The Last 2 Percent
As mentioned earlier, there are many projects sitting at 98 percent complete. This is because the last 2 percent of a project is the hardest to close. A great way to determine a company's project-management maturity is to look at their last fifteen completed projects. In looking at the documents, take the following quiz:
Is the project plan updated?
Yes = 5 points, No = 0 points Bonus: Are all tasks marked complete?
Yes = 10 points, No = 0 points Do you have an issue and/or risk log?
Yes = 5 points for each, No = 0 points Bonus: Were issues and risks added throughout the project?
Yes = 5 points, No = 0 points Bonus: Are all issues and risks marked complete?
Yes = 5 points, No = 0 points Bonus: Are all issues and risks updated with the proper resolutions?
Yes = 10 points, No = 0 points Was there a project close-out meeting?
Yes = 5 points, No = 0 points Bonus: Did you create meeting notes for this and send them out?
Yes = 10 points, No = 0 points
If you scored less than 20, don't worry, many people will. If you scored between 21 and 30, you are well on your way. If you scored 30+, congratulations!
Why is it so hard to close out the project?
Generally, there is more work to be done than resources available. Many people get too busy and start the next project without completing the mundane things it takes to close the current project.
If you are a vendor or contractor, the last 2 percent means a whole different ballgame. Many clients are afraid to sign a project-completion document for fear that they missed something and want the vendor and or contractor to remain available. The last 2 percent for them is waiting for a test to be run, a document to be approved, etc. In most cases, it is stalling, but they do not want to end the contract unless they are absolutely sure that it is complete.
The difficulty of closing the project is in direct correlation to the definition of the project. This scenario again lends itself to the definition of done. How well the project was defined will determine how easy it is to show that it is complete.
