Week 3 Notes

Slide 1: Title

Week 3 – Project Execution, Control, and Closure

Slide 2: Learning Outcomes & Objectives

MLO1 Develop a critical awareness of all phases of a project.

MLO4 Develop a critical awareness of the issues involved at the strategic, operational and project
level.

Slide 3: Table of Contents

Slide 1: Title
Slide 2: Learning Outcomes & Objectives
Slide 3: Table of Contents
Slide 4: The Execution Stage: Actualising the Project Management Plan
Slide 5: Execution Strategies: Predictive, Adaptive, and Hybrid Queues
Slide 6: Leadership in Projects: Soft Skills, EQ, and Servant Leadership
Slide 7: Foundations of Monitoring and Control: Ensuring Strategic Alignment
Slide 8: Managing the Triple Constraint: Schedule Control and Buffers
Slide 9: Quantitative Control: Earned Value Management (EVM) Frameworks
Slide 10: Qualitative Monitoring: Stakeholders, Risk, and Communications
Slide 11: The Change Control Process: Maintaining Baseline Integrity
Slide 12: Performance Reporting: Status, Progress, and Forecasts
Slide 13: The Transition to Closure: Verification and Acceptance
Slide 14: Administrative and Contractual Closure: Tying up Loose Ends
Slide 15: Lessons Learned and Organisational Learning: The Success Recipes
Slide 16: Benefits Realisation and Value Sustainability: The Operational Horizon
References

Slide 4: The Execution Stage: Actualising the Project Management Plan

The execution process group represents the most dynamic and resource-intensive stage within
the project management lifecycle, primarily concerned with the actualisation of the project
management plan to achieve the envisioned deliverables (Project Management Institute, 2021;
Abdullah, 2025). It is during this phase that the greatest expenditure of the workforce, physical
resources, and budget occurs, requiring the project manager to transition from the role of a
planner to that of an orchestrator of complex work packages (Abdullah, 2025; Pheng, 2022).
Scholarly perspectives suggest that while a well-executed plan is fundamental, the reality of

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implementation is often fraught with uncertainty, necessitating a high degree of adaptive

leadership and real-time problem-solving (Heagney, 2022; Richardson and Jackson, 2024). The
primary goal of execution is to deliver the project scope while adhering to the quality standards
established during the planning phase, a task that requires meticulous coordination between the
core project team and various internal and external stakeholders (Abdullah, 2025; Williams,
2023).

Effective execution is not merely about performing tasks; it involves managing technical and
interpersonal interfaces where different professional disciplines intersect (Pheng, 2022). In the
built environment, for instance, this might involve synchronising the work of architects, engineers,
and specialist subcontractors to ensure that structural and architectural components are
integrated without conflict (Pheng, 2022). The project manager must ensure that the resource
management plan is followed, providing the team with the necessary machinery, materials, and
information to proceed without disruption (Abdullah, 2025; Richardson and Jackson, 2024).
Furthermore, this stage is characterized by information distribution and the activation of
communication protocols to keep the project sponsor and client informed of progress
(Abdullah, 2025; Heagney, 2022).

Master-level practitioners must recognize that the execution phase is where the project
culture—comprised of shared norms, beliefs, and values—is truly enacted and tested
(Heagney, 2022). If the project team is not aligned with the project vision, implementation can
suffer from miscommunication, team conflict, and a lack of commitment (Heagney, 2022; Irfan
et al., 2021). Therefore, the project manager must foster a collaborative project team
environment that encourages innovation and proactive risk management (Zaman et al., 2022;
Project Management Institute, 2021). Ultimately, the success of the execution stage is measured
by its ability to move the organisation from its current state to a desired future state by
producing unique increments of value that satisfy stakeholder requirements (Abdullah, 2025;
Williams, 2023; Richardson and Jackson, 2024).

Slide 5: Execution Strategies: Predictive, Adaptive, and Hybrid Queues

The choice of an execution strategy is a critical decision that must be mapped against the
specific project profile and delivery goals (Richardson and Jackson, 2024). Traditional
predictive (waterfall) models assume that project requirements can be fully defined before
implementation, leading to a linear and sequential execution of workpackages (Mohammadreza
Samadzadeh et al., 2025; Abdullah, 2025). This approach is highly effective for projects with a
fixed scope and low levels of technical uncertainty, such as standard construction or
manufacturing initiatives, where the focus remains on efficiency and discipline (Abdullah, 2025;
Richardson and Jackson, 2024). In these environments, execution is guided by the critical path,
and progress is measured against a stable project baseline (Pheng, 2022; Heagney, 2022).

Conversely, adaptive (agile) delivery models are designed for environments characterised by
rapid change and evolving requirements, such as software development or research and
development (Mohammadreza Samadzadeh et al., 2025; Abdullah, 2025). Instead of following a
rigid long-term blueprint, adaptive execution occurs through short, time-boxed iterations or
sprints, typically lasting two to four weeks (Mohammadreza Samadzadeh et al., 2025; Abdullah,
2025). This allows the project team to deliver increments of working functionality quickly and
incorporate frequent stakeholder feedback into the product backlog (Mohammadreza

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Samadzadeh et al., 2025; Abdullah, 2025). A hallmark of agile execution is the self-organising
team, where the scrum master acts as a servant leader to remove impediments, rather than a
command-and-control authority figure (Mohammadreza Samadzadeh et al., 2025; Abdullah,
2025).

Contemporary research increasingly advocates for hybrid work structures, which integrate
predictive and iterative queues within the same project framework (Richardson and Jackson,
2024). This integrated delivery model allows for certain components, such as hardware
procurement, to follow waterfall logic, while software development might utilise Scrum cycles
(Richardson and Jackson, 2024). Furthermore, the Modified Scrum approach provides a method
for applying agile principles to predictive tasks by using MoSCoW (Must-have, Should-have,
Could-have, Won't-have) requirements to define the success of a sprint (Richardson and
Jackson, 2024). By tailoring the execution strategy to the uniqueness of each task,
organisations can improve their speed of delivery, enhance customer satisfaction, and manage
complexity more effectively (Richardson and Jackson, 2024; Mohammadreza Samadzadeh et al.,
2025; Abdullah, 2025).

Slide 6: Leadership in Projects: Soft Skills, EQ, and Servant Leadership

The project manager serves as the vital human link in the execution stage, spending an
estimated 90 per cent of their time on communication and stakeholder management (Abdullah,
2025; Heagney, 2022). Master-level scholarship emphasises that while technical project
management skills are necessary, it is interpersonal (soft) skills and leadership behaviours
that primarily drive project success (Irfan et al., 2021; Zaman et al., 2022). A critical competency
in this regard is Emotional Intelligence (EQ), defined as the ability to sense, understand, and
effectively apply the power of emotions as a source of energy, information, and influence
(Heagney, 2022). High EQ enables a project leader to build trust, facilitate open dialogue, and
manage the high levels of stress and conflict that naturally occur during implementation
(Heagney, 2022; Williams, 2023).

Modern leadership paradigms have shifted from traditional command-and-control models to

servant leadership, particularly in adaptive environments (Mohammadreza Samadzadeh et al.,
2025; Abdullah, 2025). A servant leader prioritises the well-being, growth, and autonomy of
project team members, focusing on mentoring and coaching rather than direct task assignment
(Project Management Institute, 2021; Abdullah, 2025). This approach fosters a high-performance
culture by empowering cross-functional teams to take ownership of project outcomes and
self-organise around common objectives (Mohammadreza Samadzadeh et al., 2025; Project
Management Institute, 2021). Effective leadership also involves active listening, which requires
the manager to look beyond the basic information being shared to understand stakeholder
concerns and environmental cues (Heagney, 2022; Abdullah, 2025).

Managing a distributed or virtual project team introduces additional complexity, requiring the
project manager to develop an email protocol and leverage technological tools to overcome
the loss of face-to-face interaction (Heagney, 2022; Abdullah, 2025). Project leaders must be
agile in their style, flexing between directive, delegative, and supportive approaches
depending on the team development stage (forming, storming, norming, performing) and the
specific needs of the project environment (Heagney, 2022; Abdullah, 2025). Furthermore,
leadership is a key driver of project management innovation (PMI), where practitioners

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departure from traditional methods to find novel solutions to contemporary problems (Zaman et
al., 2022). Ultimately, the project manager must act as a change agent, motivating all parties to
achieve the envisioned future state despite the inevitable volatility and ambiguity of the journey
(Zaman et al., 2022; Heagney, 2022; Abdullah, 2025).

Slide 7: Foundations of Monitoring and Control: Ensuring Strategic Alignment

Monitoring and controlling is a continuous lifecycle function that ensures project activities
remain aligned with the project management plan and organisational strategic intent (Abdullah,
2025; Project Management Institute, 2021). While the terms are often used interchangeably, it is
scholarly to distinguish between them: monitoring involves the collection of performance data
and the production of performance measures, whereas controlling is the act of comparing
actual performance against the plan to identify variances and implement corrective actions
(Abdullah, 2025; Heagney, 2022). This process group provides the governance framework
necessary for oversight, accountability, and informed decision-making at every stage of the
project (Butler, 2022; Abdullah, 2025).

A robust monitoring and control system requires a clear definition of what is important to track,
typically focusing on the triple constraint of scope, schedule, and cost, alongside quality, risk,
and resources (Heagney, 2022; Abdullah, 2025). Project managers must ensure that the
response to control data is timely, as information that is delayed by several weeks becomes
useless as a basis for corrective action (Heagney, 2022). This necessitates a sophisticated
management information system that can generate real-time or near real-time insights
(Abdullah, 2025; Pheng, 2022). Furthermore, monitoring and controlling spans the entire
lifecycle, starting with progressive elaboration in the initiation phase and continuing until the
final project closure (Project Management Institute, 2021; Abdullah, 2025).

In strategic project management (SPM), the control function is integrated with portfolio
management to ensure that active projects continue to justify their resource allocation
(Bushuyev et al., 2024; Butler, 2022). If a project deviates significantly from its business case or if
the external environment renders the deliverable obsolete, the governance system must
provide a mechanism for project termination to prevent further waste (Heagney, 2022; Butler,
2022). This "management with the lights on" approach relies on the principle that past
performance patterns and trends are indicators of future conditions (Abdullah, 2025). For
master-level practitioners, monitoring and control is not about micromanagement; it is about
establishing the conditions for team self-control through clear objectives, feedback loops, and
defined authority levels for responding to deviations (Heagney, 2022; Abdullah, 2025; Irfan et al.,
2021).

Slide 8: Managing the Triple Constraint: Schedule Control and Buffers

Managing the triple constraint (the iron triangle) of scope, schedule, and cost is the core
challenge of project control, as these variables are inherently interrelated and subject to
trade-offs (Abdullah, 2025; Heagney, 2022). Any uncontrolled expansion of scope—termed
scope creep—inevitably leads to cost overruns and schedule slippage unless the other
dimensions of the triangle are adjusted (Abdullah, 2025; Richardson and Jackson, 2024). To
manage this, project managers utilize schedule control to monitor work progress and ensure
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that activities on the critical path are completed on time, as any delay here directly impacts the
overall project completion date (Pheng, 2022; Abdullah, 2025). This requires the use of network
diagrams and Gantt charts to visualise dependencies and identify where float (slack) exists in
the schedule (Abdullah, 2025; Heagney, 2022).

A significant innovation in managing schedule variances is the use of buffers as proposed by

Critical Chain Management (CCM) (Richardson and Jackson, 2024; Abdullah, 2025). Traditional
task estimating often includes hidden padding to protect individual workers, which leads to
procrastination (the student syndrome) and a loss of throughput speed (Richardson and
Jackson, 2024; Heagney, 2022). The integrated model recommends using 50/50 probability
estimates (aggressive but realistic) and aggregating the safety margins into a project
completion buffer or stage buffers (Richardson and Jackson, 2024). In this framework, control
focuses on the buffer burn rate; if the buffer is being consumed faster than tasks are being
completed, it serves as an early warning for the project manager to intervene (Richardson and
Jackson, 2024).

When a project faces a serious schedule delay, the manager may implement schedule
compression techniques such as crashing or fast-tracking (Abdullah, 2025; Richardson and
Jackson, 2024). Crashing involve adding additional resources to critical tasks to shorten their
duration, which increases the project cost, while fast-tracking involves performing tasks in
parallel that were originally scheduled sequentially, which increases risk and coordination effort
(Abdullah, 2025; Richardson and Jackson, 2024). Successful control requires a relentless focus
on prevention and stewardship, ensuring that the project remains a "problem scheduled for
solution" rather than a chaotic reactive endeavor (Heagney, 2022; Project Management Institute,
2021). By maintaining baseline integrity and using buffers to manage uncertainty, practitioners
can improve the predictability of results in even the most complex project environments
(Richardson and Jackson, 2024; Abdullah, 2025; Irfan et al., 2021).

Slide 9: Quantitative Control: Earned Value Management (EVM) Frameworks

Earned Value Management (EVM) is the premier quantitative tool in project management,
providing an integrated method for measuring performance against the scope, schedule, and
cost baselines (Abdullah, 2025; Heagney, 2022). By translating all project work into monetary
units, EVM creates a common measurement scale that allows project managers to assess
whether the project is truly on track (Abdullah, 2025). The three fundamental parameters of EVM
are Planned Value (PV), the budgeted cost of work scheduled; Earned Value (EV), the budgeted
cost of work actually performed; and Actual Cost (AC), the sum of money spent on the project to
date (Abdullah, 2025; Heagney, 2022). Comparing these values allows for the calculation of
variances and indices that provide a scientific snapshot of project health (Abdullah, 2025).

The primary metrics derived from EVM are Schedule Variance (SV) and Cost Variance (CV)
(Abdullah, 2025). A negative SV indicates the project is behind schedule, while a negative CV
signals that it is over budget (Abdullah, 2025; Heagney, 2022). Furthermore, the Schedule
Performance Index (SPI) and Cost Performance Index (CPI) offer efficiency ratios; a value of
1.0 indicates perfect alignment with the baseline, while any value below 1.0 signals
underperformance (Abdullah, 2025). For example, a CPI of 0.80 means that for every £1.00 spent,
the project has only earned £0.80 in value, indicating a serious financial risk (Abdullah, 2025;
Pheng, 2022). Master-level practitioners use these indices to perform trend analysis and

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calculate the Estimate at Completion (EAC), which forecasts the final project cost based on
current performance (Abdullah, 2025; Heagney, 2022).

Beyond simple tracking, EVM serves as a vital tool for accountability and stakeholder
communication (Project Management Institute, 2021; Abdullah, 2025). It provides objective data
that can be used to justify corrective actions or support change requests before asteering
committee (Abdullah, 2025; Heagney, 2022). In predictive environments, EVM is often required
by professional standards (such as ANSI-748) to demonstrate management maturity
(Richardson and Jackson, 2024). However, its effectiveness is contingent upon having an
accurate work breakdown structure (WBS) and unpadded task estimates (Richardson and
Jackson, 2024; Abdullah, 2025). Ultimately, EVM allows for "management with the lights on,"
empowering leaders to see where the project is headed compared to where it was supposed to
be, thereby facilitating strategic adjustment and enhancing the likelihood of project success
(Abdullah, 2025; Heagney, 2022; Irfan et al., 2021).

Slide 10: Qualitative Monitoring: Stakeholders, Risk, and Communications

While EVM provides quantitative rigor, successful project control also depends on qualitative
monitoring, which addresses the "soft" dimensions of the project such as stakeholder
satisfaction, risk management, and communication effectiveness (Abdullah, 2025; Heagney,
2022). Project managers must continuously monitor the stakeholder engagement level,
utilizing the stakeholder register and power-interest grid to ensure that key players remain
supportive and informed (Abdullah, 2025; Williams, 2023). This involves the use of a Stakeholder
Engagement Assessment Matrix to track current versus desired engagement, allowing the
manager to implement targeted engagement strategies for resistant or unaware parties
(Williams, 2023; Heagney, 2022). Effective qualitative monitoring requires constant vigilance, as
a stakeholder who is satisfied today may become an opponent tomorrow due to shifting
organisational politics (Heagney, 2022; Abdullah, 2025).

Monitoring risk is an ongoing discipline that involves tracking triggers (early warning signs) and
reviewing the risk register to identify new threats and opportunities (Abdullah, 2025; Williams,
2023). The project team must evaluate whether planned risk response strategies—such as
mitigation, avoidance, or transfer—are effective or if contingency plans need to be activated
(Abdullah, 2025; Heagney, 2022). In VUCA environments, the ability to rapidly identify and
respond to unforeseen risks (unknown-unknowns) using management reserves is a critical
differentiator of successful project governance (Abdullah, 2025; Richardson and Jackson, 2024).
Furthermore, the project manager must foster a risk-aware culture, where team members feel
empowered to speak up about potential issues before they escalate (Richardson and Jackson,
2024; Zaman et al., 2022).

Finally, monitoring communications ensures that the right information reaches the right people
in the preferred format and at the correct time (Abdullah, 2025; Williams, 2023). Project leaders
should proactively assess the suitability of communication methods by monitoring stakeholder
responsiveness and the quality of their questions (Abdullah, 2025). If stakeholders are
frequently asking questions that were addressed in recent reports, it is a clear symptom that the
communications management plan needs adjustment (Abdullah, 2025). Effective
communications act as the "highway" of project work, enabling the coordination of resources
and the management of interpersonal interfaces (Pheng, 2022; Abdullah, 2025). By balancing

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quantitative metrics with qualitative insights, the project manager can maintain holistic
oversight and ensure the project remains aligned with both its technical requirements and its
human context (Project Management Institute, 2021; Abdullah, 2025; Heagney, 2022).

Slide 11: The Change Control Process: Maintaining Baseline Integrity

Project change is an inevitable reality in contemporary project environments, arising from

evolving requirements, technological disruption, or shifting marketplace conditions
(Abdullah, 2025; Richardson and Jackson, 2024). However, if left uncontrolled, change becomes
scope creep, causing a significant imbalance in the triple constraint and endangering project
success (Abdullah, 2025; Heagney, 2022). The integrated change control process establishes
the necessary stability for a project, providing a formal set of procedures for evaluating,
approving, and documenting modifications to the project management plan (Heagney, 2022;
Abdullah, 2025). A cardinal rule of professional project management is that no changes should
be implemented unless they have been formally reviewed and authorized through this system
(Heagney, 2022; Richardson and Jackson, 2024).

The change control process typically involves six mandatory steps: initiating the change
request, entering it into a change control log, assessing the impact on the iron triangle,
submitting recommendations to the change control board (CCB), updating the project
management plan, and monitoring the implementation of the change (Heagney, 2022; Abdullah,
2025). Each change request must include a description of the change, the rationale behind it,
and a quantifiable impact analysis regarding time, cost, and quality (Heagney, 2022; Williams,
2023). To fund these approved changes without corrupting the base plan, mature organisations
use a scope management reserve, which allows the project team to add newly defined work
while keeping the original estimates visible for performance measurement (Richardson and
Jackson, 2024; Abdullah, 2025).

For master-level practitioners, change management is also a leadership challenge, requiring

the ability to persuade stakeholders and push back against changes that do not add business
value (Heagney, 2022; Richardson and Jackson, 2024). The change control log serves as the
"biography" of the project, documenting the logic behind every adjustment and ensuring
transparency for future audits (Heagney, 2022). Furthermore, when a change is so dramatic that
it alters the project's original intent, it may lead to a project spin-off or the premature
termination of the existing endeavour (Heagney, 2022; Butler, 2022). By adhering to a rigorous
change control protocol, project managers can protect their teams from chaos and ensure that
the project delivers its intended strategic outcome despite the dynamic nature of its environment
(Abdullah, 2025; Heagney, 2022; Richardson and Jackson, 2024).

Slide 12: Performance Reporting: Status, Progress, and Forecasts

Performance reporting is the formal process of collecting, organising, and disseminating

information regarding the progress of the project, ensuring that stakeholders have the necessary
visibility into the project's current state and future prospects (Abdullah, 2025; Williams, 2023).
Effective reporting moves beyond simple data sharing to provide actionable insights, enabling
senior management and sponsors to make informed decisions and take timely strategic
adjustments (Bushuyev et al., 2024; Abdullah, 2025). Generally, there are three types of project
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reports: status reports, which describe where the project stands at a specific point in time;
progress reports, which summarise what has been accomplished during a specific period; and
forecast reports, which predict future status based on current trends and known risks (Abdullah,
2025).

In contemporary project environments, reporting is increasingly facilitated by digital tools

such as dashboards, which use data visualisation to present complex information in an intuitive
format (Mohammadreza Samadzadeh et al., 2025; Williams, 2023). Kanban boards are
particularly effective for showing the flow of work and identifying bottlenecks in real-time, while
burndown charts and velocity charts help adaptive teams track their progress toward the
sprint goal (Mohammadreza Samadzadeh et al., 2025; Abdullah, 2025). For predictive projects,
performance reporting must include the results of Earned Value Management (EVM),
specifically highlighting variances in cost and schedule and calculating the Estimate to
Complete (ETC) (Abdullah, 2025; Heagney, 2022). This ensures that the report provides a
realistic view of whether the project will achieve its PCTS targets (Heagney, 2022; Abdullah,
2025).

A critical aspect of master-level reporting is ensuring that the information provided is tailored to
the needs and risk tolerance of the audience (Project Management Institute, 2021; Abdullah,
2025). Senior leadership may require high-level executive summaries focusing on benefits
realisation and strategic alignment, while the project team needs detailed operational
updates to coordinate daily tasks (Project Management Institute, 2021; Williams, 2023).
Furthermore, reporting must include confidentiality protocols, ensuring that sensitive
information is only disclosed to authorised parties (Abdullah, 2025; Williams, 2023). By
maintaining a consistent reporting rhythm, project managers can build trust, manage
expectations, and ensure that all parties remain committed to the project's vision throughout the
execution and closing phases (Project Management Institute, 2021; Abdullah, 2025; Heagney,
2022).

Slide 13: The Transition to Closure: Verification and Acceptance

The transition from the execution phase to closure is a critical juncture that requires formal
deliverable verification and scope validation by the client or the inspection committee
(Abdullah, 2025; Williams, 2023). A project is not considered finished simply because the work
has been completed; it requires formal acceptance based on agreed-on acceptance criteria
(Abdullah, 2025; Heagney, 2022). This verification process guarantees that the project has met
its intended objectives and that the quality of the deliverables satisfies the customer's needs
(Williams, 2023; Abdullah, 2025). In large-scale infrastructure projects, this stage often involves
commissioning, testing, and obtaining necessary regulatory permits, such as a Temporary
Occupation Permit, before the building can be occupied (Pheng, 2022).

A common practice in strategic project management is the use of pilot deployment to test the
deliverables in a live but controlled environment (Abdullah, 2025). For example, a new mobile app
might be released to a small group of users during a beta testing phase, where customer
feedback and device performance data are collected to correct any remaining bugs (Abdullah,
2025; Mohammadreza Samadzadeh et al., 2025). Once the deliverables are ready for full release,
the project manager must obtain the sponsor's sign-off, which formalises the completion of the
project work and authorizes the start of the closing phase (Abdullah, 2025; Williams, 2023). This

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hand-over process is essential for ensuring that the operational units (such as IT or facilities
management) are prepared to support and maintain the product in the post-project phase
(Abdullah, 2025; Pheng, 2022).

Managing this transition requires meticulous documentation and communication management,

as any unresolved disputes or defects can delay project closure and tarnish the organisation's
reputation (Abdullah, 2025; Irfan et al., 2021). The project manager must ensure that a punch
list of minor outstanding items is created and resolved before final acceptance (Williams, 2023).
Furthermore, this stage provides an opportunity to validate the initial business case, ensuring
that the project is still positioned to deliver its envisioned business benefits (Abdullah, 2025;
Butler, 2022). By successfully navigating the acceptance process, the project team provides the
organisation with the assurance that its investment has produced a verifiable and valuable
outcome, setting the stage for formal administrative closure (Project Management Institute,
2021; Abdullah, 2025; Heagney, 2022).

Slide 14: Administrative and Contractual Closure: Tying up Loose Ends

The closing process group is often described as the most neglected phase of the lifecycle, yet
it requires significant discipline to ensure that all internal and external obligations are fulfilled
(Abdullah, 2025; Heagney, 2022). Project closure is generally subdivided into two categories:
administrative closure and contractual closure (Williams, 2023; Heagney, 2022). Contractual
closure focuses on settling all terms and conditions of agreements with vendors, contractors,
and suppliers, ensuring that all deliverables have been accepted and that final payments are
processed (Williams, 2023; Heagney, 2022). This involves a formal notice to the seller that their
work is satisfactory, which is critical for avoiding future legal issues or tax audits (Williams,
2023; Abdullah, 2025).

Administrative closure encompasses all internal finishing tasks required to disband the project's
temporary organisation (Project Management Institute, 2021; Abdullah, 2025). This includes
assemblng and archiving project records—such as the project plan, change control logs, risk
registers, and financial reports—in a central organisational knowledge repository (Williams,
2023; Heagney, 2022). Proper archiving is an investment in the future, providing a historical
database for future teams to leverage (Heagney, 2022; Abdullah, 2025). Additionally, the project
manager must formalise the release of resources, returning team members to their functional
departments and ensuring that facilities and machinery are reassigned to other initiatives
(Abdullah, 2025; Pheng, 2022).

A vital component of administrative closure is the post-project performance review, where

the manager evaluates team member contributions and updates their personnel files to reflect
new skills or exceptional performance (Williams, 2023; Heagney, 2022). This stage also includes
the financial close-out, where all charge codes and project-related accounts are closed to
prevent unauthorised spending (Williams, 2023; Abdullah, 2025). Finally, the project manager
should send thank-you communications to all stakeholders, solidifying relationships for future
collaborations (Williams, 2023; Heagney, 2022). By completing a rigorous project close
checklist, practitioners can ensure that no detail is overlooked, transforming the end of a project
into a clean, professional transition that supports the organisation's broader maturity and
efficiency (Project Management Institute, 2021; Abdullah, 2025; Richardson and Jackson, 2024).

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Slide 15: Lessons Learned and Organisational Learning: The Success Recipes

The lessons learned review is the primary mechanism for organisational learning, allowing the
project team to critically evaluate what was done well and what should be improved in future
endeavours (Heagney, 2022; Abdullah, 2025). This post-implementation review must be
conducted in an objective, non-punitive mode to encourage team members to share their honest
experiences without fear of blame (Heagney, 2022; Abdullah, 2025). Scholarly evidence suggests
that organisations that learn faster than their competitors gain a significant competitive
advantage; therefore, the lessons learned register should be treated as a high-value
organisational asset (Heagney, 2022; Zaman et al., 2022). The review should cover all
knowledge areas, including the accuracy of task estimates, the effectiveness of risk
responses, and the impact of communication protocols (Abdullah, 2025; Richardson and
Jackson, 2024).

A structured approach to the lessons learned process involves the "Start, Stop, Continue"
framework, where the team identifies specific practices to adopt, abandon, or sustain in the next
project (Heagney, 2022; Williams, 2023). For example, the review might find that while EVM
provided excellent financial oversight, the frequency of site meetings was insufficient to manage
subcontractor conflict (Abdullah, 2025; Heagney, 2022). These insights are recorded in the final
project report, which provides a comprehensive summary of project performance against its
initial baselines (Williams, 2023; Abdullah, 2025). Furthermore, the review should evaluate the
effectiveness of alignment meetings and whether trust was maintained within the
cross-functional team (Heagney, 2022).

Master-level practitioners must also recognize the concept of "Project Titanic"—projects where
failure was built into the initial design due to unrealistic deliverable goals or a lack of executive
support (Richardson and Jackson, 2024). Identifying such root causes during the postmortem
prevents the organisation from committing the same strategic errors in future project selections
(Richardson and Jackson, 2024; Butler, 2022). Finally, the closing process should always end
with recognition and celebration (Heagney, 2022; Williams, 2023). Acknowledging the team's
hard work—even if the project was not perfectly successful—is essential for maintaining morale
and fostering a positive work environment (Heagney, 2022; Williams, 2023). By formalising
learning at the end of every project, organisers can institutionalise success recipes and
continuously improve the maturity of their project management discipline (Project Management
Institute, 2021; Richardson and Jackson, 2024; Zaman et al., 2022).

Slide 16: Benefits Realisation and Value Sustainability: The Operational

Horizon

The ultimate metric of a project is not just the successful delivery of an output, but the
realisation of the business benefits it was undertaken to achieve (Project Management Institute,
2021; Abdullah, 2025). Benefits realisation management is the process that ensures project
outcomes transition into sustained organisational value, bridging the gap between project
completion and long-term strategic success (Abdullah, 2025; Zaman et al., 2022). While the
project team is disbanded at closure, the project manager or business analyst often remains
accountable for monitoring the product's performance during the post-project (operational)
phase (Project Management Institute, 2021; Abdullah, 2025). This involves validating whether the

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tangible and intangible benefits—such as revenue growth, cost savings, or brand loyalty—are
being achieved as planned (Abdullah, 2025).

A robust benefits management plan defines what the benefits are using the SMART protocol,
how they will be tracked, and who is accountable for their sustainment (Abdullah, 2025; Williams,
2023). For instance, in a project to implement a new information system, the realised benefit
might be measured by a 25 per cent reduction in data processing time, which must be verified
through operational data collection (Abdullah, 2025; Irfan et al., 2021). Furthermore, the
transition of deliverables to the owner must include the handover of all documentation,
training materials, and maintenance agreements to ensure the product remains functional and
secure (Abdullah, 2025; Williams, 2023). This sustainability focus is essential in highly regulated
sectors, where compliance with standards must be maintained throughout the product lifecycle
(Pheng, 2022; Mohammadreza Samadzadeh et al., 2025).

Organisations must view projects as part of a larger system for value delivery, where senior
leadership uses feedback from operations to inform future project selection and strategic
visioning (Project Management Institute, 2021; Butler, 2022). In the contemporary project
landscape, the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is further enhancing this process by offering
predictive insights into resource optimisation and real-time performance monitoring
(Bushuyev et al., 2024). As we conclude this session, students should appreciate that a project's
true legacy is its realised value (Project Management Institute, 2021; Abdullah, 2025). By
mastering the disciplines of execution, control, and closure, you will be equipped to lead
projects that don't just "finish," but truly "deliver" lasting success for your organisation and its
stakeholders (Zaman et al., 2022; Abdullah, 2025; Heagney, 2022).

References

Abdullah, A. (2025). Project Management, Navigating the Complexity with a Systematic Approach,
2nd Edition. Cleveland: MSL Academic Endeavors.

Bushuyev, S., Bushuiev, D., Bushuieva, V., Bushuyeva, N. and Tykchonovych, J. (2024). Strategic
Project Management Development Under Influence of Artificial Intelligence. Вісник
Національного технічного університету «ХПІ». Серія: Стратегічне управління, управління
портфелями, програмами та проектами, (1(8)), pp. 3-7.

Butler, M. J. (2022). Project portfolio management practices – a theoretical base and practitioner
guidelines. International Journal of Project Organisation and Management, 14(1), pp. 65-88.

Heagney, J. J. (2022). Fundamentals of Project Management, 6th Edition. Nashville: HarperCollins

Leadership.

Irfan, M., Khan, S. Z., Hassan, N., Hassan, M., Habib, M., Khan, S. and Khan, H. H. (2021). Role
of Project Planning and Project Manager Competencies on Public Sector Project Success.
Sustainability, 13(3), 1421.

Mohammadreza Samadzadeh, M., Arab, A. and Valami, M. B. (2025). Agile Project Management
for Information Technology. Ottawa: Library and Archives Canada.

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Pheng, L. S. (2022). Project Management for the Built Environment: Study Notes. Singapore:
Springer Nature.

Project Management Institute. (2021). A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge
(PMBOK® Guide) – Seventh Edition and The Standard for Project Management. Newtown
Square, PA: Project Management Institute.

Richardson, G. L. and Jackson, B. M. (2024). Optimizing Project Work, Management, and

Delivery. Boca Raton: CRC Press.

Wiliams, R. T. (2023). Project Management Toolkit: Essential Resources for Beginners. [E-book].

Yang, J. and Yin, S. (2023). Risk Management for Housing and Construction Projects. Journal of
Engineering, Project, and Production Management, 14(1), 0011.

Zaman, U., Khan, M. N., Raza, S. H. and Farías, P. (2022). Fall Seven Times, Stand Up Eight:
Linking Project Management Innovation, Project Governance, and High-Performance Work
Practices to Project Success. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 902816.

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