PRINCE2 7th Edition — Initiating a Project Process
The purpose of the PRINCE2 7th Edition Process of initiating a project is to establish solid foundations for the project, enabling the business to understand the work that needs to be done to deliver the project product before committing to any significant expenditure or resources.
Initiating a project objectives in PRINCE2 7th Edition
The objectives of the process of initiating a project are to ensure that there is a common understanding of:
- the reasons for doing the project, the benefits expected, and the associated risks (documented in a full business case)
- the scope of what is to be done and the products to be delivered
- how and when the products will be delivered and at what cost
- who is to be involved in the project decision-making
- how the quality required will be achieved
- how baselines will be established and controlled
- how risks and issues will be identified, assessed, and controlled
- how progress will be monitored and controlled
- who needs information, in what format, and at what time
- how the project applies business policies, methods, and guidance.
Initiating a project context
Initiating a project prepares the foundations for achieving a successful project. Specifically, all parties must be clear on what the project is intended to achieve, why it is needed, how the outcome is to be accomplished, and what their responsibilities are so there can be a genuine commitment to the project.
The process of initiating a project enables the project board, via the process of directing a project, to decide whether or not the project is sufficiently aligned with the business objectives to justify its continuation.
In initiating a project, the project manager will create the suite of management products required for the level of control specified by the project board.
The project manager should have agreed with the project board how they would review and approve the management products. For example, should they review each management product as they become ready or wait until the full suite of management products is prepared to review as a set?
All activities within the process of initiating a project need further consideration if the relationship between the user and the supplier is a commercial one, as the risks, rewards, and reasons for undertaking the project will be different for the user (as the customer) and the supplier.
Inputs, activities, and outputs for initiating a project with PRINCE2 7th Edition
Initiating a project Purpose
The purpose of the process of initiating a project is to establish solid foundations for the project, enabling the business to understand the work that needs to be done to deliver the project product before committing to any significant expenditure or resources.
Initiating a Project Objectives
The objectives of the process of initiating a project are to ensure that there is a common understanding of:
- the reasons for doing the project, the benefits expected, and the associated risks (documented in a full business case)
- the scope of what is to be done and the products to be delivered
- how and when the products will be delivered and at what cost
- who is to be involved in the project decision-making
- how the quality required will be achieved
- how baselines will be established and controlled
- how risks and issues will be identified, assessed, and controlled
- how progress will be monitored and controlled
- who needs information, in what format, and at what time
- how the project applies business policies, methods, and guidance.
Initiating a Project Context
Initiating a project prepares the foundations for achieving a successful project. Specifically, all parties must be clear on what the project is intended to achieve, why it is needed, how the outcome is to be accomplished, and what their responsibilities are so there can be a genuine commitment to the project.
The process of initiating a project enables the project board, via the process of directing a project, to decide whether or not the project is sufficiently aligned with the business objectives to justify its continuation.
In initiating a project, the project manager will create the suite of management products required for the level of control specified by the project board.
The project manager should have agreed with the project board how they would review and approve the management products. For example, should they review each management product as they become ready or wait until the full suite of management products is prepared to review as a set?
All activities within the process of initiating a project need further consideration if the relationship between the user and the supplier is a commercial one, as the risks, rewards, and reasons for undertaking the project will be different for the user (as the customer) and the supplier.
Inputs, activities, and outputs for initiating a project
Agree tailoring requirements
The project manager may need to tailor PRINCE2 to recognize the internal and external factors affecting the delivery of the project. The business may already have a standard project management framework based on a tailored version of PRINCE2, ready to apply to the project.
How PRINCE2 or the business’ standard project management framework will be applied and/or tailored
must be documented and agreed.
Recommended actions for the project manager:
- review the project brief to understand the outlined tailoring approach (if defined).
- seek lessons on how to apply tailoring from similar previous projects, businesses, and external organizations.
- define any tailoring requirements as part of the project initiation documentation, including any
- related project controls.
- consult with project assurance to check that any proposed tailoring will meet the project board’s or business’s needs
- seek the project board’s approval for any tailoring (although the project board may prefer to
- review it later as part of the project initiation documentation)
This course is DEPRECATED
The old PRINCE2 6th Edition Foundation and Practitioner syllabus was upgraded in 2024. Check out the brand NEW PRINCE2 7th Edition Masterclass, covering all the current syllabus, training material and online exam benefits HERE
Your Route To PRINCE2 6th Edition Practitioner
Study PRINCE2 6 Foundation and Practitioner Exams with our famous on-line course with streaming HD Video Lessons, study guides and mock exams. In the last fifteen years we have had 6,000+ Academy students successfully transform their careers as PRINCE2 Practitioners.
