Case Study: 'A Systematic Approach to Project Termination’

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Introduction: A project well begun, is equivalent to getting half of it done. Similarly a project half terminated is equivalent to never getting it completed. It is never easy to gracefully terminate a project. Finishing a project is actually more difficult than starting a new one. The case study “A Systematic Approach to Project Termination” discusses that the issues relating to the termination of a project. The issues can be divided into two categories, intellectual and emotional. Intellectual issues include the identification of residual deliverables, finding and cancelling unnecessary outstanding tasks, closing of work orders and physical facilities, collecting and organizing historic data, and disposing of the material. Emotional issues include the loss of project spirit because of the fear of no future work, loss of interest in the remaining tasks stress, loss of project based motivation, loss of team identity, reassignment of personal, and diversion of effort. The case study discusses that the resolution of the intellectual and emotional problems within the scope of the project manager’s abilities. The case study also addresses the personal attributes of a project manager who brings projects to successful closure. The following paragraphs will discuss some examples and methods for successful termination of a project. A natural termination of a project happens when the project’s goals are met. An unnatural termination can happen anytime during a project, regardless of the project meeting its set goals. The unnatural termination of a project can happen because of a breakdown in client/vendor relationships, a change in customer needs or due to lack of sufficient funds for the project. Highly successful projects can be termi... ... middle of paper ... ... which help the project manager in the termination of a project. Finishing a project is actually more difficult than starting a new one. A project manager should understand that an ordered termination of a given project sets the stage for new work with the same client in the future. Hence in conclusion, I feel that a project manager should understand that a trouble free termination is considered important to the closure of the project as it is a significant contribution to the future of an organization. Works Cited PMBOK. A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge, 2008, Page 343. Smith J., Puncturing the Hot Air Balloons on U.S. Defense Spending, Retrieved January 22, 2012 from http://www.defpro.com/daily/details/949/?SID=99d7114acb063f540d64adc2b9784868 Spirer H., A Systematic Approach to Project Termination, September 1984, http://www.pmi.org/

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