Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2TM
Contents
List of figures
List of tables
Foreword
Acknowledgements
Conventions used in this manual
1 Introduction
1.1 The purpose of this manual
1.2 The importance of projects
1.3 What makes projects different?
1.4 Why have a project management method?
1.5 Introducing PRINCE2
1.5.1 What does a Project Manager do?
1.5.2 What is it we wish to control?
Figure 1.1 Project management
1.5.3 The structure of PRINCE2
Figure 1.2 The structure of PRINCE2
1.6 Related OGC guidance
1.6.1 What PRINCE2 does not provide
Figure 1.3 OGC best-practice guidance
1.7 Benefits of PRINCE2
2 Principles
2.1 Continued business justification
2.2 Learn from experience
2.3 Defined roles and responsibilities
2.4 Manage by stages
2.5 Manage by exception
2.6 Focus on products
2.7 Tailor to suit the project environment
3 Introduction to PRINCE2 themes
3.1 What are the themes?
Table 3.1 The PRINCE2 themes
3.2 Applying the themes
3.3 Format of the themes
4 Business Case
4.1 Purpose
4.2 Business Case defined
4.2.1 What is a Business Case?
4.2.2 Outputs, outcomes and benefits
4.2.3 Types of Business Case
Figure 4.1 Relationship between outputs, outcomes and benefits
4.3 The PRINCE2 approach to the Business Case
4.3.1 Developing the Business Case
Figure 4.2 The development path of the Business Case
4.3.2 Verifying and maintaining the Business Case
4.3.3 Confirming the benefits
4.3.4 The contents of a Business Case
4.4 Responsibilities
Table 4.1 Responsibilities relevant to the Business Case
5 Organization
5.1 Purpose
5.2 Organization defined
5.2.1 Project
5.2.2 Programme
5.2.3 Corporate organization
5.2.4 Roles and jobs
5.2.5 Three project interests
Figure 5.1 The three project interests
5.3 The PRINCE2 approach to organization
5.3.1 Levels of organization
Figure 5.2 The four levels of management within the project management structure
Figure 5.3 Project management team structure
5.3.2 The project management team
Figure 5.4 Possible reporting structure using user and supplier groups
Figure 5.5 The many facets of the Project Manager role
5.3.3 Working with the project team
5.3.4 Working with the corporate organization
5.3.5 Working with stakeholders
5.4 Responsibilities
Table 5.1 Responsibilities relevant to the Organization theme
6 Quality
6.1 Purpose
6.2 Quality defined
6.2.1 Quality
6.2.2 Scope
6.2.3 Quality management and quality management systems
6.2.4 Quality planning
6.2.5 Quality control
6.2.6 Quality assurance
Table 6.1 The relationship between Project Assurance and quality assurance
6.3 The PRINCE2 approach to quality
Figure 6.1 The quality audit trail
6.3.1 Quality planning
Table 6.2 Example of a Quality Register
6.3.2 Quality control
6.4 Responsibilities
Table 6.3 Responsibilities relevant to the Quality theme
7 Plans
7.1 Purpose
7.2 Plans defined
7.2.1 What is a plan?
7.2.2 What is planning?
7.2.3 Levels of plan
Figure 7.1 PRINCE2’s planning levels
7.2.4 The Project Plan
7.2.5 Stage Plans
7.2.6 Team Plans
7.2.7 Exception Plans
Figure 7.2 The PRINCE2 approach to plans
7.3 The PRINCE2 approach to plans
7.3.1 Philosophy
7.3.2 Prerequisites for planning – design the plan
7.3.3 Define and analyse the products
Figure 7.3 Product-based planning technique
7.3.4 Identify activities and dependencies
7.3.5 Prepare estimates
7.3.6 Prepare the schedule
Figure 7.4 Simple activity-on-node diagram
7.3.7 Analyse the risks
7.3.8 Document the plan
7.4 Responsibilities
Table 7.1 Responsibilities relevant to the Plans theme
8 Risk
8.1 Purpose
8.2 Risk defined
8.2.1 What is a risk?
8.2.2 What is at risk?
8.2.3 What is risk management?
Figure 8.1 Organizational perspectives
8.3 The PRINCE2 aproach to risk
8.3.1 Management of Risk (M_o_R®) principles
8.3.2 Risk management in projects
8.3.3 Risk Management Strategy
8.3.4 Risk Register
8.3.5 Risk management procedure
Figure 8.2 The risk management procedure
Figure 8.3 Example of a risk breakdown structure
Figure 8.4 Risk cause, event and effect
Table 8.1 Example of the expected monetary value technique
Figure 8.5 Probability impact grid
Figure 8.6 Summary risk profile
Figure 8.7 Threat and opportunity responses
Table 8.2 Risk responses
8.3.6 Risk budget
8.4 Responsibilities
Table 8.3 Responsibilities relevant to the Risk theme
9 Change
9.1 Purpose
9.2 Change defined
9.2.1 Issue and change control
9.2.2 Configuration management
9.2.3 Issues
9.2.4 Types of issue
Table 9.1 Types of issue
9.3 The PRINCE2 approach to change
9.3.1 Establish controls
9.3.2 Configuration management procedure
9.3.3 Issue and change control procedure
Figure 9.1 Issue and change control procedure
Figure 9.2 Options analysis
9.4 Responsibilities
Table 9.2 Project Board decisions
Table 9.3 Responsibilities relevant to the Change theme
10 Progress
10.1 Purpose
10.2 Progress defined
10.2.1 What is progress?
10.2.2 What are progress controls?
10.2.3 Exceptions and tolerances
Table 10.1 The six tolerance areas by level
10.3 The PRINCE2 approach to progress
10.3.1 Delegating authority
Figure 10.1 Delegating tolerance and reporting actual and forecast progress
10.3.2 Use of management stages for control
Figure 10.2 Specialist work defined in technical stages
Figure 10.3 Specialist work crossing management stage boundaries
Figure 10.4 Specialist work aligned to management stages
10.3.3 Event-driven and time-driven controls
10.3.4 Raising exceptions
10.4 Responsibilities
Table 10.2 Responsibilities relevant to the Progress theme
11 Introduction to processes
11.1 The PRINCE2 processes
11.2 The PRINCE2 journey
11.2.1 Pre-project
Figure 11.1 The PRINCE2 processes
11.2.2 Initiation stage
11.2.3 Subsequent delivery stages
11.2.4 Final delivery stage
11.3 The PRINCE2 process model
11.4 Structure of the process chapters
Figure 11.2 PRINCE2 process model
11.4.1 Purpose
11.4.2 Objective
11.4.3 Context
11.4.4 Activities
Figure 11.3 Relationship between processes, activities and actions
Table 11.1 An example of a table of responsibilities
Table 11.2 Key to process diagrams
12 Starting up a Project
12.1 Purpose
12.2 Objective
Figure 12.1 Overview of Starting up a Project
12.3 Context
12.4 Activities
Figure 12.2 Appoint the Executive and the Project Manager: activity summary
12.4.1 Appoint the Executive and the Project Manager
Table 12.1 Appoint the Executive and the Project Manager: responsibilities
12.4.2 Capture previous lessons
12.4.3 Design and appoint the project management team
Figure 12.3 Capture previous lessons: activity summary
Table 12.2 Capture previous lessons: responsibilities
Figure 12.4 Design and appoint the project management team: activity summary
12.4.4 Prepare the outline Business Case
Table 12.3 Design and appoint the project management team: responsibilities
Figure 12.5 Prepare the outline Business Case: activity summary
Table 12.4 Prepare the outline Business Case: responsibilities
12.4.5 Select the project approach and assemble the Project Brief
Figure 12.6 Select the project approach and assemble the Project Brief: activity summary
Table 12.5 Select the project approach and assemble the Project Brief: responsibilities
12.4.6 Plan the initiation stage
Figure 12.7 Plan the initiation stage: activity summary
Table 12.6 Plan the initiation stage: responsibilities
13 Directing a Project
13.1 Purpose
13.2 Objective
13.3 Context
Figure 13.1 Overview of Directing a Project
13.4 Activities
13.4.1 Authorize initiation
Figure 13.2 Authorize initiation: activity summary
13.4.2 Authorize the project
Table 13.1 Authorize initiation: responsibilities
Figure 13.3 Authorize the project: activity summary
Table 13.2 Authorize the project: responsibilities
13.4.3 Authorize a Stage or Exception Plan
Figure 13.4 Authorize a Stage or Exception Plan: activity summary
13.4.4 Give ad hoc direction
Table 13.3 Authorize a Stage or Exception Plan: responsibilities
Figure 13.5 Give ad hoc direction: activity summary
13.4.5 Authorize project closure
Table 13.4 Give ad hoc direction: responsibilities
Figure 13.6 Authorize project closure: activity summary
Table 13.5 Authorize project closure: responsibilities
14 Initiating a Project
14.1 Purpose
14.2 Objective
Figure 14.1 Overview of Initiating a Project
14.3 Context
14.4 Activities
14.4.1 Prepare the Risk Management Strategy
Figure 14.2 Prepare the Risk Management Strategy: activity summary
Table 14.1 Prepare the Risk Management Strategy: responsibilities
14.4.2 Prepare the Configuration Management Strategy
Figure 14.3 Prepare the Configuration Management Strategy: activity summary
14.4.3 Prepare the Quality Management Strategy
Table 14.2 Prepare the Configuration Management Strategy: responsibilities
Figure 14.4 Prepare the Quality Management Strategy: activity summary
Table 14.3 Prepare the Quality Management Strategy: responsibilities
14.4.4 Prepare the Communication Management Strategy
Figure 14.5 Prepare the Communication Management Strategy: activity summary
14.4.5 Set up the project controls
Table 14.4 Prepare the Communication Management Strategy: responsibilities
Figure 14.6 Set up the project controls: activity summary
Table 14.5 Set up the project controls: responsibilities
14.4.6 Create the Project Plan
Figure 14.7 Create the Project Plan: activity summary
Table 14.6 Create the Project Plan: responsibilities
Figure 14.8 Refine the Business Case: activity summary
14.4.7 Refine the Business Case
Table 14.7 Refine the Business Case: responsibilities
14.4.8 Assemble the Project Initiation Documentation
Figure 14.9 Assemble the Project Initiation Documentation: activity summary
Table 14.8 Assemble the Project Initiation Documentation: responsibilities
15 Controlling a Stage
15.1 Purpose
15.2 Objective
Figure 15.1 Overview of Controlling a Stage
15.3 Context
15.4 Activities
15.4.1 Authorize a Work Package
Figure 15.2 Authorize a Work Package: activity summary
15.4.2 Review Work Package status
Table 15.1 Authorize a Work Package: responsibilities
Figure 15.3 Review Work Package status: activity summary
Table 15.2 Review Work Package status: responsibilities
15.4.3 Receive completed Work Packages
Figure 15.4 Receive completed Work Packages: activity summary
Table 15.3 Receive completed Work Packages: responsibilities
15.4.4 Review the stage status
Figure 15.5 Review the stage status: activity summary
Table 15.4 Review the stage status: responsibilities
15.4.5 Report highlights
Figure 15.6 Report highlights: activity summary
15.4.6 Capture and examine issues and risks
Table 15.5 Report highlights: responsibilities
Figure 15.7 Capture and examine issues and risks: activity summary
Table 15.6 Capture and examine issues and risks: responsibilities
15.4.7 Escalate issues and risks
Figure 15.8 Escalate issues and risks: activity summary
15.4.8 Take corrective action
Table 15.7 Escalate issues and risks: responsibilities
Figure 15.9 Take corrective action: activity summary
Table 15.8 Take corrective action: responsibilities
16 Managing Product Delivery
16.1 Purpose
16.2 Objective
16.3 Context
Figure 16.1 Overview of Managing Product Delivery
Figure 16.2 Accept a Work Package: activity summary
Table 16.1 Accept a Work Package: responsibilities
16.4 Activities
16.4.1 Accept a Work Package
Figure 16.3 Execute a Work Package: activity summary
16.4.2 Execute a Work Package
Table 16.2 Execute a Work Package: responsibilities
Figure 16.4 Deliver a Work Package: activity summary
Table 16.3 Deliver a Work Package: responsibilities
16.4.3 Deliver a Work Package
17 Managing a Stage Boundary
17.1 Purpose
Figure 17.1 Overview of Managing a Stage Boundary
17.2 Objective
17.3 Context
17.4 Activities
17.4.1 Plan the next stage
Figure 17.2 Plan the next stage: activity summary
Table 17.1 Plan the next stage: responsibilities
17.4.2 Update the Project Plan
Figure 17.3 Update the Project Plan: activity summary
Table 17.2 Update the Project Plan: responsibilities
17.4.3 Update the Business Case
Figure 17.4 Update the Business Case: activity summary
Table 17.3 Update the Business Case: responsibilities
17.4.4 Report stage end
Figure 17.5 Report stage end: activity summary
17.4.5 Produce an Exception Plan
Table 17.4 Report stage end: responsibilities
Figure 17.6 Produce an Exception Plan: activity summary
Table 17.5 Produce an Exception Plan: responsibilities
18 Closing a Project
18.1 Purpose
18.2 Objective
18.3 Context
Figure 18.1 Overview of Closing a Project
18.4 Activities
18.4.1 Prepare planned closure
Figure 18.2 Prepare planned closure: activity summary
Table 18.1 Prepare planned closure: responsibilities
18.4.2 Prepare premature closure
Figure 18.3 Prepare premature closure: activity summary
18.4.3 Hand over products
Table 18.2 Prepare premature closure: responsibilities
Figure 18.4 Hand over products: activity summary
Table 18.3 Hand over products: responsibilities
18.4.4 Evaluate the project
Figure 18.5 Evaluate the project: activity summary
Table 18.4 Evaluate the project: responsibilities
18.4.5 Recommend project closure
Figure 18.6 Recommend project closure: activity summary
Table 18.5 Recommend project closure: responsibilities
19 Tailoring PRINCE2 to the project environment
19.1 What is tailoring?
19.2 General approach to tailoring
19.2.1 Applying the principles
Table 19.1 Embedding and tailoring
Figure 19.1 Influences on the tailoring requirement
19.2.2 Adapting the themes
19.2.3 Applying the organization’s terms and language
19.2.4 Adapting the management products
19.2.5 Adapting the roles
19.2.6 Adapting the processes
19.3 Examples of tailoring PRINCE2
19.4 Projects in a programme environment
19.4.1 Themes
Figure 19.2 Comparison between projects and programmes
Figure 19.3 Organization structure with the Executive being a member of the programme board and the Senior User being nominated by the relevant business change manager
Figure 19.4 Organization structure with the programme manager as the project Executive and the Senior User role on the project being undertaken by the relevant business change manager
19.4.2 Processes
19.4.3 Management products
19.5 Project scale
19.5.1 Simple project
Table 19.2 Examples of projects of different scales
19.6 Commercial customer/supplier environment
19.6.1 Themes
19.6.2 Processes
19.6.3 Management products
19.7 Multi-organization projects
19.8 Project type
19.8.1 Lifecycle models
19.8.2 The evolving project
Figure 19.5 An example of a feasibility lifecycle
19.8.3 The feasibility project
19.9 Sector differences
19.9.1 Senior Responsible Owner
19.9.2 OGC Gateway Review
19.10 Project management Bodies of Knowledge
Table 19.3 Comparison between PRINCE2 and a Body of Knowledge
Appendix A: Product Description outlines
A.1 Benefits Review Plan
A.1.1 Purpose
Figure A.1 Evolution of baseline management products
A.1.2 Composition
A.1.3 Derivation
A.1.4 Format and presentation
A.1.5 Quality criteria
A.2 Business Case
A.2.1 Purpose
A.2.2 Composition
A.2.3 Derivation
A.2.4 Format and presentation
A.2.5 Quality criteria
A.3 Checkpoint Report
A.3.1 Purpose
A.3.2 Composition
A.3.3 Derivation
A.3.4 Format and presentation
A.3.5 Quality criteria
A.4 Communication Management Strategy
A.4.1 Purpose
A.4.2 Composition
A.4.3 Derivation
A.4.4 Format and presentation
A.4.5 Quality criteria
A.5 Configuration Item Record
A.5.1 Purpose
A.5.2 Composition
A.5.3 Derivation
A.5.4 Format and presentation
A.5.5 Quality criteria
A.6 Configuration Management Strategy
A.6.1 Purpose
A.6.2 Composition
A.6.3 Derivation
A.6.4 Format and presentation
A.6.5 Quality criteria
A.7 Daily Log
A.7.1 Purpose
A.7.2 Composition
A.7.3 Derivation
A.7.4 Format and presentation
A.7.5 Quality criteria
A.8 End Project Report
A.8.1 Purpose
A.8.2 Composition
A.8.3 Derivation
A.8.4 Format and presentation
A.8.5 Quality criteria
A.9 End Stage Report
A.9.1 Purpose
A.9.2 Composition
A.9.3 Derivation
A.9.4 Format and presentation
A.9.5 Quality criteria
A.10 Exception Report
A.10.1 Purpose
A.10.2 Composition
A.10.3 Derivation
A.10.4 Format and presentation
A.10.5 Quality criteria
A.11 Highlight Report
A.11.1 Purpose
A.11.2 Composition
A.11.3 Derivation
A.11.4 Format and presentation
A.11.5 Quality criteria
A.12 Issue Register
A.12.1 Purpose
A.12.2 Composition
A.12.3 Derivation
A.12.4 Format and presentation
A.12.5 Quality criteria
A.13 Issue Report
A.13.1 Purpose
A.13.2 Composition
A.13.3 Derivation
A.13.4 Format and presentation
A.13.5 Quality criteria
A.14 Lessons Log
A.14.1 Purpose
A.14.2 Composition
A.14.3 Derivation
A.14.4 Format and presentation
A.14.5 Quality criteria
A.15 Lessons Report
A.15.1 Purpose
A.15.2 Composition
A.15.3 Derivation
A.15.4 Format and presentation
A.15.5 Quality criteria
A.16 Plan
A.16.1 Purpose
A.16.2 Composition
A.16.3 Derivation
A.16.4 Format and presentation
A.16.5 Quality criteria
A.17 Product Description
A.17.1 Purpose
Table A.1 Example of a product checklist
A.17.2 Composition
A.17.3 Derivation
A.17.4 Format and presentation
A.17.5 Quality criteria
A.18 Product Status Account
A.18.1 Purpose
A.18.2 Composition
A.18.3 Derivation
A.18.4 Format and presentation
A.18.5 Quality criteria
A.19 Project Brief
A.19.1 Purpose
A.19.2 Composition
A.19.3 Derivation
A.19.4 Format and presentation
A.19.5 Quality criteria
A.20 Project Initiation Documentation
A.20.1 Purpose
A.20.2 Composition
A.20.3 Derivation
A.20.4 Format and presentation
A.20.5 Quality criteria
A.21 Project Product Description
A.21.1 Purpose
A.21.2 Composition
A.21.3 Derivation
A.21.4 Format and presentation
A.21.5 Quality criteria
A.22 Quality Management Strategy
A.22.1 Purpose
A.22.2 Composition
A.22.3 Derivation
A.22.4 Format and presentation
A.22.5 Quality criteria
A.23 Quality Register
A.23.1 Purpose
A.23.2 Composition
A.23.3 Derivation
A.23.4 Format and presentation
A.23.5 Quality criteria
A.24 Risk Management Strategy
A.24.1 Purpose
A.24.2 Composition
A.24.3 Derivation
A.24.4 Format and presentation
A.24.5 Quality criteria
A.25 Risk Register
A.25.1 Purpose
A.25.2 Composition
A.25.3 Derivation
A.25.4 Format and presentation
A.25.5 Quality criteria
A.26 Work Package
A.26.1 Purpose
A.26.2 Composition
A.26.3 Derivation
A.26.4 Format and presentation
A.26.5 Quality criteria
Appendix B: Governance
Table B.1 The Association for Project Management’s governance of project management principles
Appendix C: Roles and responsibilities
C.1 Project Board
C.1.1 General responsibilities
C.1.2 Competencies
C.2 Executive
C.2.1 Responsibilities
C.3 Senior User
C.3.1 Responsibilities
C.4 Senior Supplier
C.4.1 Responsibilities
C.5 Project Manager
C.5.1 Responsibilities
C.5.2 Competencies
C.6 Team Manager
C.6.1 Responsibilities
C.6.2 Competencies
C.7 Project Assurance
C.7.1 Responsibilities
C.7.2 Competencies
C.8 Change Authority
C.8.1 Responsibilities
C.8.2 Competencies
C.9 Project Support
C.9.1 Responsibilities
C.9.2 Competencies
Appendix D: Product-based planning example
D.1 Scenario
D.2 Example of a Project Product Description
Figure D.1 Product breakdown structure in the form of a hierarchy chart
Table D.1 Example of a Project Product Description for an annual conference
Figure D.2 Product breakdown structure in the form of a mindmap
D.3 Examples of a product breakdown structure
D.4 Example of a Product Description
D.5 Product flow diagram
Figure D.3 Example of a product flow diagram for the conference project
Appendix E: Health check
E.1 Starting up a Project
E.2 Directing a Project
E.2.1 Authorize initiation
E.2.2 Authorize the project
E.2.3 Authorize a Stage or Exception Plan
E.2.4 Give ad hoc direction
E.2.5 Authorize project closure
E.3 Initiating a Project
E.4 Controlling a Stage
E.5 Managing Product Delivery
E.6 Managing a Stage Boundary
E.7 Closing a Project
Further information
Glossary
Index