Using Project Scale In A PRINCE2 7 Project
Project Scale and its application
One of the many challenges of applying PRINCE2 7 to a given project is tailoring it to suit a project’s size or complexity. An example might be tailoring for a feasibility study or an Agile project.
PRINCE2 7 can be used regardless of the scale of a given project, even so, there is still not a simple algorithm that can be applied when tailoring PRINCE2 7. There are seven main aspects or secrets of tailoring PRINCE2 7.
Whether or not a particular project is seen as large and daunting rather than an average one, is down to other factors such as an organisation’s size and experience.
Whenever an organization wishes to produce some form of guidance for the typical projects that they would manage, it would make sense that such guidelines be based upon an agreed, calibrated, and categorized set of project scales.
For a simpler project, there will be a need to simplify the application of the PRINCE2 product-based planning technique
Project Scale demystified
The largest size of project that comes within the definition of project scale is not really a project at all, it’s a programme, and these are characterized as large-scale business transformation endeavours.
PRINCE2 7 can be used regardless of the project scale. The project scale is relative to the size and experience of the organization hosting the project.
Project scale is related not just to the size of the project (often measured in terms of time, money and people) but also to the context of the project’s complexity, risk and importance.
For example, a £10M Project could be a simple project to one Organization or a daunting project to another. Organizations should consider developing a yardstick for calibrating the project scale of their projects.
Overall, the purpose of PRINCE2 can be regarded as reducing the risk of project failure.
So, whenever any element of PRINCE2 is relaxed or even omitted, this should be regarded as a potential risk.
Careful consideration of this within the context of the particular project and the use of project scale, will allow you to make an informed choice.
For example if you decide to hold end stage assessments as a video conference, the risk is that (say), some individuals may not speak their mind, or understand discussions fully.
Now if members of the board are geographically distant, and the project is small to medium, this would save time and money and be the right thing to do despite the risk.
Project Scale in Perspective
There is no one right way to perform project scaling, and neither is there a complete list of the various environmental drivers or aspects that would need to be considered, however, the following list of scale considerations should act as a useful starting point:
- Complexity. Possibly in terms of technical or organisational complexity.
- Geographical. This may refer to multiple sites, customers, or other third parties.
- Skills. Availability of relevant skill sets either internally or externally.
- Duration. The letter of the project and the timeframe for resource commitment.
- Knowledge. Known information of all aspects of the project management and delivery.
- Importance. The priority of this project to realise the goals and objectives of the organisation.
- Budget. The size, timing, sourcing, and cash flow requirements of the project.
- Business Case. The trade-off between benefits verses cost, risk, and investment.
- Risk. The trade-off of threats, opportunities, and likelihood verses the project objectives.
- Size. How large the project is in comparison to the delivery organization.
- Operational. Support and maintenance responsibilities of the end product.
- Experience. The capabilities required to deliver the project required outcome.
- Programme. This environment will have a factor of the scale of the project.
- Portfolio. The business environment will factor how this project is scaled.
- Visibility. Will influence factors such as communication, control, and importance.
- Maturity. The structure and discipline of the delivery organization.
When deciding on the tailoring of PRINCE2 7, a useful mindset when considering reducing or eliminating certain aspects, is the risk of taking such actions. Nevertheless, there is no simple answer when making decisions about simplifying or relaxing certain aspects and elements of PRINCE2 7.
The PRINCE2 7 method is clear in that all of the 7 PRINCE2 Principles must be used and adhered to. The only way to tailor PRINCE2 7 is in the application of the tailoring of the PRINCE2 themes, processes, and management products.
The PRINCE2 7 method suggests five levels of project scale that may be useful when tailoring the method:
Programme
This is the high as scale level, and refers to an undertaking that transforms the business itself. If a program is to be used as the method of delivery then PRINCE2 7 is unsuitable as a method, and I recommend that a more appropriate framework such as the “Managing Successful Programmes” method.
Successful Programmes (MSP). The projects contained within the programme can use PRINCE2 7.
The projects contained within a programme them however use the PRINCE2 method, with each project’s use tailored as appropriate.
Daunting project
This would refer to a project that meets several of the above criteria for project scale such as cost, visibility, importance, high risk, multiple organizations and disciplines.
This has the characteristic of high risk, cost, importance, and visibility. It Often involves multiple organizations, and multiple disciplines – For example construction, IT And business change.
It may also be carried out internationally requiring coordination across several countries and diverse geographical areas.
Such a project would use several management delivery stages and often consist of an extended project board in terms of multiple individuals through each role. The project manager would have set up several team managers including using an independent project support role to provide aspects such as configuration management.
The management products described in Appendix A of the PRINCE2 7 Manual (for example the project plan and business case), would all be used and manifested as individual separate documents.
Likely, additional supporting roles to both the project board and project manager would also be needed. For example the use of an individual for risk management, or communication aspects.
PRINCE2 7 Management products will be kept individual because of their size and complexity, either in paper or electronic format
Normal project
The definition of such a project would need to be agreed within an organization, but is likely to exhibit medium levels of risk, costs, visibility and importance. Depending upon aspects such as the industry of the delivery organization, it is highly likely delayed commercial (external) customer and supplier relationships will be required.
It is also likely that such a project would use resources from, or delivery to, multiple sites.
It will involve a commercial customer/supplier relationship across multiple sites.
It will be characterized by one or more delivery stages and a standard sized project board. Team managers and project support may or may not be a separate role and some management products may be combined.
The project board will consist of a standard mix of roles and individuals, possibly with one person Having two roles for example the executive may also represent the senior user role, or that the three project board roles carry out their own project assurance rather than delegate it.
Team managers and project support being set up as a separate role is optional.
Some of the PRINCE2 7 Management products may be combined for example the business case and benefits review details.
Simple project
Since the scale of a project is relative to the organization and context, there are some pointers that are useful to consider for a project that an organization would consider as simple.
This would be categorized as because of low risk, costs, visibility and importance. Such a project would likely be an internal one and hence have a single organisation to deliver for, and so would be a single site type of project.
This project would consist of the initiation stage and a single delivery stage. The project board would likely have individual sharing roles for example the executive and senior user could be filled by one individual.
In a similar way the project manager would also act as the team manager and provide their own project support aspects. The PRINCE2 7 Issues practice will need to be simplified too.
The use of a stage plan will also be used as the project plan, and the only one work package may likely be required. In addition, the project product description alone may be acceptable without the need for individual project descriptions.
Informal use of the end-stage assessment, reporting and control would be implemented.
A simple project will be of medium risk, cost, importance and visibility but is likely to be for a single organization and site.
It will be characterized by a single delivery stage with a simple project board consisting of combined roles, and the project manager will carry out their own team manager and project support roles.
The management product descriptions will be combined and simplified.
Using PRINCE2 7 at the simplest level would be for a task or activity. The project board would consist of a single person and the project manager would also be creating the specialist products.
The project budget would normally come from the operational budget, and the business justification would simply be responding to an instruction (“just do it”!).
This activity could be treated as a Work Package delivering one or more products. Documentation would be minimized to include just the Work Packages, Product Descriptions, Logs and Registers and Checkpoint Reports.
So, which elements of PRINCE2 Can be relaxed and simple projects?
There is no easy answer to this as even simple projects vary enormously in type and style.
Even simple projects must adhere to the seven PRINCE2 7 Principles if the project is to be managed using PRINCE2.
PRINCE2 7 project scale for a simple project
As has been stated above the project scale is relative to the organization and context. But a question often asked is: which elements of PRINCE2 can be relaxed on simple projects?
First of all, it is important to remember that even simple projects should follow the seven PRINCE2 principles if the project is to be managed using PRINCE2. It is the way that the practices, processes and management products are used that PRINCE2 is ‘tailored’.
Task
Such an entity would consist only of a single authorised work package containing one or more products along with their appropriate product descriptions. Such a work package would negate the need for other documentation. Consideration should be given to how the various logs, registers and reports should be implemented.
A task would only need one person to fulfil the project board role, and the project manager (who may also be doing the specialist work), would act as the specialist team. A task would normally be typically funded from within an operational or ‘business as usual’ budget.
The business case for such an undertaking may only consist of the reason for carrying out the task, often in the form of a simple instruction.
In summary, applying project scale to tailor a PRINCE2 7 project needs careful consideration of all the above aspects and a good deal of good old-fashioned common sense!
If there is a single person project board and typically the executive is the project managers line manager, then it could normally be treated as a task. Possibly called a personal assignment.
The project manager may also be the person doing the work and project costs may be funded directly from the Business-as-usual budget.
The business justification will be straightforward, for example responding to an instruction.
Such a project could be treated as a PRINCE2 7 Work package description that delivers one or more products.
A task would therefore use work packages, product descriptions, logs and registers plus checkpoint report
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