PRINCE2 Issues Management Masterclass – Part 3
Step Two – Examining the issue
This should involve all appropriate individuals not just the project manager. These individuals could include team managers, team members, specialist contributors, Or even external third parties such as suppliers.
Be careful about involving Project Assurance here as that may detract from the impartiality. Remember that Project Assurance provides an audit function independent of the project manager.
There are several impact areas that should be considered, and the following list give you some ideas for those that should be included When examining the issue:
- Costs
- Risk
- Quality
- Business benefits and project justification
- Time scales for the stage and project Including any knock on effects to future stages
- Any impacts on a program or other related projects
- Staffing levels and staff availability
A point worth considering here when planning the project with in the initiation stage, is whether or not you predict and expect many changes to occur. In such a case it would be smart to include resources and time in your plans for issue impact analysis.
Step Three – proposing action
There are three levels of decision-making authority here, the project manager, a Change Authority if you have one, and the Project Board. Such actions if beyond the project managers delegated authority needs to be proposed to ever is authorized to do so.
Exactly who that authority should be, falls to the Project Board. During initiation, the Project Board must decide how much authority, and what type they are prepared to delegate to the project manager, and this includes a clear definition of the point where the project manager must come back to them for a decision.
Very often this decision point is cost or budget . The way to do this is to set a band of cost where if any issue action occurs within it, then the project manager can make the decision . Any point above that and it will need to go before the Project Board.
But there is another dimension to this, as some decisions although falling within the authority banned described above, may have operational consequences that the Project Board need to be involved in.
Step Four – deciding the actions
Such actions would be entered into the Issue Register and all the relevant Issue Report. If the issue has been escalated to either the Project Board or a Change Authority in the decision will be taken at that level.
The decision could be a simple as a “yes or no “, but it may be an agreement to defer a decision until they obtain more information. In such a situation the project manager will collect the information and return for a decision.
Such a deferment could be to review it later in the current stage, or if nearing the end of the project, there is sufficient funds left in the Change Budget, or it could be done in a later stage, or even to be done in a future project.
If the latter action is decided, then the follow on action would be used and passed to a responsible role to carry that through after the project has finished.
Step Five – implementing the work
If a decision is made to proceed within the project, then the project manager needs to manage this.
It is often the case that some form of re-planning is needed within the stage plan or a work package. Once the work is complete, the issue can be closed down within the Issue Register and the Issue Report, or if it was being managed informally, within the Daily Log.
The Change Budget
I have mentioned a Change Budget, and it is worth mentioning how that is set up.
It can be set up an authorized on a stage by stage basis, or for the project as a whole.
A Change Budget is a good idea as it will allow the project manager to accommodate any unforeseen changes without having to constantly go back to the Project Board to approve every single change no matter how small it is. Such a point should be made clear to the Project Board if they are hesitant about approving a separate Change Budget.
Another option the Project Board has during the initiation, is to appoint a Change Authority who would act on their behalf to manage and deal with any changes. This would free up the Project Board to direct more appropriate areas rather than tie them down to long and detailed meetings concerning the approval or otherwise of changes.
Whenever any form of delegation regarding changes is agreed, it is important that the “rules of engagement “are made clear to all those involved.
I want to make a final point here, and it could be a better approach rather than just implementing issue resolution actions.
This is particularly useful for complex issue resolution actions. The option I’m talking about is to create an exception plan that replaces the rest of the current stage plan. The project manager would produce a new plan showing all the work necessary to implement the change and then presented to the Project Board for approval.
In summary then, the Issue Register is ready to use to record the existence, the progress and the outcome of issues that are being handled formally within the project. The Issue Register is maintained and used throughout the whole of the project and is Included within the last delivery stage of the project.
Indeed, the end project report contains in the ongoing issues that need to be passed on to operational management rather than be dealt with during the project before closure. These are called follow on actions. The lessons learned report which forms part of the end project report, will include any lessons learned from specific issues or their management throughout the project.
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.
