Directing a project

• Purpose
• Objective
• Context
• Activities
  • Overview
  • Authorize initiation
  • Authorize the project
  • Authorize a Stage or Exception Plan
  • Give ad hoc direction
  • Authorize project closure

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

Activities

Authorize initiation

Projects take time and cost money to initiate, so the activities for initiation should be planned, monitored and controlled.
The Project Board activity to authorize initiation ensures that such investment is worthwhile.

Once a request to initiate a project is received from Starting up a Project, the Project Board must decide whether to allow the project to proceed to the initiation stage.
This may be done at a formal Project Board meeting.
The Project Board can, however, choose to make the decision without the need for a formal meeting, as long as all members are in agreement, and the Project Manager is given documented instruction from the Executive to proceed with initiation.

The Project Board may appoint Project Assurance to undertake some of the reviewing and assessing actions (e.g. inspecting the Initiation Stage Plan to confirm it is viable).

In a commercial customer/supplier relationship, the Senior Supplier may not be appointed at this point, and/or their approval of the Project Brief and its components may not be necessary in order to authorize initiation.

Diagram 1 shows the inputs to, and outputs from, this activity.

© Crown copyright 2005 Reproduced under licence from OGC

Diagram 1

PRINCE2® recommends the following actions:

• Review and approve the Project Brief:
• Confirm the project definition (including key milestones)
• Confirm the project approach
• Formally confirm the appointments to the project management team, and confirm that all members have agreed their roles
• Review and approve the Project Product Description:
• Confirm the customer’s quality expectations
• Confirm the acceptance criteria
• Verify that the outline Business Case demonstrates a viable project. At this point, the outline Business Case may only contain sufficient information that reasonably justifies the project as worthwhile. The detailed Business Case will be developed during the initiation stage
• Review and approve the Stage Plan for the initiation stage:
• Understand any risks that affect the decision to authorize the initiation stage
• Obtain or commit the resources needed by the Stage Plan for the initiation stage
• Ensure that adequate reporting and control mechanisms are in place for the initiation stage and set tolerances for it
• Inform all stakeholders and the host sites that the project is being initiated and request any necessary logistical support (e.g. communication facilities, equipment and any project support) sufficient for the initiation stage
• Authorize the Project Manager to proceed with the initiation stage

Diagram 2 shows the responsibilities for this activity.

© Crown copyright 2005 Reproduced under licence from OGC

Diagram 2

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