A post evaluation report typically documents the failures and successes of a project providing a detailed record of the estimated and actual schedule and budget. The post evaluation report may also collect other important metrics besides offering recommendations and remedial actions for other similar projects.
What is a post evaluation report?
A good post evaluation report is generally based on three important and distinctive measures. These are:
- Project completion in the estimated time
- Project completion within the designated budget
- All requirements being met during the execution of the project
To put it simply, these measures look at ‘time’, ‘product’ and ‘cost’ as distinct and critical factors that contribute to the evaluation of project success.
One of the things that distinguish a skilled and knowledgeable project manager from a naïve project manager is his/her ability to execute good project evaluation. This is done in a way so that the successes of a project can be reapplied to the future ones for optimal results. A good post evaluation report allows an organization
- To identify the achievements in a project and acknowledge the work of various team members
- To shortlist the techniques and methods that worked and come up with strategies in order to use them in future projects as well.
- To take note of techniques and methods that failed to work and come up with strategies so as to avoid using them in the future again.
Tips for preparing a good post evaluation report
1. It is the start that makes all the difference
If you’re looking to make a good post evaluation report, you first need to identify the various benefits that stakeholders or clients are hoping to achieve as the project comes to an end. For instance, if the objective of your project is to make changes to an existing situation, then it is best to first define that particular situation. Why? This will create scope for a practical comparison with the new and modified situation at the end of the project.
2. Do a survey among key stakeholders
It is true that the collection of data from the internal project teams is necessary for the assessment of project success. However, you also need to take into consideration the views of your key stakeholders. How? Ask them whether or not the project was successful in addressing their needs. You can also ask them to assess the performance of the project manager, project team and so on.
3. Don’t leave out recommendations
What is the point of collecting all this data from the internal teams and primary stakeholders? What do you do with all this data? Well, you collect all the learning and ideas and present them as ‘comprehensive recommendations’ to your team members, project leaders, organization, customers as well as other stakeholders. These well-documented recommendations are important because they can help lay the groundwork for the success of future projects.
Take advantage of these simple tips to make a useful and extensive post evaluation report at the end of your projects.
