Lessons Learned & Closure Report (Word)
Close the project properly: record whether the objectives were met, how the final dates and costs compared with the plan, what was handed over to whom, and the lessons the next project should use. The lessons table is organised by area, with what happened, its effect and a specific recommendation, so the lessons can be acted on rather than filed and forgotten.
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PROJECT CLOSURE REPORT AND LESSONS LEARNED
[Project name]
| Sponsor | [ ] | Project manager | [ ] |
| Planned finish | [DD-MMM-YYYY] | Actual finish | [DD-MMM-YYYY] |
| Report date | [DD-MMM-YYYY] | Prepared by | [ ] |
1. Summary
Three or four sentences: what the project delivered, whether it met its objectives, and the most important lesson.
[ ]
2. Objectives achieved
| Objective (from the charter) | Target | Result | Met? |
| [ ] | [ ] | [ ] | [Yes / Partly / No] |
| [ ] | |||
3. Schedule and cost
| Baseline (plan) | Actual | Difference | Main reason | |
| Finish date | [ ] | [ ] | [ ] days | [ ] |
| Total cost ([currency]) | [ ] | [ ] | [ ] | [ ] |
| Approved changes | — | [number] | [cost, days] | [ ] |
4. Handover and closure checklist
| ✓ | Item | Owner / notes |
| ☐ | Deliverables accepted and signed off by the sponsor | |
| ☐ | Users trained; user guide handed over | |
| ☐ | Support and maintenance owner agreed | |
| ☐ | Open issues and defects handed over with owners | |
| ☐ | Supplier contracts and purchase orders closed | |
| ☐ | Final invoices paid; project budget closed |
5. Lessons learned
One row per lesson. Write a recommendation someone can act on next time, not a complaint.
| Area | What went well | What did not go well | Effect | Recommendation |
| Planning | [ ] | [ ] | [ ] | [ ] |
| Scope and changes | ||||
| People and roles | ||||
| Suppliers | ||||
| Communication | ||||
| Technology |
6. Top three recommendations for the next project
• [ ]
• [ ]
• [ ]
7. Sign-off
| Role | Name | Signature | Date |
| Sponsor | |||
| Project manager |
Guide: a 60-minute lessons learned meeting
Delete this page before you send the report.
…
What's inside
- Project summary and closure details
- Objectives achieved: target, result and comment for each objective in the charter
- Final schedule and cost against the baseline, with the main reasons for any difference
- Handover and closure checklist: documents, training, support, open items, contracts, accounts and archive
- Lessons learned table by area (planning, scope, people, suppliers, communication, technology, quality) with what went well, what did not and a recommendation
- Guide to running a 60-minute lessons learned meeting, and the sign-off table
How to use it
- Hold the lessons learned meeting within two weeks of the end, while memories are fresh. The guide on the last page gives a 60-minute agenda.
- Fill in the objectives table using the measures from the project charter.
- Fill in final dates and costs from the Gantt chart and the budget workbook.
- Tick the closure checklist and write an owner next to anything still open.
- Write the lessons: one row per lesson, with a recommendation someone can act on.
- Get the sponsor's sign-off and save the report where the next project manager will find it.
Tips
- Ask "what would we do differently next time?" rather than "whose fault was it?". Blame stops people telling the truth.
- Record what went well too, so good practice is repeated on purpose.
- Send the three most useful recommendations to whoever plans the next similar project.
Questions and answers
When should lessons learned be collected?
At the end of each phase and at the close. Lessons noted only at the very end lose the early details.
Who should attend the lessons learned meeting?
The core team, the sponsor if possible, and key suppliers or users. Six to ten people is a good size.
What is the difference between a closure report and lessons learned?
The closure report records the result (objectives, dates, cost, handover). Lessons learned record what to repeat or change next time. This template holds both.