Chapter 4 - Introduction to PRINCE2 practices

Question 1

What are the seven PRINCE2 practices?

Answer 1

Business case, organising, plans, quality, risk, issues, progress

Question 2

Describe the PRINCE2 practice of business case (Why?)

Answer 2

The project starts with an idea that is considered to have potential value for the organisation concerned. This practice addresses how the idea is developed into a viable investment proposition and how success is defined and verified.

It provides the basis for how project management maintains the focus throughout the project on the project’s benefits, purpose and alignment with the objectives and priorities of the business and other organisations involved.

Question 3

Describe the PRINCE2 practice of organising (Who?)

Answer 3

Project work needs to be directed by those accountable, delegated to those responsible to manage it, and allocated to those who will deliver the products required of the project. Projects are cross-functional, so the normal line management structures are not suitable.

This practice describes the roles, responsibilities and relationships in the temporary PRINCE2 project management team required to initiate and complete the project effectively. It describes how the business, user, and supplier interests are represented in project activities and decision making.

Question 4

Describe the PRINCE2 practice of plans (How, how much, when?)

Answer 4

PRINCE2 projects are delivered in stages based on a series of approved plans. This practice complements the quality practice by describing how plans are designed and developed. In PRINCE2, the plans are matched to the needs of the people through the project management layers (directing, managing, and delivering), and they are the focus for communication and control throughout.

Question 5

Describe the PRINCE2 practice of quality (What?)

Answer 5

The initial project idea will only be understood as a broad outline. This practice explains how the outline is developed so all stakeholders understand the quality attributes of the products to be delivered and then how project management will ensure that these requirements are subsequently delivered.

Question 6

Describe the PRINCE2 practice of risk (What if?)

Answer 6

Due to the unique nature of projects, which use new and different products, suppliers and/or procedures, there is more uncertainty which will result in more risk. This practice addresses how the project team manages uncertainty.

Question 7

Describe the PRINCE2 practice of issues (What now?)

Answer 7

This practice describes how project management assesses and responds to issues that have a potential impact on any aspect of the project (including its objectives, plans, and products). Issues may be unanticipated general problems, requests for change, or instances of a product not meeting specification

Question 8

Describe the PRINCE2 practice of progress (Where are we now, where are we going, should we continue?)

Answer 8

This practice addresses the ongoing achievability of the plans. It explains the monitoring of performance and the escalation process if events do not go according to plan, through a mixture of event and time-based controls. Ultimately, this practice determines whether and how the project should proceed.

Question 9

What does a management product describe?

Answer 9

The information that will be required to manage the project

Question 10

What is the project initiation documentation?

Answer 10

The PID comprises the package of information developed and compiled during initiation to gain authorisation to proceed with the project. It provides the basis for its ongoing management. It is a management product.

Question 11

What is the purpose of the Project Initiation Documentation?

Answer 11

Provides the direction and the scope of the project and forms the ‘contract’ between the project manager and the project board

Question 12

What are the three primary uses of the Project Initiation Documentation?

Answer 12

Ensure that the project has a sound basis before asking the project board to make any major commitment to the project; act as a base document against which the project board and project manager can assess progress, issues, and ongoing viability questions; provide a single source of reference about the project so that people joining the ‘temporary organisation’ can quickly and easily discover what the project is about and how it is being managed

Question 13

What documents are often included within the PID?

Answer 13

Project definition, business case, project management team structure, role descriptions, management approaches, project plan, tailoring of PRINCE2

Question 14

What is the project definition within the PID?

Answer 14

Explains what the project needs to achieve and should include: background context, project objectives and desired outcomes, project scope, constraints and assumptions, the user(s) and any other interested parties. The project definition should also detail the project approach, defining the choice of solution and delivery method that will be used in the project to delivery the business option selected from the business case

Question 15

What is the business case within the PID?

Answer 15

Describes the justification for the project and the selected business option based on estimated costs, risks and benefits

Question 16

What is the project management team structure within the PID?

Answer 16

A chart showing who will be involved with the project

Question 17

What is the role descriptions within the PID?

Answer 17

Describes the roles of those in the project management team

Question 18

What is the management approaches within the PID?

Answer 18

The procedures, techniques, and standards to be applied and the responsibilities for: change management, benefits management, commercial management, communication management, data management, issue management, quality management, risk management, and sustainability management

Question 19

What is the project plan within the PID?

Answer 19

Describes how and when the project’s objectives are to be achieved by showing the major products, activities, resources, and people required on the project; provides a baseline against which to monitor the project’s progress

Question 20

What is tailoring of PRINCE2 within the PID?

Answer 20

A summary of how PRINCE2 is tailored for the project; for example, any changes of terminology

Question 21

Is the PID static?

Answer 21

No - the PID is a living product in that it should always reflect the current status, plans and controls of the project

Question 22

What is the purpose of the project log?

Answer 22

To capture the continually changing records of issues, lessons, products, quality, risk, and other formal/informal actions or events. The project log is dynamic in that it contains the current and historic record of project activities and progress. It is a management product. It may be a single document, or a collection of separate logs.

Question 23

What are the different types of project logs and registers?

Answer 23

Issue register, lessons log, product register, quality register, risk register, daily log of other information actions and events

Question 24

What common data is included within each log entry?

Answer 24

Unique identifier, date logged, logged by, date updated, status, classification, details