What's your experience of those final few weeks of a project
Rushed, stressful?
How often do you finish on time, and I mean completely finished, so no over runs, we’ll share this next week etc…
Ending projects like this can impact your confidence, credibility and hit the project margins.
Without a clear finish, loose ends linger, clients chase updates, teams stay half-engaged, and valuable insights are lost before the next project even begins.
Here’s some tips on how to help.
Plan for closure early
Add a “Close-Out” phase to your project plan from day one. Treat it as a milestone and important part of your planning, even if it's months away.
Starting early lets you set the standard early and what to expect, plus very few PMs do this, so it will help you stand out.
Highlight the importance and benefits of doing this with your client/stakeholders and let speak about their common challenges when it comes to those final weeks of a project.
Plus, add the close out tickets/tasks to your plan, not just the milestone.
Wrap up the relationship, not just the work
Use the final week to thank the team, debrief the client, and close all open discussions and actions.
Doing this lays the groundwork for future work, and elevates you from an action chaser which often PMs turn into at the end of the project to leader.
If you don’t do this before the project ends, you’ll miss the chance to once it’s over.
Add all these tasks to your close out plan.
Turn learnings into assets
Run a retro that captures what to repeat, not just what went wrong. Summarise learnings into checklists or templates that improve your next project.
Do this before the project ends, and break down the learnings into smaller chunks so you always take some of the learnings into the next project.
Be brave and run a retrospective with your client/stakeholders. If you don’t you run the risks of repairing mistakes, increasing frustration and potentially losing out on future work.
Confirm approvals and plan for handover
A “Looks good!” in an email isn’t enough. Get formal sign-off on scope, delivery, and final outcomes. You have every right to ask for this, but often PMs don’t due to fear of push back and more work.
Plan these tasks into your close out actions and by having them there it will increase the likelihood you’ll push for higher quality work and approvals become a formality.
Reiterate what happens once the project is over, so the support approach, who to speak to and how it will work. This should have been agreed at the start of the project, so don’t ask at this stage, just inform.
Release and archive everything properly
Free up your team. Wrap up contracts. Archive your docs. Closing properly means getting people back into flow and capturing valuable knowledge for next time.
If you’ve ever had to look for project documents or information post project, often, you’re presented with multiple versions of the same document or having to search through emails looking for an attachment.
This wastes time for the future you, so don’t make your life harder.
Add these wrap and organising tasks to your close out task. They’re easy, quick and super valuable.
“Endings are just as important as beginnings, they define how people remember the journey.” - Simon Sinek
Closing strong means more than ticking boxes. It’s about finishing intentionally with structure, clarity, and respect for everyone’s effort.
Build closure into your project plan, and have a simple checklist for these actions you can use.
With the thought process done early in the project, you can then focus on making those final few weeks as smooth and valuable as possible.
Have a great week,
Ben 💪🏼
