Project Toolkit

Closure Meeting

Closure Meeting

Formally closing the project with stakeholders and confirming completion.

Closure Meeting

The closure meeting formally concludes the project, confirms completion, and obtains sign-off from stakeholders.

Purpose

The closure meeting ensures:

  • Formal project completion
  • Stakeholder acceptance
  • Outstanding items addressed
  • Lessons are shared
  • Resources are released
  • Documentation is archived

Closure Meeting Flow

flowchart LR A[Prepare] --> B[Present
Summary] B --> C[Review
Outcomes] C --> D[Address
Actions] D --> E[Obtain
Sign-off] E --> F[Close] classDef blue fill:#108BB9,stroke:none,color:#fff class A,B,C,D,E,F blue

Meeting Participants

Role Purpose
Project Sponsor Provide formal sign-off
Project Manager Present closure summary
Senior Users Confirm business acceptance
Senior Suppliers Confirm technical delivery
Key stakeholders Acknowledge completion

Agenda

Item Duration Purpose
Welcome and purpose 5 mins Set context
Project summary 10 mins What was delivered
Objectives review 10 mins Were objectives met?
Benefits status 10 mins Expected vs achieved
Outstanding items 10 mins What remains
Lessons learned 10 mins Key insights
Handover confirmation 5 mins Support arrangements
Formal closure 5 mins Sign-off and thanks

Pre-Meeting Preparation

Activity Owner
Prepare closure report Project Manager
Compile lessons learned Project Manager
Confirm outstanding actions Project Manager
Verify handover complete Operations
Prepare sign-off document Project Manager
Distribute papers in advance Project Manager

Closure Criteria

Before the meeting, confirm:

  • All deliverables accepted
  • Testing completed and signed off
  • Documentation complete
  • Training delivered
  • Support handover complete
  • Outstanding issues documented
  • Lessons learned captured
  • Benefits baseline established

Discussion Points

Project Performance

Area Questions
Scope Was everything delivered?
Time Was it on schedule?
Cost Was it within budget?
Quality Did it meet standards?
Benefits Will benefits be realised?

Outstanding Items

Item Type Action Required
Defects Assign to support for resolution
Enhancements Log for future consideration
Risks Transfer to operations or close
Documentation Confirm completion timeline

Sign-off Requirements

The closure sign-off confirms:

  • Project objectives have been met
  • Deliverables have been accepted
  • Outstanding items have owners
  • Support arrangements are in place
  • Project can be formally closed
  • Resources can be released

Meeting Outputs

Output Purpose
Signed closure document Formal confirmation
Action list Outstanding items with owners
Lessons learned summary Shared insights
Archive reference Where documents are stored
Thank you communication Acknowledge team contribution

Post-Meeting Activities

flowchart LR A[Distribute
Minutes] --> B[Complete
Actions] B --> C[Archive
Documents] C --> D[Release
Resources] D --> E[Celebrate
Success] classDef blue fill:#108BB9,stroke:none,color:#fff class A,B,C,D,E blue

Common Pitfalls

Pitfall Mitigation
Skipping the meeting Always hold formal closure
No sign-off obtained Prepare document in advance
Outstanding items forgotten Document and assign owners
Team not recognised Include thanks and celebration
Documents not archived Create archive checklist

Closure Meeting Checklist

Before

  • Closure report prepared?
  • Lessons learned compiled?
  • Sign-off document ready?
  • Participants invited?
  • Papers distributed?

During

  • Summary presented?
  • Outcomes reviewed?
  • Actions addressed?
  • Sign-off obtained?

After

  • Minutes distributed?
  • Actions assigned?
  • Documents archived?
  • Resources released?
  • Team thanked?
Last updated: 13 January 2026
Themes

Closure

Governance