Making Endings Matter

Rituals for building in reflection (and celebration) at the end of a project.

I love it when projects start. I could stay in the honeymoon phase of icebreakers, kick-off meetings, and possibilities forever.

This is in direct opposition to how I feel when a project ends. I speed through the motions — archiving final files, taking the post-its off of the wall — doing what I need to do to finish the project and move on to the next one. Sometimes it’s to avoid acknowledging that a meaningful project is ending or that it’s my last time working with a favorite partner. Other times it’s because I’m exhausted and immensely relieved that a stressful project is ending.

Unfortunately, this approach means that I am often missing valuable opportunities to celebrate successes, reflect on learnings, and ultimately find closure.

What if we made endings as important as beginnings?

Here are three rituals that I’ve recently been using at the end of projects to ensure I pause to celebrate and reflect before rushing to the next thing.

1. Schedule Time to Debrief

As a project nears completion, but before the craziness of the final push, I make sure to pre-schedule time to debrief after the dust settles. Depending on the project, this can happen in different ways — over coffee with a project co-lead, in a Zoom call with busy project partners, or as part of the last class for a student team — but the format is always the same:

1. First, I give each person time to reflect and write before sharing their thoughts. My favorite framework for feedback is “pluses” (what worked) and “deltas” (what you would change). This makes sure that all comments are framed in a constructive way, and keeps people from stewing in things that might not have gone so well.
2. After each person has had enough time to compile their thoughts, I facilitate the share out to make sure that all participants have a chance to speak.
3. As people share, I listen, scribble notes like crazy, ask for clarification if needed, and make sure not to interrupt. This isn’t the time to problem-solve or defend past decisions, but rather to objectively listen and document.

The resulting list of pluses and deltas then becomes a valuable tool for me when planning future projects and collaborations.

2. Award Team Superlatives

As a high schooler, I held on to every certificate (I even still have the paper plate award from my brief and less-than-stellar stint on my high school tennis team). Sadly, the practice of celebrating and acknowledging individual contributions to a team often ends when we become adults.

I started making handmade certificates with superlatives for each student in my practice-based studio class last year, and it quickly became one of my favorite ways to end the semester (bonus points for drum rolls and photos of each person posing with their certificate).

3. Make Project Reflection Zines

Last semester, I set aside an hour of the final class for students to create a collaborative zine (shout out to Cameron Morgan and Ashley Eberhart for this awesome idea). Together, the group decided on a title for the zine and chose the paper color. Then, I asked each student to reflect on a “moment that mattered” to them and create a page to document and share the lesson learned or formative experience with the group.

We compiled the pages, quickly copied them into booklets (check to see if your copier has a finisher with booklet-making capabilities — total game-changer), and each team member walked away with a tangible keepsake.

Whether it’s building in time for contemplation or celebration, I’ve become a believer in making endings matter. Now I look forward to the end of a project (almost!) as much as the start.

How do you make endings matter? Leave your project-ending rituals in the comments!