Managing a Stage Boundary

• Purpose
• Objective
• Objective 2
• Activities
  • Overview
  • Plan the next stage
  • Update the Project Plan
  • Update the Business Case
  • Report stage end
  • Produce an Exception Plan

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

Report stage end

The results of a stage should be reported back to the Project Board so that progress is clearly visible to the project management team.

The Project Manager gives a view on the continuing ability of the project to meet the Project Plan and Business Case, and assesses the overall risk situation.
This activity should happen as close as possible to the actual end of a stage.

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:

• For an Exception Plan:
• Depending on the point within the stage when the exception occurred, it may be appropriate to produce an End Stage Report for the activities to date. Whether this is required will be advised by the Project Board in response to the Exception Report. If an End Stage Report is required, then follow the guidance for a Stage Plan below
• For a Stage Plan:
• Review the status of the updated Business Case and, in particular, the achievement of any benefits anticipated for the stage. Confirm that any activities in the Benefits Review Plan for the current stage have been completed
• Review the Stage Plan to ensure that the objectives of the stage have been met, and the Project Plan to ensure that the project objectives are still achievable
• Review the team performance for the stage
• Review the product performance for the stage by reference to the Product Status Account (provided by Project Support):
• Review the quality management activities for the stage and their results
• Ensure that all the products identified within the Stage Plan for the current stage are complete and approved, or have been carried forward into the next stage
• If a phased handover of products occurred during the stage, confirm user acceptance and operational and maintenance acceptance of the products transferred to customer ownership. Identify any follow-on action recommendations for the products handed over
• Review the issues and risks raised during the stage and any risk response actions taken. Include a summary of the current aggregated risk exposure
• Prepare an End Stage Report for the current stage
• It may be appropriate to create a Lessons Report at this time, particularly for longer projects, where interim reviews of lessons, or the project itself, may benefit corporate or programme management. Check the Lessons Log for appropriate lessons to report
• Seek approval from the Project Board of the Exception Plan or Stage Plan (and, if appropriate, the revised Project Plan, the revised Benefits Review Plan and the revised Business Case [see the section covering ‘Directing a project’])
• Review the Communication Management Strategy to see whether there is a requirement to send copies of the End Stage Report (and, if appropriate, the Lessons Report) to external interested parties at this time

Diagram 2 shows the responsibilities for this activity.

© Crown copyright 2005 Reproduced under licence from OGC

Diagram 2

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