You commission projects to realize the benefits - this is the stage when most of the benefits are realized. Or, it should be. Too often, this is the stage when the most value is lost as everyone takes their eyes off the (value) ball and lets it slip away. The whole raison d’etre of the project is lost.

This Guide equips you to avoid this scenario by 

• separating project closure from the end of the governance role
• focusing the governance role on benefits delivery rather than project completion alone
• ensuring the post-project benefits continue to be focused on until their are realized
• while taking into account the changing circumstances that impact the nature and value of the expected benefits and value.

The key is to be practical and focus on the benefits and value available rather than taking, say, an accounting approach to benefits realization (that actually destroys value). 

This Guide provides all Sponsors and Governance Team members with the understanding and knowledge they need to ensure their project successfully realizes the value it was set up to deliver.

How to govern project closure and beyond

1. Understanding the end-to-end value delivery process
2. Understanding your closure roles and accountabilities
3. Understanding the challenges of project finalization
4. The end-to-end project closure and beyond governance process
5. How to govern change
6. How to govern organizational change plans
7. How to govern the business value
8. How to measure your project’s value
9. How to ensure the benefits are sustained
10. How to authorize your project’s closedown
11. How to capture your project’s lessons
12. How to track outcomes, benefits and value post-project
13. How to measure your project’s success
14. How to finalize your involvement (project closure report)

• Project Sponsors/Governance teams - to understand their roles and how to perform them effectively
• Project Practitioners - to understand the governance role in this vital stage of the project
• PPMOs - to enable them to support successful project closure and benefits delivery
• Project Investment Committees - to understand the project closure process from a governance point of view
• Executives/Boards - to understand the importance of this project closure and benefits realization stage
• Auditors - to understand the nature of importance of this project stage

• Repositions project governance to focus on the post project stage to ensure the maximum available value is realized
• Ensures appropriate accountability for the realization of the value is put in place and monitored
• Enables you to ensure you track and measure benefits realization realistically
• Ensures you don’t close down your project too soon
• Ensures the lessons learned are captured to improve future projects

What is project governance?