Directing Projects with PRINCE2

• Introduction
• Overview of PRINCE2
  • Key definitions
  • Structure of PRINCE2
  • The role of senior management in PRINCE2
  • Overview of PRINCE2
• Project Board duties and behaviours
  • Overview
  • Be accountable for the project
  • Provide unified direction
  • Delegate effectively
  • Facilitate cross functional integration
  • Commit resources
  • Ensure effective decision making
  • Support the Project Manager
  • Ensure effective communication
• Starting up a Project
  • Purpose
  • Context
  • Confirm the understanding of the project mandate
  • Appoint the Executive and Project Manager
  • Capture previous lessons
  • Design and appoint the project management team
  • Prepare the outline Business Case
  • Prepare the Project Brief
  • Prepare the Initiation Stage Plan
  • Summary
• Authorize initiation
  • Purpose
  • Context
  • Approve the Project Brief
  • Approve the Initiation Stage Plan
  • Communication
  • Suggested Project Board agenda
  • Summary
• Authorize the project
  • Purpose
  • Context part 1
  • Context part 2
  • Context part 3
  • Communication
  • Review the End Stage Report for initiation
  • Approve the Project Initiation Documentation
  • Approve the next Stage Plan
  • Suggested Project Board agenda
  • Summary
• Authorize a Stage or Exception Plan
  • Purpose
  • Context part 1
  • Context part 2
  • Review End Stage Reports
  • Approve Stage or Exception Plans
  • Assess project viability
  • Suggested Project Board agenda
  • Summary
• Give ad hoc direction
  • Purpose
  • Context
  • Respond to requests
  • Respond to reports
  • Respond to external influences
  • Focus of individual board members
  • Communication
  • Summary
• Authorize project closure
  • Purpose
  • Context
  • Confirm handover and acceptance
  • Approve the End Project Report
  • Approve the Benefits Review Plan
  • Communication
  • Suggested Project Board agenda
  • Summary
• Reviewing benefits
  • Purpose
  • Context
  • Hold benefits reviews
  • Close the Business Case
  • Communication
  • Suggested agenda for benefit reviews
  • Summary
• Tailoring PRINCE2
  • Purpose
  • Introduction
  • Environmental factors
  • Project related factors
  • What does tailoring involve?Adapting the themes

Key sections

• Introduction
• Business case
• Organization
• Quality
• Plans
• Risk
• Change
• Progress
• Introduction to processes
• Starting up a projectDirecting a project
• Initiating a project
• Controlling a stage
• Managing Product Delivery
• Managing a Stage Boundary
• Closing a Project
• Tailoring PRINCE2 to the project environment
• Directing Projects with PRINCE2

Starting up a Project

Summary

PRINCE2® is not specific about who undertakes the Starting up a Project process activities because the project does not exist officially until the Project Board authorizes the initiation stage (see the section covering ‘Authorize initiation’).

The following are the recommended actions that the Executive needs either to undertake, delegate or arrange for with corporate or programme management.

Confirm the understanding of the project:

• Review the project mandate and obtain any missing information

Corporate/programme Manager to appoint the Executive and the Executive to appoint the Project Manager:

• Identify the candidates and responsibilities for the Executive and Project Manager
• Confirm the selected people’s availability, their acceptance of these roles and their commitment to carry them out
• Prepare role descriptions for the Executive and Project Manager and confirm appointments with corporate or programme management.

Incorporate lessons learned:

• Review related End Project Reports and Lessons Reports from similar projects (whether internally or externally) to identify lessons which can be applied to this project.

Design and appoint the project management team:

• Identify candidates for remaining project management team roles and create role descriptions
• Assess whether any members of the Project Board are likely to delegate any of their assurance responsibilities to a Project Assurance role
• Consider whether the Project Manager will also fulfil the Team Manager(s) and Project Support roles or whether the separate individuals will be filling these roles
• Appoint identified individuals to the roles of Senior Supplier(s), Senior User(s), Project Assurance (where appropriate), Project Support (where appropriate) and Team Managers (where appropriate)
• Ensure that these individuals understand and are actively committed to carrying out their roles and responsibilities in the management and support of the project
• Confirm the reporting and communication lines

Prepare the outline Business Case:

• Assemble any relevant background information, e.g. contracts, feasibility reports, service level agreements, alignment to corporate or programme strategy etc.
• Determine the approximate cost/benefit for the project
• Draft the Business Case in the light of what is now known about the project; this is likely to be incomplete at this time

Prepare the project approach and assemble the Project Brief:

• Assist and advise the Project Manager in devising the project approach and assembling the Project Brief

Plan the initiation stage:

• Assist and advise the Project Manager during the preparation of the Initiation Stage Plan

All references above are in Directing Successful Projects with PRINCE2 unless stated otherwise.

PRINCE2® is a Registered Trade Mark of the Office of Government Commerce in the United Kingdom and other countries.