jennifer project management review

Hello Class,

The success of the company luncheon project was a great achievement, as it demonstrated my ability to lead and coordinate with other individuals. Now that the event is behind us, it’s time to focus on the post-event activities. Post-event meetings, commonly referred to as “lessons learned” or “project closeout” discussions, can be conducted with stakeholders, staff, and customers to formally conclude the project and identify potential opportunities for future initiatives. I would begin by holding a debriefing with the team, during which we would review the project’s progress and identify areas for improvement. According to the Project Management Institute, this process involves documenting lessons learned and assessing performance against the baseline (Project Management Institute, 2021). Before the meeting, I would thoroughly review the various aspects of the project, such as the scope, budget, schedule, and risk register. By comparing the actual and planned costs, I can help the team determine where we can improve and where there were issues. A safe environment that encourages honest discussions can help improve team performance. According to a study conducted by Edmondson in 2018, people are more likely to open up if they feel that they’ll be protected from criticism (Edmondson, 2018).

After conducting a couple of feedback sessions with sponsors and stakeholders, I’ll hold separate meetings to gather information on the event’s success. These sessions will focus on participants’ return on investment and satisfaction levels. Kerzner noted that stakeholder satisfaction is one of the most important factors influencing a project’s success (Kerzner, 2022). By collecting their feedback, I can ensure alignment with the organization’s expectations. I can then present a summary of the event’s performance data in an easy-to-understand format.

Through short surveys, I can also collect feedback from vendors and attendees. This method can be very useful when addressing minor issues. According to the PMI, this process can help improve the event’s quality by identifying areas for improvement (PMI, 2021). One of the most important steps event organizers should take is to ensure documentation is always available.

After collecting feedback, I would compile a formal Project Closeout Report. This document would include:

• Summary of objectives and whether they were achieved
• Budget comparison (planned vs. actual)
• Schedule performance
• Risk issues encountered and how they were handled
• Conflict resolution strategies used
• Lessons learned and recommendations

After the event, I would hold an end-of-year meeting to recognize team members and provide a final report. This process can help build morale and encourage future projects. Kerzner also noted that the project should be closed by implementing contractual and administrative closure (Kerzner, 2022). This step involves ensuring that all contracts and invoices are properly filed. I prefer to conduct these meetings in a collaborative, transparent, and organized manner, which ensures completeness and consistency. Transparency also helps build trust among stakeholders, and collaboration fosters team learning and continuous improvement. In simple terms, this process can help make the next event run smoothly.

I suggest keeping all records in a central repository for future reference. Since you have handled large-scale events, such as multi-state initiatives, this documentation would be valuable, as it would help you gain a deeper understanding of the project. Future planners can also access performance notes, budget adjustments, and risk mitigation strategies. Post-project meetings can be used as a strategic tool for continuous improvement. They can help strengthen the organization’s project management maturity by facilitating discussions about lessons learned, reviewing budgets and contracts, and collecting feedback. Reflecting on past events can also help improve the operations of future undertakings.

References:

Edmondson, A. C. (2018). The fearless organization: Creating psychological safety in the workplace for learning, innovation, and growth. Wiley.

Kerzner, H. (2022). Project management: A systems approach to planning, scheduling, and controlling (13th ed.). Wiley.

Project Management Institute. (2021). A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK Guide) (7th ed.). Project Management Institute.

• respond to the above by All successful projects conclude with some form of team recognition. What would you do as a project manager to acknowledge and reward the project team?