PRINCE2 7 Project and Stage Process
The PRINCE2 journey
Pre-project: Before a project begins, someone has an idea or a need. The trigger for the project (which may come in a wide range of ways) in PRINCE2 is called a project mandate.
The business provides the project mandate (the organization commissioning the project) and can vary from verbal instruction to a well-defined and justified project definition.
Before formally starting a project, assessing and confirming it is worthwhile and viable is essential.
This is done when starting up a project, in which the project manager and project board are appointed, and a project brief and a stage plan for the initiation stage are created.
The decision to proceed with project initiation is taken by the project board using their process of directing a project. The project board then reviews the project brief and stage plan and decides whether and how to initiate the project and allocate the people and resources required.
PRINCE2 Initiation stage
When a decision has been made to proceed with the project, it needs to be planned at an appropriate level of detail.
The process of initiating a project includes the planning, establishment of the project management approaches and controls, development of a robust business case, and a means of reviewing benefits.
Also, during the initiation stage, the process of managing a stage boundary is used to plan the next stage in detail.
The initiation stage ends with the project initiation documentation being reviewed by the project board, again using their process (directing a project) to decide whether to authorize the project and the next stage to proceed.
The contents of the project initiation documentation are likely to change throughout the project (under change control), so this version is preserved as the original baseline for later reviews.
PRINCE2 Subsequent stages
The project board delegates day-to-day control to the project manager stage-by-stage. The project manager needs to ensure that progress aligns with the approved plan and that forecasts for the project are within agreed tolerances.
The project manager informs the project board of progress through regular highlight reports. The activities to control each stage are covered by the process of controlling a stage.
The project manager must assign work to the team managers or members who execute designated work packages. They, in turn, keep the project manager informed of progress through checkpoint reports.
The process of managing product delivery covers this work.
Introduction to PRINCE2 Processes
Towards the end of each stage, the project manager requests permission to proceed to the next stage by reporting how the current stage performed, providing an update to the business case, and planning the next stage in detail.
The project manager provides the information needed by the project board to assess the project’s continuing viability and to decide to authorize the next stage.
The project board must always ensure the project remains aligned with the business strategy.
The activities to manage each stage boundary are covered in the process of managing a stage boundary.
PRINCE2 Final stage
As a project is a temporary undertaking, it will be time to start the process of closing a project towards the end of the final stage.
The project may have been transferring and transitioning individual products into operational use throughout the project’s life.
The project board now needs to be satisfied that the recipients of each product are in a position to own and use them on an ongoing basis and that the business can take overall ownership of the project product.
Should this be the case, the project can close.
The project documentation should be archived, the project assessed for performance against its original plan, and the people and resources assigned to the project must be released.
Closure activities include confirming or revising the plans for the planning post-project benefits reviews to occur for those benefits that can only be assessed after the project product has been in use (and, therefore, after the project has closed).
Post-project
Even though some benefits may be realized during the project, in most cases, many or all of the benefits will be realized after completion. One or more post-project benefits reviews will likely occur.
The project’s benefits management approach will document how and when these reviews should occur and who is responsible and accountable for them.
The PRINCE2 process model
The PRINCE2 process model is shown below. The processes align with the business layer’s management levels, directing, managing, and delivering. The triggers between the processes are shown below:
PRINCE2® 7 Foundation and Practitioner
Learn PRINCE2® 7 Foundation and Practitioner Online
** Enhance your PRINCE2 career now **
PRINCE2® Masterclass gives you the skills necessary to manage projects effectively and achieve your objectives.
Get 7 days a week 12 months one to one coaching with ex PRINCE2 examiner Dave Litten.
PRINCE2® is a globally recognized project management framework. By completing both the Foundation and Practitioner courses through our self-paced e-learning, you will develop an understanding of the methodology and learn how to effectively adapt it to any project.
The PRINCE2® 7 Foundation and Practitioner Masterclass is PeopleCert Accredited and guarantees to take you from PRINCE2 Novice to PRINCE2 Practitioner with our famous video learning, study guides and practice exams.
What Does the Masterclass Cover?
The PRINCE2 Foundation examination assesses your knowledge and comprehension of the PRINCE2 project management methodology as detailed in the syllabus. The PRINCE2 Practitioner examination, on the other hand, gauges your ability to apply and tailor the PRINCE2 method. Candidates who pass the Practitioner exam should be able to start implementing the method on an actual project with some guidance. However, their effectiveness may differ based on their experience in project management, the complexity of the project, and the level of support they receive in their work environment.
