14 : Directing a Project

Question 1

What is the purpose of the Directing a Project process?

Answer 1

The purpose of the Directing a Project process is to enable the project board to be accountable for the project’s success by making key decisions and exercising overall control while delgating the project’s day-to-day management to the PM

Question 2

What are the 6 objectives of the Directing a Project process?

Answer 2

The DP process has the following objectives:

1. Authorise initiation of the project
2. Authorise the delivery the projects products
3. Ensure necessary management and control is provided and the project remains viable
4. Ensure Corporate or programme management, or the customer has an interface to the projects (via the project board)
5. Authorise project closure
6. Ensure plans for realising the post project benefits are managed and reviewed

Question 3

Who is responsible for assuring that there is continued business justification and can decide to shut down the project if the Business Case is no longer viable?

Answer 3

The Project Board.

Question 4

Who manages the project on a day-to-day basis?

Answer 4

Day to day management of the project is done by the Project Manager.

Question 5

Name 3 of the topics included in the Project Brief. (Tip: Think of the information produced in the SU process.)

Answer 5

The topics that are included in the Project Brief are:
• Project Definition – Explaining what the project needs to achieve (background, scope, objectives, risk)
• Project Approach – Outlines the approach for the project and the choice of solution that will be used
• Project Management Team Overview – e.g.: an Organization Chart
• Business Case information – This is from the outline Business Case document
• Project Product Description – This comes from the Project Product Description document, give a clear description of what the project will deliver, the acceptance criteria, quality expectations

Question 6

Name some of the documents and information that the Project Board will review and confirm in the Project Initiation Documentation during the Authorize the Project activity.

Answer 6

The Project Board will confirm the following:
• Project Definition is accurate and Lessons have been incorporated
• The four Strategy documents which are Quality, Risk, Configuration Management and Communication will work for the project
• Check roles and responsibilities, Product Descriptions, Tolerances, Project Controls, and check to see how PRINCE2 has been tailored to suit the project
• The Benefits Review Plan

Question 7

What is the name of the report that is created by the Project Manger and sent on a regular basis to the Project Board?

Answer 7

This is the highlight report. It can be just 2 to 3 pages and gives an overview of stage progress. It is also known as a Time Driven report meaning that it has been agreed that this report should be created and sent on a regular basis, e.g., every 2 weeks.

Question 8

Who prepares most of the documents and information to get ready close a project and who has the authority to Close a Project?

Answer 8

The Project Manager prepares most of the documents and information to get ready to close the project in the process “Closing a Project”. Only the Project Board can close a project.

Question 9

When does the DP process run for?

Answer 9

After the SU process until the end of the project.

Question 10

Who is involved in the Directing a Project process?

Answer 10

Exclusively the project board.

Question 11

What are the 5 activities in the DP process?

Answer 11

1. Authorise initiation
2. Authorise the project
3. Authorise stage or exception plan
4. Give ad-hoc direction
5. Authorise project closure

Question 12

What happens during the Authorise Initiation activity in the DP process?

Answer 12

The Project board approves the work undertaken in the SU process including approving the:

1. Business Case
2. Project approach
3. Project brief
4. Plan for the initiation stage

And approving the appointment of the project management team.

Question 13

What happens during the Authorise the project activity in the DP process?

Answer 13

Approves the outputs of the IP process including approving the:

1. Risk management approach
2. Change control approach
3. Quality management approach
4. Communication management approach
5. Project controls
6. Project plan.

This review ensures the project has good foundations before making any significant investment.

Question 14

What happens during the Authorising stage or exception plan activity in the DP process?

Answer 14

The project board reviews and approves the stage or exception plan for the next piece of work.

This means the project board reviews the project at the end / start of each stage.

Question 15

What happens during the Give ad hoc direction activity in the DP process?

Answer 15

The Project board gives advice and informal feedback to the Project management team.

Question 16

What happens during the Authorise project closure activity in the DP process?

Answer 16

Enables the project board to be sure that the project is complete and that BAU organisation can take on support of the project’s products.

Even if the project is closed prematurely, then this activity still is undertaken.

Question 17

What does the project board do in the DP process?

Answer 17

1. They are the decision making body
2. They support the PM
3. They authorise each stage
4. They focus on benefits realisation

Question 18

Does the project board meet for progress meetings?

Answer 18

No. They manage by exception and only meet at key decision points.

Question 19

Who is responsible for communicating to corporate / programme management and customers?

Answer 19

The project board.

Question 20

Who has final say?

Answer 20

the executive