Initiation Stage Plan – what to consider?
The minimal number of stages in a PRINCE2 project is two, and the first stage is always called the initiation stage therefore, you will need to create an initiation stage plan. All stages that follow are called delivery stages because the specialist products are created within them. PRINCE2 states that the project can have as many delivery stages as is appropriate.
The main purpose of the initiation stage is to create the project initiation documentation (PID), and using the process ‘managing a stage boundary’, to create the next stage plan. The initiation stage plan must therefore contain the information to create these. These are the two main deliverables of the initiation stage.
This is quite normal within a PRINCE2 project, because at the end of each stage, a plan for the next stage is created and used as part of the evidence for the project board to make a decision whether or not to continue with the project and authorize the next stage – and so it is for the initiation stage plan.
It makes sense, to create the plan for the next stage at the last possible moment before the current stage completes, as this will ensure that the next stage plan contains the latest knowledge and information. But the first process used in PRINCE2 is the starting up a project process, and this takes place before project formally starts, and hence it is not a stage, but there is still a need for the initiation stage plan creation for that following stage.
Nevertheless, as this pre-project work draws to a conclusion, the initiation stage plan is still required for the initiation stage so that the newly formed project board can make a decision on whether or not to start projects in the first place. The other main product that is created here, is the project brief and your sponsor and contains important information to help the project board to make an informed choice as to whether or not the project should proceed.
It is important for you to understand the contents of the project initiation documentation (as well as that for a next stage plan), before commencing to create the initiation stage plan, as this will lead to contain all of the above activities for these two key documents to be created.
The project brief is refined and expanded so that it is developed into the more detailed project initiation documentation (PID).
As we shall see, the PID contains key strategies, the business case, the project plan and its controls. Since this information will be used to deliver the project, it is important that such information within the initiation stage plan includes any work to create baseline measures.
As an example, the business case may include improvements to those currently in force, and so baseline information such as operating costs, process delivery times, and the efficiency and effectiveness of current procedures, may needs to be collected so that the benefits outlined in the business case can be proved. It is vital to include these in the initiation stage plan.
Initiation Stage Plan – the Project Brief Input
The information contained within the project brief will act as a key driver for the content and direction contained within the project plan. So let us quickly look at some of the information driving the content of the initiation stage plan, that will be contained within the project brief:
- The project product description
- The acceptance criteria
- The outline business case
- Objectives, scope, exclusions, constraints, and assumptions
- The project approach
All the above will have a bearing on the amount of information that is contained within the PID, and project approach will lay down exactly how the business, management and specialist direction should be taken.
Initiation Stage Plan drivers.
The Project Product Description will advise you of the end product and its complexity will have a direct bearing on the content within the project plan and the strategy documents within the PID.
The acceptance criteria for the end product may be simple to achieve, or complex and difficult – therefore also having a bearing on the content of the project plan.
The project scope will lay out what is to be included within the project plan, while the constraints and assumptions may contribute to known risks at this point in time.
The risk register will also be set up in the initiation stage, followed by sufficient risk analysis. The riskiness of the project will determine how much effort will be needed within the initiation stage.
The nature of the project will determine the standards needed for quality, and these too, needs to be taken into consideration for planning such quality into the project plan and creating an acceptable quality management strategy document.
Another of the documents contained within the PID, is the configuration management strategy which also covers change and version control. Think through the amount of projects products and their various versions, in order to consider the manner and complexity needed for configuration control.
An aspect that is often forgotten is project filing. Setting up a filing system and some form of library also needs to be considered.
For a smaller simple project, the initiating stage plan may consist of a timescale, budget, and named resources, but anything other than that will need careful thought. Remember, that’s the initiation stage, just like any other PRINCE2 stage, will be authorized by the project board and tolerances set.
All of the above needs to be included within the initiation stage plan.
In summary, when creating the initiation stage plan, remember that it should include all of the products and activities needed to create the project initiation document, the next stage plan, and sufficient resources for both management and specialist purposes.
