PRINCE2 Processes and Practices
I am often asked that while there are helpful diagrams showing how the PRINCE2 Processes work together, why are there different diagrams for PRINCE2 Practices?
A fair question, I thought, particularly when one of my customers emailed me that exact problem, so after answering her (thank you, Karen), I realized I had the basis of a helpful article for all of you, and so that inspired me to post this!
Here is a quick review of the 7 PRINCE2 Processes.
The processes describe the steps involved in managing a project from start to finish. They include:
Starting up a project: Ensures prerequisites for initiating a project are in place.
Directing a project: Provides overall direction and decision-making.
Initiating a project: Establishes a solid foundation for the project.
Controlling a stage: Monitors and controls each stage of the project.
Managing product delivery: Ensures products are delivered to the required quality.
Managing a stage boundary: Reviews and plans the next stage.
Closing a project: Ensures a controlled project closure.
PRINCE2 7 Practices
The practices (previously called themes) are aspects of project management that must be addressed continually throughout the project lifecycle. They include:
Business Case: Ensures the project remains desirable, viable, and achievable.
Organizing: Defines the project’s structure of accountability.
Quality: Ensures the project meets user requirements and expectations.
Plans: Outlines the who, what, when, where, how, and how much of the project.
Risk: Identifies, assesses, and controls uncertain events.
Issues: Manages issues and controls changes to the project baseline.
Progress: Tracks and monitors the project’s progress.
Principles, Practices and Processes Interrelation
Principles guide the overall approach and ensure the project aligns with PRINCE2 values.
Practices provide the necessary tools and techniques to manage the project effectively.
Processes offer a step-by-step approach to applying the principles and practices throughout the project lifecycle.
For example, the Business Case practice ensures continued business justification (a principle) is maintained throughout the project. The Quality practice ensures that the focus on products (another principle) is upheld during the Managing product delivery process
Starting Up a Project and Initiating a Project is done in series, with a quick dip into Directing a Project to get authorization for entering the initiation stage. The Initiating a Project process is used in the first PRINCE2 stage, which is always called the initiation stage. All remaining stages are ‘delivery stages’.
The Final stage is not a separate management stage; it is just that after all the specialist products have been completed, then the Closing a Project process is used within that same last stage.
Controlling a Stage and Managing Product Delivery are used in parallel within each PRINCE2 delivery stage.
The Managing a Stage Boundary process is used just before a particular management stage ends. This simplified graphic will help make that clear:
Controlling a Stage is the process used within each delivery stage by the PROJECT MANAGER. There must be at least ONE delivery stage, but there may be many. The actual number is dependent upon the nature, size, risk, and complexity of the project.
Managing a Stage Boundary is the process used at the end of EVERY stage to prepare for an End Stage Assessment, and covers the creation of the next stage plan, as well as updating relevant documents within the project initiation documentation (PID) and creating the End Stage Report.
Managing a Stage Boundary is ALSO used if needed to prepare an Exception Plan ready for an Exception Assessment because tolerance has been forecast to be exceeded, and the Project Board (using Directing a Project process), have requested an Exception Plan. This of course, would happen during a stage.
Project tolerances are set by corporate or programme, stage tolerances are set by the project board and the project manager can optionally set Work Package tolerances. The Team Manager may decide to create a Team Plan as part of accepting the Work Package.
The Project Plan is created by the project manager in the Initiating a Project process (within the initiation stage). It contains all the information from the start of the first delivery stage (the next stage) up to and including the end of the final delivery stage.
PRINCE2 7 states that as you get to the end of ANY stage, a Stage Plan is created ready for the project board at the end stage assessment.
How do PRINCE2 7 Processes and Themes interrelate?
The practices (previously called themes) are aspects of project management that must be addressed continually throughout the project lifecycle. They include:
Business Case: Ensures the project remains desirable, viable, and achievable.
Organizing: Defines the project’s structure of accountability.
Quality: Ensures the project meets user requirements and expectations.
Plans: Outlines the who, what, when, where, how, and how much of the project.
Risk: Identifies, assesses, and controls uncertain events.
Issues: Manages issues and controls changes to the project baseline.
Progress: Tracks and monitors the project’s progress.
First, let us look at the significant products that would be referenced for the Starting Up a Project and Initiating A Project processes:
Suppose the project is to build a house. Let’s say that Stage 4 is to landscape the garden area. In the Project Plan, I will have estimated at a high level the duration, resources and costs for landscaping as a small part of the complete house build.
My Project Plan has now been approved, and I am delivering the project in the series sequence of PRINCE2 delivery stages….
As I get near the end of Stage 3, I create the Stage 4 Plan. I take the high-level stuff from the project plan, and for the first time create it in more detail so that I can manage it on a day-to-day basis during Stage 4. New or modified Product Descriptions and Configuration Item Records will be generated.
This is my stage 4 Stage Plan.
The Stage Plan for stage 4 will need to be approved by the Project Board (along with the updated PID contents and my End Stage Report showing current progress and forecast info for the remainder of the project.
The preparation for all this is done in the Managing a Stage Boundary process, and is then brought before the project board in the Authorize a Stage or Exception Plan activity within the Directing a Project process.
BUT, for the first time in my Stage 4 Plan, I can now create product descriptions and activities for the water feature, the grassed area, the planted trees, the garden pathway, etc….I did not know enough detail nor had yet to make my mind up back at the time when we created the top-level Project Plan….does this make sense?
In this way, PRINCE2 allows its Plans to be refined as the project progresses through its stages – just like in the real world.
By the way, I have decided to outsource the garden water feature to a specialist local designer/provider. One of the Work Packages detailed in the Stage Plan for stage 4, will now be presented to the external supplier for their agreement (cost, time, materials, resources, etc).
They advise, “Give me two days, Dave, and I’ll get to a quote” Yes, I say…They then sit down with their experts and do a complete costing etc.; this is optional, of course, but they are producing your Team Plan (they would see it as ‘their project plan’ – no problem with that, though, as they are not using PRINCE2…)
They call me and say, ‘Yes, we agree and can start immediately.’
I have just described the ‘Authorize a Work Package’ activity in Controlling a Stage and the ‘Accept a Work Package’ activity in the Managing the Product Deliver process (where the specialist teams live and work!)
View the PRINCE2 processes as your ‘toolkit’, showing the sequence and relationships with each other as per the last diagram below.
View the Themes as ‘reference manuals’ on your top shelf over your desk, illustrating the seven critical approaches used in a PRINCE2 project.
As you might imagine, there is much interaction between the processes and themes. Don’t worry about ‘memorizing’ the activity names – since you will have access to the PRINCE2 Manual throughout your Practitioner exam…
Here is a good mindset as you go through the activities in Starting Up a Project process:
Question. Assume that the project manager has already been appointed, the Executive will find the rest of their project board. I may advise or help, but I’m considering whether I need help or support (reports, registers, issues, risks, communication time-sheets tools, etc.). Also, I may outsource some product creation, so will I be the team manager, or should I find one or more for this project?
Answer. I reach up and pull down the Organizing Practice to get some ideas and thoughts about designing my part of the Project Management Team. (easy, huh?)
While at it, I read about tailoring PRINCE2, as this may help create the right project approach…
Question. I need to seek out any lessons learned and speak to a few experts and folks with experience in this type of project.
Answer. I grab Appendix A and check the typical contents of a Lessons Log.
Question. I need to create the Project Brief and get a handle on the project approach.
Answer. The Plans Practice will help me see how the project approach is vital to agree on before any planning takes place.
Question. I’ve got to create a Stage Plan for the initiation stage.
Answer. First, I’ll skim through the Initiating A Project process to remind myself what a PID needs and typical activities; also, check out the Managing a Stage Boundary process because my Initiation Stage Plan needs to contain the product, activities and resources for both of the above processes. Then I’ll head on over and read the Plans Practice!
Question. I’m unsure what is in a PRINCE2 7 Stage Plan, and I need help understanding this product-based planning stuff too!
Answer. I skim through the Plans Practice and note the Appendix reference for more advice on Product-based Planning.
Okay, I’m sure you get the idea. The more you do this, the better your understanding of using PRINCE2, and you’ll get more effective at setting up, planning and managing your PRINCE2 projects as well.
Okay, what is the first thing that you notice?
What is apparent is that almost all the Practices are used in each process!
There is a temptation to think about the individual roles in each process, and frankly, you could argue that all the Themes are used (or are helpful to reference) in ALL the PRINCE2 Processes!
But I’ve pared that down a little.
For example, NO planning is done in Directing a Project or Controlling a Stage.
In Managing Product Delivery, if used by a third party, they may have their own business case, but it is not the Business Case owned by the project board executive.
Closing a Project. No planning is needed here (the Benefits Management Approach does not use product-based planning, nor does it need to follow the same structure as a ‘standard’ PRINCE2 Plan.
I hope you found this article on PRINCE2 Processes and Practices useful, and if you want the whole picture, hop on over to my PRINCE2 7th Edition Foundation and Practitioner Masterclass!
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