from the old library
Upgrade of software application for patrons

This case study is used to illustrate applying closure concepts throughout the project lifecycle.

Visual Summary: Rita’s Process Chart™ Closure Column

Step	Icon
Confirm work is done to requirements	✔️
Complete procurement closure	📄
Gain final acceptance	🤝
Complete financial closure	💰
Hand off product	📦
Solicit customer feedback	💬
Final performance reporting	📊
Index and archive records	🗂️
Gather lessons learned	💡

Exam Tips 🎓

Always close projects/phases, regardless of completion status.
Remember the financial, legal, and administrative tasks involved.
Know the difference between Close Project or Phase vs Validate Scope processes.
Be ready to analyze project performance variances at closure.