In the world of project management, many project managers follow the Project Management Body of Knowledge, or PMBOK. PMBOK is a structured approach to project management, developed by the Project Management Institute, which includes five phases:
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In this article, we'll look at the Closing phase.Phase 5: ClosingBefore the celebrations can begin, there are a few final details that need to be attended to so the project can be officially closed. That's the whole purpose of the final phase of the phases of project management - Closing.During this phase, project managers often depend on their project management software to provide detailed summary reports of everything from missed timelines to the amount of money spent during the project and how that information matches up with the original project plan.Using good project management software can save you a lot of time during this phase. Joe Taylor, Jr, an internal business consultant for a Fortune 500 company, wrote a great article on the top project management software packages for under $100. You can use any of these tools or go for something bigger and more expensive. It really all depends on the types of projects you manage.Just make sure that the software you choose allows you to create end-of-project reports. These reports will be used for a number of purposes, including:If you've done your legwork before and during the project and kept good records, the Closing phase will probably be your shortest project phase. But, the project celebration could go on for days.Read more about Phase 1: InitiationRead more about Phase 2: PlanningRead more about Phase 3: ExecutingRead more about Phase 4: Monitoring and Controlling