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The versatility of PRINCE2 planning techniques allows for their effective application in both linear-sequential and iterative-incremental projects, instilling confidence in their adaptability to various project types.
For linear-sequential projects, most planning effort is applied upfront in the processes of starting up a project and initiating a project. This is because these projects are often characterized by well-understood products and mature delivery activities.
The example of similar projects helps establish the planning horizon and suggests the necessary products, work packages, and stages.
Duration, level of effort, and costs can be estimated with high confidence.
The estimates in the project plan are refined in stage plans, and team plans and product descriptions are further detailed in subsequent stages. Still, the project plan usually does not change unless there is a project-level exception.
On the other hand, iterative-incremental projects focus on how much can be produced over a fixed period of time (such as a sprint or a timebox). This is to deliver an initial product quickly and refine and improve it iteratively.
When an iterative-incremental approach such as agile is being used, a common planning approach would consist of:
- Setting tolerances for each iteration that effectively fix time and cost and enable more flexibility in scope
- Producing the project product description in terms of expected outcomes and benefits
- Developing the user stories, epics, and product backlogs instead of product descriptions
- Determining the length of releases or timeboxes and defining these as stages
- Estimating the resource requirements for each stage and preparing the project budget
- Combine the product backlog and workflow in a collaborative planning tool like a Kanban board. A Kanban board may be used instead of a team plan and is developed as a joint effort by the whole development team.
The iterative-incremental approach lends itself to reviewing and updating the plan as part of each cycle, just as preparing stage plans in a linear project.
However, it reflects the updates in a collaborative planning tool.
Planning Sustainability
Plans can address sustainability in at least three different ways:
- Product sustainability: in identifying and describing the required products, it is useful to determine the product’s environmental impact through its full lifecycle, including disposal where appropriate.
By incorporating sustainability tolerances into the planning of work packages and stages, project managers and project boards can actively contribute to aligning fuel consumption and production wastes with the organizational strategy, fostering a sense of responsibility and awareness of the long-term impact of their projects.
- Benefits sustainability: projects often deliver benefits long after they have been closed.
Projects also sometimes fail to achieve the expected benefits because there are only limited means to sustain these benefits. For example, ongoing training and user support are not considered when defining the project’s scope.
One of the most effective ways to ensure benefits sustainability is by identifying requirements. This step is crucial as it aids in delivering long-term project benefits and mitigating potential project failures.
PRINCE2 Project Scale
The PRINCE2 planning technique supports a wide range of projects. Although product-based planning always applies, the level of effort involved in planning can easily be scaled up or down based on the characteristics and needs of the project.
Aspects of project scale that affect planning include:
- Duration: the longer a project’s lifecycle, the more likely that project plans will need to adapt to changes in both the external environment and internal project delivery activities.
Duration should be considered in organizing work packages and stages and in estimating the change budget. In addition, multi-year projects will likely see changes in the project team, including key roles such as the project manager. Project plans should be prepared to aid orientation and continuity and reduce the impact of turnover.
- Size of the project team: large and dispersed project teams will generally need more project support and benefit from easily accessible project planning and reporting tools and documentation.
- Complexity: projects with few products and work packages can be planned with simple documents and tools. For example, the project schedule could be a list of significant milestones or a presentation slide.
However, as the number of products and work packages increases, using specialized tools such as a project scheduling application will make it much easier to analyse and incorporate changes.
- Novelty: if the products or delivery method are new to an organization, relying on experience or similar projects to capture requirements or estimate schedules and costs may be challenging. Therefore, plans that incorporate a high degree of uncertainty and use risk-mitigating techniques (such as prototyping) or an iterative-incremental approach may be justified.
- Cost: Project planning is one of the most prudent ways to reduce the risk of project failure. Therefore, it is sensible to ensure that the level of effort in project planning is in line with the project’s overall cost. The cost of project planning and support will depend on the project’s importance and complexity. It could sometimes be ten per cent or more of the project’s overall cost.
PRINCE2 Work package description
A work package description describes how one or more products will be produced and delivered. It is used to formally assign work responsibility to a team manager or team member.
Here is the structure of a work package description:
- Description of work to be done: a statement of work and associated work breakdown structure
- Team manager or person authorized: the name of the team manager or individual responsible for the work package
- Product descriptions: the product descriptions associated with the work package
- Techniques and procedures: requirements for how the work is to be done
- Change control requirements: arrangements for control of the project and product baselines that fall within the scope of the work package
- Constraints: restrictions or limits on the work, such as authorized work hours, safety, and security measures
- Monitoring, control, and reporting: description of how the work package will be monitored, controlled and reported
- Targets and tolerances: the permissible deviations for scope, cost, and time for the work package
- References: applicable references from higher-level plans
- Approval: who will approve the completed products
- Agreement: This is a record of the project manager’s and team manager’s initial authorization and final completion of the work package.
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