The closing workshop is not the end of the project work, but serves as preparation for this. Depending on project and project progression, it may make sense for the workshop to be held before or after handover of the project results to the customer. In any case, it should take place before the final steering committee meeting discharges the project team and project management.
The content of the project closing workshop can be summarised as follows:
• Conclusion of documentation
• Mutual feedback within the project team
• Specification of further support
• Preparation, respectively evaluation of handover to the customer
• Allocation of any necessary reworking
• Release of the closing report
Scope of the closing workshop
The scope of a closing workshop is in principle the same as that of a kick-off workshop. Specifically, this means that it is usually advantageous to arrange this externally, with the assistance of an external moderator. However, the time may often be shortened to one or a maximum of two days.
Content of the closing workshop
The content of a project closing workshop should prepare for the actual project conclusion. This means that after the workshop it should be clear what the individual participants have to do before the end of the project.
A key aspect is the conclusion of project documentation. Here it is particularly important to clarify how and where the project documentation is to be filed and who should have access to it in future. This also involves the area of knowledge management.
At the same time it is important to specify who is to be the future liaison partner for things concerning the project. Corresponding resources should be earmarked for this where necessary. In addition, the question of who is to carry out any possible residual work and who is to provide support must also be clarified.
A further key point is the mutual feedback that the individual project team members give one another. Both positive and negative aspects may be clarified here. The aim of this activity is to clear the air after the project and enable all participants to “cross each other’s path” in future with a clear conscience.
Preparation, respectively evaluation of handover to the customer
Depending on the schedule of the closing workshop, the handover of the project results to the customer should be prepared or evaluated within its scope. To this end, it may be necessary to create checklists, based upon the specifications and project charter. In addition, the closing workshop should also cover the preparation of the closing report or even its release by the project team.