Plans

• Purpose
• Defined
  • What is a plan?
  • What is planning?
  • Levels of plan
  • The Project Plan
  • Stage Plans
  • Team Plans
  • Exception Plans
• The PRINCE2 approach
  • Philosophy
  • Prerequisites for planning -
    design the plan
  • Define and analyse the products
• Prerequisites for planning
  • Write the Project Product Description
  • Create the product breakdown structure
  • Write the Product Descriptions
  • Create the product flow diagram
• Identify activities and dependencies
  • Activities
  • Dependencies
• Prepare estimates
• Prepare the schedule
  • Overview
  • Define activity sequence
  • Assess resource availability
  • Assign resources
  • Level resource usage
  • Agree control points
  • Define milestones
  • Calculate total resource requirements and costs
• Analyse the risks
• Document the plan
• Responsibilities

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

The PRINCE2 approach

Prerequisites for planning – design the plan

Create the product flow diagram

A product flow diagram needs to be created to identify and define the sequence in which the products of the plan will be developed and any dependencies between them.

The product flow diagram also identifies dependencies on any products outside the scope of the plan.
It leads naturally into consideration of the activities required, and provides the information for other planning techniques, such as estimating and scheduling.

When creating a product flow diagram, consider the following:

• Although the Project or Team Manager is responsible for the creation of the product flow diagram, it is sensible to involve those who are to develop or contribute to the products contained in the plan
• Rather than preparing the product flow diagram once the product breakdown structure has been drawn, some planners prefer to create the product flow diagram in parallel with the product breakdown structure
• A product flow diagram needs very few symbols. Each product to be developed within the plan in question is identified (for example, it may be enclosed in a rectangle), and the sequence in which they are to be created is shown (the rectangles may be connected by arrows, for example). Any products that already exist or that come from work outside the scope of the plan should be clearly identified as external products (for example, they may be enclosed in a different shape, such as an ellipse)
• It may be useful to add a starting point in the product flow diagram from which all entry points are attached. There is always one exit on a product flow diagram but when there are many entrances, such a place marker prevents any from being overlooked. The symbol becomes the predecessor for all entry points and would be the only symbol on a product flow diagram that is not on the product breakdown structure.

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