4.6. Closing the Project (PMBOK, Section 4.7)

Every project manager that I know loves to close a project. There's something rewarding about completing a project and then transferring the deliverable to the customer or project user. I've also learned from participant feedback in my PMP Boot Camp seminars that this topic is the category where they missed the most questions on their way to their PMP or CAPM certification. I believe it's because folks have a tendency to study in order of the phases: initiation, planning, monitoring and controlling, and then (finally) closing. I imagine they're winded by the time their studying efforts get to closing. With that in mind, give yourself a stretch, another sip of coffee, and really hone in on this closing discussion. I want you to pass your exam!

The closing process group may be applied to the end of a project or to the end of the project phase, in a multiphased project. Closing the project or phase means that the project manager confirms that all of the needed activities within the other processes groups have been completed and the project's deliverable may be handed over to the customer. If a project is terminated for any reason, the project manager should still close out the project to account for the work that has been performed on the project and to learn why the project may have failed.