Release Resources from Project
You assemble a team for the project and now you must cut them loose. It’s a formal process and a crucial one, which frees them for the next project. Each team is brought together for the mix of skills and experience they bring to a project. The project determines the team members you will want to work with and each project is going to be a little bit different, which will be reflected in the team hired to execute it.
Leaving a project is an emotional time and it helps to provide explicit closure. Using lessons learned and asking for individuals comments, producing a final report, inviting the project team to a closure meeting and communicating success, will all help team members move on.
The formality of this means resources will be released from the project, including suppliers, contractors, team members, and any other partners. Notify them of the end of the project, confirm any final payments or obligations, and officially release them so they are free to work on other projects.
Project Closure Is an Emotional Experience for Some However:
- Lessons learned can elicit comments from project stakeholders and thus support them at an emotional time.
- Producing and distributing a final report formalises closure very well.
- Issuing invitations to a closure party is always a good option.
- A closure meeting makes it clear the project is ended.
- Issuing explicitly the last and final payments is both rewarding and upsetting for some.
- We should officially reward and release individuals, so they are free to work on other projects.
