Processes

Project Management Processes

PRINCE2 has eight management processes, each providing a particular emphasis throughout the project life cycle.  Any project run under PRINCE2 will address each of these processes in some form.  The processes are not sequential, step-by-step, through the project; some can be done in parallel with others.  The key to successful use of PRINCE2 is to ask: ‘How extensively should this process be applied on this project?’ for each of the eight processes.

Directing a Project (DP)

This process runs from start-up through to closure of the project and is aimed at the management level above the Project Manager, namely the Project Board.  This process defines the Project Board’s responsibilities for:

• Approving the Project Brief and authorising initiation
• Authorising the Project Initiation Document, including the Business Case, and taking ‘ownership’ of the project
• Checking project status at the end of each stage before authorising continuation to the next stage
• Providing management direction and guidance to the Project Manager, and reacting to exception situations
• Liaising with corporate or programme management
• Confirming project closure.

Starting up a Project (SU)

This is a pre-project process, designed to answer the basic question: ‘Do we have a viable and worthwhile project?’  This process will:

• Ensure the necessary authority exists for undertaking the project
• Ensure that sufficient information is available about the project’s objectives, scope and constraints
• Design and appoint an appropriate project management team
• Decide on the approach to be used to deliver the required outputs from the project
• Create the initiation Stage Plan

Initiating a Project (IP)

This is the project process that ensures that the project can be successfully scoped and managed to its completion by laying down a firm foundation.  This process will:

• Ensure that everyone involved understands the scope and objectives of the project
• Ensure that a suitable Business Case exists for the project
• Ensure that the project has been adequately planned and costed
• Assess the risks identified
• Obtain the commitment from the Project Board to proceed to the next stage

Initiation should be the first stage of any project.

Controlling a Stage (CS)

This process covers the day-to-day management activities on the project.  Throughout a stage, this will consist of a cycle of:

• Authorising work to be done by the project team
• Monitoring and reporting progress
• Capturing Project Issues
• Assessing required changes
• Taking necessary corrective action
• Taking delivery of completed products from the project team

Managing Product Delivery (MP)

This process separates the management of the project from the creation or provision of products by the project team. It involves:

• Negotiating and accepting Work Packages from the Project Manager
• Ensuring the required work is done
• Reporting on progress
• Ensuring completed products meed required quality criteria
• Obtaining approval for completed products

Managing Stage Boundaries (SB)

This process covers the Project Manager’s responsibilities at the end of each stage, or, if the project is in exception, enables a corrective plan to be put forward.  It involves:

• Reporting on delivery of products
• Reassessing the risk situation
• Updating project management documentation
• Planning the next stage, or producing an Exception Plan

Closing a Project (CP)

This process ensures a clear end to the project, whether it is successful completion or early termination, by:

• Reporting on fulfilment of project objectives defined in the Project Initiation Document
• Recommending required follow-on actions
• Planning post-project review(s)
• Assessing the way the project was managed and reporting lessons learned
• Decommissioning the project

Planning (PL)

This process describes the iterative steps involved in planning and replanning the project.  It is used during the activities of the other PRINCE2 processes.  Planning in PRINCE2 uses the product-based planning technique to ensure plans are based on required products:

• Write a Product Description for the final product
• Create a Product Breakdown Structure which identifies the products required
• Write Product Descriptions, which include defining the quality requirements, for each product
• Draw a Product Flow Diagram to show the logical order of creation of the products and their interdependencies
• Identify activities required to create the products
• Estimate duration and effort for each activity
• Assess the risks
• Calculate the costs
• Identify management control points needed
• Document the plan, its assumptions and supporting text