Which costs more? The first 10 percent of an architecture or engineering project or the last 10 percent? What do you think? Well actually, they both cost the same.
It’s just feels like the last 10 percent cost much more, and we will sometimes even see project managers budgeting a higher percentage of their time to close out the project. There’s a good reason why this is: Finishing of that last little bit is incredibly hard.
Why is it so hard to finish that last 10 percent? With the project now 90 percent complete, the list of activities drops to a small number, and the schedule completion dates draw closer. However, it’s almost certain that various members of the project team will suffer one or more of the following maladies:
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“Burnout” resulting from too many long days and weekends over the intensive weeks or months on the project
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More interest in a new project that is being bid or just won
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Lack of another project on which to begin work coupled by a self-serving desire to find more to do on this project rather than face possible layoff
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A desire to keep trying again and again to improve the project (excess perfection syndrome)
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Fear that some unidentified process or component won’t work, which manifests itself as an inability to commit that the project is really done
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Constant incorporation of new activities that “everyone knew we had to do, but no one put on the list of tasks until now”
Unfortunately, many well-managed jobs have their schedules and budgets completely destroyed during the last 10 percent of the project. Many people believe that it takes 90 percent to get to 90 percent complete and then another 90 percent to finish the last 10 percent. Wrapping up the job and closing it down is one of the most challenging responsibilities of the PM.
Project Closeout is just one of the numerious topics covered in PSMJ's recently released series of
e-learning project management training courses for new and seasoned AEC project managers.
You also might be interested in these project management-related blog posts:
4 Essential Project Management Tips for AE Professionals
10 Tips for Effective Project Management with BIM