Afloopkunde

Afloopkunde is a Dutch term that refers to the set of practices and skills involved in bringing activities, projects, or negotiations to a successful close. The word combines afloop (end, completion) with kunde (skill or proficiency). The concept is used in various Dutch-speaking business contexts, including the Netherlands and Flanders, to describe how a process is concluded in a controlled and verifiable way.

In practice, afloopkunde encompasses planning for completion, ensuring deliverables meet agreed criteria, obtaining formal acceptance or sign-off, and handing over ownership to the relevant party. It is closely related to project closure in project management, contract close in procurement, and closing in sales and customer service. The aim is to ensure a clear and documented end, with responsibilities, outcomes, and lessons learned clearly recorded.

Key components include: clear acceptance criteria and formal sign-off; comprehensive completion documentation; transfer of deliverables and knowledge to the operator or customer; a handover or transition plan; post-implementation or post-deal review; and archiving of records for future reference.

Techniques commonly used are closing checklists, gate or milestone reviews, close-out reports, and post-project or post-implementation evaluations. Benefits of good afloopkunde include reduced scope creep at closure, improved accountability, smoother handovers, and captured lessons for future work. Criticisms note that the term can be vague and its practices may overlap with standard project closure methods, varying by industry and organization.

See also: project closure, contract close, close-out process.