The decision on project discontinuation is made before the set objectives have been achieved. The project organization is dissolved and the project is terminated in an orderly manner.

Project discontinuation is an unplanned step that can at most be foreseen as a possible action when, for example, a pilot project, a research project, or a project under aggravated critical circumstances is undertaken.

The generally unpopular step of a project discontinuation lies entirely within the competence and responsibility of the project sponsor. The termination should be as smooth as possible and without "collateral damage". The dissolution of the project organization is performed analogously to a project closure. The project participants are officially released from their project responsibilities.

Document storage is purged and the existing project documentation is transferred to the core organization. The reasons for project discontinuation are compiled and documented. Any open, relevant pending items and unresolved points are transferred to the responsible persons in the core organization. Any legal aspects arising from unfulfilled contracts are transferred to the legal department of the core organization.

A project discontinuation is possible only within the scope of solution development, i.e. after the decision on execution release and before the decision on closure phase release. It constitutes a premature, unplanned, possibly also abrupt project closure with the project closure milestone. The decision is made by the sponsor.

Termination of the project during the initiation phase does not constitute actual project discontinuation, because initiation serves as a structured orientation for a focused project, and any decision not to release execution followed by subsequent termination of the project is one of the possible steps anticipated in advance. This also applies to termination of the project in the earlier initiation phase. Formal termination of the project is not provided for; nevertheless, some activities of this task can support the termination if needed.

It should be ensured that the value already added can be preserved, thus limiting the damage due to project discontinuation.

Since the prepare project closure task cannot be performed in the event of project discontinuation, the lessons learned and the final project evaluation including the discontinuation notice must also be prepared before the decision is made.

The project manager's final project evaluation is reviewed and approved or rejected by project steering. The sponsor forwards important lessons learned from the project to the relevant bodies.

The project sponsor ensures that the orderly project discontinuation requirements of the controlling and compliance body as well as governance are met.

A decision is made

1. that the project is discontinued.

If the project has specific controlling and QA/risk management bodies, they prepare a final report.

All members of the project team, all affected stakeholders, as well as all internal bodies and external service providers involved in the project are informed.

1. Project management plan
2. Lessons learned

1. Add further criteria to the project discontinuation checklist.
2. Purge document storage.
3. Secure value already created, if possible.
4. Check work in progress to determine whether it should be discontinued immediately or better continued to the finished outcomes.
5. Ensure that the closure work has been completed; carry out or commission corresponding tests.
6. Return unrequired resources (infrastructure, etc.) to the core organization.
7. Revoke access rights granted specifically for the project.
8. Finalize expense recording systems, project accounts, reporting, etc.
9. Transfer pending items arising from the project to those responsible in the core organization.
10. Communicate the decision to the controlling and compliance bodies as well as to the project team.
11. Have projects deleted from any portfolio.
12. Hold final project committee meeting.
13. Make formal decision on project discontinuation.
14. Dissolve project organization.
15. Inform those affected and interested about the decision.
16. Add experience from the project discontinuation to lessons learned and pass them on the relevant bodies.
17. Legal aspects such as disputes regarding agreements, rescission, shared liability, fees, claims for damages, etc. must be forwarded to the legal department of the core organization in a separate order, together with the relevant documentation, or the lawyers are involved directly.

1. Project discontinuation checklist
2. Lessons learned
3. Final project evaluation
4. Project closure milestone
5. List of steering project decisions