Recommend Project Closure is a critical activity within the Closing a Project process in PRINCE2 7. This activity involves the Project Manager preparing a formal recommendation to the Project Board that the project should be closed, whether through successful completion, premature closure, or hando…Recommend Project Closure is a critical activity within the Closing a Project process in PRINCE2 7. This activity involves the Project Manager preparing a formal recommendation to the Project Board that the project should be closed, whether through successful completion, premature closure, or handover to another entity.
The Project Manager must compile comprehensive evidence demonstrating that the project has achieved its objectives or explaining why closure is appropriate at this point. This includes verifying that all planned products have been delivered and accepted, confirming that acceptance criteria have been met, and ensuring that any outstanding actions or risks have been documented and assigned to appropriate owners.
Key elements of the recommendation include a summary of how well the project performed against its baseline plans, including time, cost, quality, scope, benefits, and risk metrics. The Project Manager must also confirm that lessons have been captured and will be made available for future projects, and that the project records are archived appropriately.
The recommendation should address the status of any follow-on action recommendations, which might include ongoing operational support requirements, future project suggestions, or items that need attention beyond the project lifecycle. Benefits review arrangements must also be confirmed, specifying how and when post-project benefits will be measured and by whom.
The End Project Report forms a central component of this recommendation, providing stakeholders with a complete picture of project performance and outcomes. This report captures what was delivered versus what was planned and documents any deviations or changes that occurred.
Once the Project Manager has assembled all necessary evidence and documentation, the formal recommendation is presented to the Project Board through the Closing a Project process. The Project Board then uses this information to make their decision on authorizing project closure, ensuring organizational governance requirements are satisfied.
Recommend Project Closure - Complete Guide for PRINCE2 Practitioner v7
Introduction
Recommend Project Closure is a critical activity within the Closing a Project process in PRINCE2. It represents the formal mechanism by which the Project Manager seeks authorization from the Project Board to close the project and confirms that all necessary closure activities have been completed.
Why is Recommend Project Closure Important?
This activity is essential for several reasons:
• Formal Authorization: It ensures that project closure receives proper governance approval rather than simply stopping work • Accountability: It provides a clear record that all closure requirements have been met • Lessons Transfer: It confirms that valuable lessons have been captured and passed to the corporate organization • Handover Completion: It verifies that all products have been accepted and handed over to operations • Resource Release: It enables the formal release of project resources and team members • Benefits Planning: It ensures that post-project benefits reviews are scheduled and assigned
What is Recommend Project Closure?
Recommend Project Closure is the activity where the Project Manager compiles all evidence that the project can be closed and presents this to the Project Board for their authorization. This occurs at the end of the final management stage when the Project Manager has completed all necessary closure preparations.
The recommendation includes confirmation that: • All planned products have been delivered and accepted • Outstanding issues and risks have been documented with recommendations for handling • The End Project Report has been produced • Lessons have been documented and passed on • Follow-on action recommendations have been recorded • Benefits management arrangements are in place for post-project reviews
How Does Recommend Project Closure Work?
Step 1: Verify Product Delivery The Project Manager confirms that all products defined in the Project Product Description have been delivered and formally accepted by the appropriate authorities. Any products not delivered must be documented with explanations.
Step 2: Prepare the End Project Report This report compares actual project performance against the baseline established in the Project Initiation Documentation. It covers time, cost, quality, scope, benefits, and any lessons learned.
Step 3: Document Follow-on Actions Any work that remains incomplete or any recommendations for future improvements are recorded in the follow-on action recommendations. This includes unresolved issues and risks that require attention after the project closes.
Step 4: Confirm Benefits Management Arrangements The Project Manager ensures that the Benefits Management Approach includes scheduled post-project benefit reviews and that responsibility for these reviews has been assigned to appropriate individuals in the business.
Step 5: Update and Archive Project Records All project documentation is updated and prepared for archiving according to organizational standards.
Step 6: Submit Closure Recommendation The Project Manager formally submits the closure recommendation to the Project Board, who will then authorize project closure through the Directing a Project process.
Key Inputs and Outputs
Inputs: • Project Initiation Documentation (baseline for comparison) • Benefits Management Approach • Project Plan (to verify delivery against plan) • Issue Register and Risk Register • Lessons Log • Configuration Item Records
Outputs: • End Project Report • Follow-on Action Recommendations • Updated Lessons Log (passed to corporate) • Closure recommendation to Project Board
Exam Tips: Answering Questions on Recommend Project Closure
1. Focus on the Project Manager Role Remember that Recommend Project Closure is performed by the Project Manager, not the Project Board. The Project Board authorizes closure; the Project Manager recommends it.
2. Understand the Timing This activity occurs at the end of the final management stage. Questions may test whether you know when this activity takes place in the project lifecycle.
3. Know the Difference Between Planned and Premature Closure Recommend Project Closure applies to both planned closure (project completed successfully) and premature closure (project terminated early). The same closure activities apply in both scenarios.
4. Link to Benefits Management Exam questions often focus on what happens to benefits after the project closes. Remember that the Project Manager must confirm that benefits review arrangements are in place, but the actual measurement of benefits occurs after the project has closed.
5. Remember the End Project Report Purpose The End Project Report compares actual performance against the PID baseline. It is retrospective, looking back at what happened during the project.
6. Follow-on Actions are Key Any incomplete work, unresolved issues, or ongoing risks must be captured in follow-on action recommendations. This ensures nothing falls through the gaps when the project closes.
7. Distinguish Between Closure Activities Be clear about what belongs to Recommend Project Closure versus other closure activities like product handover or lessons documentation. Questions may present scenarios requiring you to identify the correct activity.
8. Watch for Governance Questions The Project Board must authorize closure based on the Project Manager's recommendation. Neither the Project Manager nor any other role can unilaterally close the project.
9. Consider the Scenario Context In Practitioner exams, always read the scenario carefully. The correct answer will align with the specific project situation described, not just generic best practice.
10. Look for Completeness When evaluating answer options, consider whether the proposed action ensures all closure requirements are addressed. Partial solutions are typically incorrect.