Creating the PRINCE2 7 Specialist Products
In order to carry out the work of the project, an agreement and authorization of it must occur between the project manager and the specialist team (usually represented by the team manager).
PRINCE2 provides the work package as the formal document containing the project manager’s work requirements, information and instructions, and in essence, acts as a ‘contract’ to pass responsibility between the project manager and the team manager who will be carrying out the work.
Such work packages are normally used during the delivery stages two passes from the ‘controlling a stage’ process to the ‘managing product delivery’ process.
Each work package contains information on at least one of the specialist products by the inclusion of the ‘product description’ for each of the above products.
PRINCE2 states that work should only commence and continue with the consent of the project manager, and hence the work package including its authorization and acceptance, is a powerful control for the project.
It is important to recognize that no specialist work of any kind can be carried out unless there is an authorized and agreed work package covering such work.
For the project manager to maintain sufficient and effective control, the work package allows the team to carry out the work without constantly referring to the project manager which would likely cause delays and deviation from the authorized stage plan.
PRINCE2 Specialist Products – Work package benefits
The information contained in the work package can be used to cross-check estimations made during the planning of the stage, and reviewing them now rather than once the work is underway, will allow such issues to be discussed and potential alternative arrangements or contingency plans to be drawn up.
The following points will help you understand the full benefits of a work package:
As a mechanism for formally passing work instructions, it helps enormously to avoid any misunderstandings or assumptions
Where appropriate, it can be used as an aid for performance assessment of those carrying out the work, by their line manager.
Because the structure of a work package has been carefully thought through for effective communication, it can form an effective set of information when included within a contract
The work package can highlight aspects that need to be communicated to other stakeholders and potential auditing or regulatory issues.
The work package will contain information on interim products and a milestone dates, including any external dependencies upon which these rely.
The structure of the work package will ensure the low probability of any aspects of the work being missed all forgotten.
Because the work package is given to the team manager it avoids the team manager having to rely on their memory of the conversation regarding the work, and of course it also helps because the team manager does not need to document the work any further.
The work package contains detailed product descriptions of each product to be created how progress is to be reported, as well as other key aspects to be covered later in this article.
The discipline and information contained within the work package will help be focused discussion between the project manager and team manager, and this will encourage both parties to clarify their understanding and to ensure that the work can be done within the constraints laid down.
It is expected that the work package will normally be handled formally, but if appropriate to do so, the work package can be a verbal instruction from the project manager to the team manager.
Some of the factors that may influence whether a work package is done formally or informally may include the following aspects:
How complex is the work? If it is detailed and multifaceted work, or special instructions are needed to carry out the work, all that detailed information is needed to carry out the work, then the work package should consist of written instructions.
The knowledge and skill sets of the specialist team. If the specialist team are highly experienced with the type of products and the environment within which they will operate, then passing the details verbally may be acceptable.
The work and product creation are well understood. If the team have previous experience of the work, and it is simple to carry out within a short time frame, then a verbal work package may be acceptable.
Passing work to a third party. If the products are to be created by a separate organization or group, and most particularly if it forms part of a legal contract, then the work package should take the form of a written record.
The PRINCE2 work package composition
- Date. This can either be the date of the agreement made between the project manager and team manager, or the date that it is issued.
- The team manager or the person authorized. This is the identification and who is responsible for the delivery of the work and hence the creation of the products.
- Work package description. This is a description of the work to be carried out but should include exactly what is to be achieved from the work
- Techniques, processes and procedures. This refers to those that will be used to create the specialist products and should include aspects such as calls, standards, or processes.
- Development interfaces. This refers to the human interface and may include those who are providing information as well as those who mainly to receive information
- Operations and maintenance interfaces. This section identifies any specialist product linkages, for example, if a bottle cap needs to have the same screw thread size, and such data of course relates to such a relationship for its operational life. This section may also refer to existing products outside of this work package, or those to be created by another work package, project, or organization.
- Configuration Management requirements. This covers any arrangements to be made by those producing the products for their version control.
This may also describe obtaining copies of any other products, or their product descriptions. Also, it will describe how the product or its details are to be submitted to configuration management, and may describe any storage or security requirements.
Joint agreements
As part of getting the work package contents and constraints agreed with the team manager, this section is where the details are captured of the work effort, cost (if appropriate), key milestones and the start and end dates of individual activities and product creation.
It may be useful to include the team plan, or at least extracts from it under this section.
When the team manager agrees to take on the work package and to execute it within the constraints laid down, then this section plays an important part in making the decision whether or not to accept the work package or ask whether it should be modified in some way.
These joint agreements are particularly important when the work package forms part of the work statement within a legal contract.
Tolerances
The setting of work package tolerance by the project manager is optional. But if tolerances are to be set they should be stated here along with the type of tolerance (for example cost and time).
Constraints
These of course cover any constraints apart from the already mentioned tolerances.
Constraints could describe just about anything, and may include certain individuals to be used, timing such as milestones or completion dates of products within this work package, charges to be levied for example test house prices, or constraints with regard to certain rules or compliance such as safety measures and security.
Reporting arrangements
This will cover how often the checkpoint reports should occur, how they should occur (for example an e-mail, a formal report, or a meeting). It should also describe the contents and information contained within the checkpoint report as this may include specific extra data for this particular work package.
Problem handling and escalation
PRINCE2 describes the steps and procedures for raising issues and risks. This section may just refer to those steps, or tailor them to suit the nature and types of products, including their environment, within this work package.
An organization may have specific extra steps that need to be followed, and specific individuals that need to be involved within issues and risks, all those who need to make decisions due to their authority on such items.
Extracts or references
This may include any extra data, information, or extracts from specific documents. In particular, such documents might include an extract from the stage plan which may help in putting the work package within context, and also help with identifying either previous work packages or activities, and those that follow from this particular work package.
Product descriptions
A product description for all products to be created within this work package, should be included as a form an important part under the extracts or references section.
Approval method
There are two important approvals to be stated here:
The person, role or group who will approve each completed product within the work package.
However project manager is to be advised both for the products mentioned above, and for completion of the entire work package.
The level of formality that all of the above should follow, will vary from project to project. At its most informal, the work package may be given verbally although care should be taken to acknowledge key points.
However typically, the work package will be documented in some way, and it is important therefore they should include a record, and even possibly a signature, covering these specific points:
Initial authorization and the date of the work package by the project manager
Initial agreement that the work package can and will be carried out by the team manager
Agreement by the project manager (or others such as project assurance) as each product is approved
Agreement by both the team manager and project manager that the work package is complete
The final two points above may be particularly important if the work package is being performed under a contract, as this may trigger payment milestones to the supplier. Appropriate reference should first be made with any such contract by for drafting the relevant work package.
Finally, it is worth mentioning that are referenced should be made to the quality management strategy, the configuration management strategy, and the stage plan as part of creating each work package.
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