Why closing off a project is like sheep herding

As the end of the year is approaching, we have many projects that are rounding up. To me trying to close off the project and preparing for Go Live sometimes feels a bit like sheep herding.

At the start of the project, we agreed on scope and all the sheep were in the pen. Then we opened the gates, ready to Explore the field together and graze on the grasslands. Expressing new ideas and finding new areas is encouraged in this phase of the project. We walked side by side across the open fields, through the forest and finding the path that led us to our destination in the Realization phase. But every journey must come to an end, and it’s time to guide the sheep back. How do you get the sheep back into the pen?

Valuable lessons

Reflecting on the herding experience, I’ve gained some valuable lessons from these journeys:

It all starts with communication. Rather than barking and biting, effective communication is the shepherd’s tool. Clearly indicate that the project is coming to a closing due to budget constraints or project timelines.

Set realistic expectations and determine together with the business (key users) what can and cannot be accommodated within the project’s closing phase. Also ensure to clearly state when the final input must be delivered to make the implementation within the current timeframe.

Prioritize the outstanding requests based on their impact, urgency and strategic goals. Keep a look out for quick wins that can be implemented easily to address some immediate concerns.

Review outstanding requests received in the last days. Keep in mind that with more understanding, more ideas will arise on how to improve the system even further. Identify whether these changes are low hanging fruit or should be parked for a next phase. If you park topics, be clear on when you will pick them up to set expectations. Ensure that these topics are properly documented so you still understand them later.

Creating documentation is often considered low priority when workload is high and other tasks (such as setting up a production environment) get higher priority. However, it is very important for ensuring proper support in the next phase after Go Live. My advice would be to document during the project.

Having this knowledge written down can also facilitate Training. Creating a FAQ can really help your end users to build up a knowledge base that can be used for future purposes. During the end phase of the project, you will find that many things which at first seemed like a bug, just require some explanation or agreement on a uniform work process.

Close the gate!

Now, as we gather the sheep, ensuring we have captured all urgent scope, are trained, and documented and ready for the next phase, we confidently close the gate. The real excitement awaits—Go Live! It’s time to celebrate the achievements, acknowledge the collaborative effort, and embark on new beginnings that await us beyond the closed gate.