PRINCE2 Closing a Project
Get Started with This SkillOverview
Draft Closing a Project (CP) documents aligned with PRINCE2. Covers End Project Reports, final Lessons Reports, Benefits Review Plans, product handover documentation, and project closure recommendations.
Getting Started
Upload the project’s PID, End Stage Reports, issue/risk registers, and any benefits data to the workspace and activate the PRINCE2 Closing a Project skill. The agent will help you prepare the End Project Report, compile lessons, create the Benefits Review Plan, and draft the closure recommendation.
Example Conversation
Below is an example of a typical session closing a building management system (BMS) upgrade project. The agent compiles the End Project Report and Benefits Review Plan.
You: Our BMS upgrade project is complete — 4 stages over 11 months. We need to formally close it. All products are delivered and accepted by facilities management. The project came in EUR 40K over budget (EUR 640K vs. EUR 600K planned) because of unforeseen HVAC controller compatibility issues in Stage 3. Schedule was 2 weeks late (46 weeks vs. 44 planned). We achieved energy savings of 12% in the pilot building versus the 15% target. The PID and all End Stage Reports are in the workspace.
Agent: I’ll prepare the closure documentation. A few questions:
- Are there any open issues or risks that need to be transferred to facilities management?
- When do you want the post-project benefits reviews? Energy savings may take a full heating/cooling cycle to measure accurately.
- Were there any products not delivered or accepted with conditions?
You: Three open items: (1) firmware update for 8 HVAC controllers due in March (vendor commitment), (2) integration with the fire alarm system deferred to a separate project, (3) training refresher needed for night-shift operators. All products accepted — 2 with minor conditions that have been resolved. Benefits reviews: measure at 6 months and 12 months post-project. The facilities director (K. Brandt) will own the benefits.
Agent: I’ve created the full closure package:
End Project Report (
reports/end_project_report.md):
- Schedule: 46 weeks vs. 44 planned (+4.5%). Within project tolerance (+/- 6 weeks).
- Cost: EUR 640K vs. EUR 600K (+6.7%). Exceeded project cost tolerance of +/- 5%. Root cause: HVAC controller compatibility required EUR 35K in replacement hardware + EUR 5K installation.
- Products: 14 of 14 delivered and accepted. 2 products had conditional acceptance, both conditions resolved.
- Benefits: Pilot building shows 12% energy savings (target: 15%). Full measurement pending across all 3 buildings.
- Management Approach Effectiveness: Risk management caught the HVAC issue early (Stage 3 Exception Report worked well). Communication approach rated “good” by stakeholder survey (4.1/5). Change control handled 7 RFCs — all within change budget.
Benefits Review Plan (
plans/benefits_review_plan.md):
- 3 benefits tracked: energy savings (target 15%), maintenance call reduction (target 25%), occupant comfort score (target +10 points)
- Reviews at 6 months (April) and 12 months (October) — both covering a full seasonal cycle
- Owner: K. Brandt (Facilities Director)
- Measurement: BMS energy dashboards, maintenance ticket system, annual occupant survey
Closure Recommendation (
reports/closure_recommendation.md):
- 3 open items transferred to facilities management with owners and deadlines
- All products accepted, lessons distributed to PMO and facilities teams
- Recommendation: authorize closure
Document Excerpt
Below is a representative excerpt from an End Project Report prepared with the skill.
End Project Report — BMS Upgrade (Excerpt)
Project: Building Management System Upgrade Executive: S. Richter (Head of Corporate Real Estate) Project Manager: N. Petrov Duration: 46 weeks (February 2026 – December 2026)
2. Performance Against PID
2.1 Schedule
| Stage | Planned (weeks) | Actual (weeks) | Variance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stage 1: Assessment & Design | 8 | 8 | On target |
| Stage 2: Infrastructure Upgrade | 10 | 10 | On target |
| Stage 3: Controller Replacement | 12 | 14 | +2 weeks |
| Stage 4: Integration & Commissioning | 14 | 14 | On target |
| Total | 44 | 46 | +2 weeks (+4.5%) |
Cause of Variance: Stage 3 — 8 legacy HVAC controllers (Siemens S600 series) were incompatible with the new BACnet/IP protocol. Replacement hardware required 4-week lead time. Exception Plan approved by Board (ref: EXC-002).
2.2 Cost
| Category | Planned | Actual | Variance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hardware | EUR 280,000 | EUR 315,000 | +EUR 35,000 |
| Installation & Labour | EUR 180,000 | EUR 185,000 | +EUR 5,000 |
| Software & Licencing | EUR 80,000 | EUR 78,000 | -EUR 2,000 |
| Training | EUR 30,000 | EUR 32,000 | +EUR 2,000 |
| Contingency used | EUR 30,000 | EUR 30,000 | Fully consumed |
| Total | EUR 600,000 | EUR 640,000 | +EUR 40,000 (+6.7%) |
2.4 Benefits Status
| Benefit | Target | Measured (pilot building) | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy savings | 15% reduction | 12% reduction (4 months data) | Partially achieved — full seasonal cycle needed |
| Maintenance call reduction | 25% fewer calls | 31% reduction | Exceeded target |
| Occupant comfort score | +10 points (baseline: 62/100) | 69/100 (+7 points) | Below target — survey covers summer only |
6. Outstanding Items Transferred
| # | Item | Owner | Deadline | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | HVAC controller firmware update (8 units) | K. Brandt (Facilities) | March 2027 | Vendor (Siemens) committed, no cost |
| 2 | Fire alarm integration | J. Meier (Projects) | Separate project initiated | Scope excluded in Stage 1 |
| 3 | Night-shift operator training refresher | K. Brandt (Facilities) | February 2027 | 12 operators, 2 half-day sessions |
This excerpt is illustrative. Final content must reflect the specific project’s data and organizational context.