What is included in a project completion report?

A project completion report serves as a comprehensive document that encapsulates the overall performance and results of a project. It is designed to provide stakeholders with insights into what was achieved, how it was achieved, and what lessons can be learned for future initiatives.

Including a summary of project outcomes and lessons learned is crucial because it highlights not only the final results—both successes and areas for improvement—but also the processes and strategies that were effective or ineffective. This reflective element contributes to organizational learning and can guide future projects, making it an invaluable part of continuous improvement.

In contrast, focusing solely on financial outcomes neglects many other critical aspects of project success, such as stakeholder satisfaction, operational performance, and process efficiency. Detailed resumes of team members, while they may give context to the skills involved, do not capture project outcomes or lessons learned, which are far more relevant for assessing project success and informing future work. Similarly, the initial project proposal and budgets provide a baseline for evaluation but do not encompass the gained insights and outcomes that the completion report aims to convey. Thus, a well-rounded report emphasizes summarizing outcomes and extracting valuable lessons.