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Prince2 > Introduction > Flashcards

Introduction Flashcards

1
Q

What does Prince2 stand for?

A

Projects In Controlled Environments

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2
Q

What have the 3 main revisions of Prince2 been?

A

1975 - Promtpt
1989 - Prince (focus on IT projects)
1996 - Prince2 (suitable for all projects regardless of size and environment)

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3
Q

What are the 4 integrated elements of Prince2?

A

7 Themes - Ingredients
7 Processes - Instructions
7 Principles - Good practises/Why
Project Environment - Tailoring

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4
Q

What are the 3 core management products within Prince2?

A

Baseline products - e.g business case, PMP
Records - logs, register, configuration records
Reports - Prince2 recommended reports

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5
Q

What’s the difference between projects and BAU?

A 
Projects:
Bring change
Higher risk
Project life cycle
Six major variables
Deliver products
BAU:
Repetitive 
Easy to f/c
Easy to improve efficiences
Low risk
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6
Q

What is Prince2 definition of a project?

A

A temporary organisation that is created for the purpose of delivering one or more business products according to an agreed business case

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7
Q

What are the 7 themes?

A

Business case:
Justifies project, documents project f/c benefits.

Organisation:
Roles & responsibilities, accountability

Plans:
Project, stage and team plans.

Risk:
How to manage risks

Quality:
Quality approach
Meet requirements, standards

Change:
How to manage change

Progress:
Monitor & controlling the project successfully

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8
Q

List the 7 themes of Prince2

A 
Business case
Organisation
Plans
Risk
Quality
Change
Progress
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9
Q

What are the 7 processes?

A 
Starting up a project (SU)
Directing a Project (DP)
Initiating a Project (IP)
Controlling a Stage (CS)
Managing Product Delivery (MPD)
Managing a Stage Boundary (SB)
Closing Project (CP)
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10
Q

What is SU?

A

Starting up a project (SU):
Should the project go ahead? Viable?
Triggered by project mandate.
Project brief is outputted

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11
Q

What is DP?

A 
Directing a Project (DP):
Analysis of project brief undertaken
Used to make decisions about the projects future
Used throughout lifecycle 
Project Board has exclusive access
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12
Q

What is IP?

A

Initiating Project (IP):
Detailed analyis of whole project undertaken to answer:
Who, what, when, where, why, how much etc.
Project Initiation Document is outputted from this process.

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13
Q

What is the PID?

A

Project Initiation Document:
Prince2 version of the PMP
Collection of all key documents required to manage the project
Reviewed by project board in DP (directing project) to ensure viability
Requires approval before project can progress

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14
Q

What is CS?

A

Controlling a stage (CS):
PM uses this stage to allocate work
Work allocated in work packages
Corrective action taken where required
Progress reported on
PM provides highlight reports to the project board via the DP theme
Captures and deals with risks/issues/changes

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15
Q

What is MPD?

A

Managing Product Delivery (MP)
Accept work from the PM
Complete work
Handback to PM once completed

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16
Q

What is SB?

A

Managing a Stage Boundary:
When the end of a stage is nearing
Requires planning of the next stage
Progress of the current stage should be reported to the project board
Project board need to approve plan for next stage and the end of stage report.

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17
Q

What are the two reports used to report progress between the PM/Project Board?

A

Highlight Report

End of Stage Report

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18
Q

What 3 processes are repeated until project closure?

A

CS (Controlling Stage)
MPD (Managing Product Delivery)
Managing a Stage Boundary (SB)

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19
Q

What is CP?

A

Closing Project (CP)
Formally handover the products
Review the project and how it was managed
Review performance
Project Board have to authorise project closure

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20
Q

What are the 7 principles?

A 
Continued Business Justification
Learn From Experience
Defined Roles & Responsibilities 
Manage By Stages
Manage By Exception
Focus on Products
Tailoring
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21
Q

What does the continued business justification principle refer to?

A

Must be a valid business case to justify project
Must remain valid throughout the project
Should be reviewed regularly

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22
Q

What does LFE mean?

A 
Learn From Experience
Emphasise good practise
Avoid bad practises
Continually improve
Become more mature
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23
Q

What is the roles and repsonsibilities principle?

A

Who’s doing what

Accountability

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24
Q

What is the principle of managing by stages?

A 
Doing work to progress the project then reviewing the work/progress
May be at predetermined stages
May follow the project life cycle
Undertaken by project board
Go / No go decision made
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25
Q

What is managing by exception (principle?

A

Project board only meeting at the end of each stage to give authority to proceed
Set tolerance for next stage which the project can act within
Only meeting at predetermined stages unless there is an emergency etc.

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26
Q

What are tolerances?

A

Permissable deviation from the plan that is allowed before it needs to be escalated

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27
Q

What is the focus on products principle?

A

Discuss what products to build
Standard at which they’re to be built
Embodied in product based planning technique, plans and quality themes

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28
Q

What is the tailoring principle and what does it ensure?

A

Being aware of the project context, environment and size
Tailoring Prince2 to meet the project needs
Ensures the right level of governance, planning and control IAW prince2 is implemented on the project given its nature.

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29
Q

What can tailoring be applied to?

A

Processes - combined or adapted

Themes - Applied using appropriate techniques

Roles - Combined or split in a way to ensure accountability and prevent conflicts of interest

Management Products - Combined or split into any number of elements

Terminology - Changed to suit other standards or policies

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30
Q

What is the PM responsible for in relation to tailoring?

A

Responsible for idenitfying the level of tailoring required and how it will be implemented on the project.

PM should then document this in the PID (Project Initiation Document), control section.

This then requires approval from the project board.

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31
Q

Who may support/advise the tailoring of the project?

A

PM/Project Board may take advice from:

Project assurance
Project support
Team managers
Centre of excellence

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32
Q

What are the 6 variables of a project that require management?

A 
Timescales
Costs
Quality
Scope
Benefits
Risks
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33
Q

In relation to the theme, organisation, what does prince2 assume is the structure / who are the mains stakeholder representatives?

A

Customer supplier environment

Customer & supplier

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34
Q

What is the method and what viewpoint is it written from?

A

Outlines how the project will be delivered.

Written from customer view point.

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35
Q

What is the customer and what is their view on the project?

A

Persons/Organisation who fund the projcet.
Business and user perspective
Focuses on value for money and the realisation of benefits

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36
Q

What is the user and what are their priorities?

A

User is:
Concerned with quality and functionality of the products
Will be using the project outputs or maintaining products

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37
Q

What is the supplier & what view do they provide on a project?

A

An internal or external person or group that supplies skills or products.
Focus on supplier aspect.

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38
Q

What are the four levels of management?

A

Corporate / programme management or customer

Project Board (Directing)
Project Manager (Managing)
Team Manager (Delivering)
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39
Q

What are the corporate / programme mgt or customer responsible for?

A

Provide the project mandate
Appoint the project executives
Set project tolerances

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40
Q

What is the project board & their responsibilities?

A 
Make decisions r.e the project
Provide strategic direction
Report to the customer/organisation
3 key roles within the project board:
Executive (sponsor)
Senior user (represents users)
Senior Supplier (represents supplier/s)
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41
Q

What is the project manager & their responsibilities?

A

Managing the project on day-to-day basis

Ensure the project produces the required products

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42
Q

What is the team manager & their responsibilities?

A

Executes assigned work packages

Builds and delivers required products

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43
Q

With reference to the project board, what is the executive?

A

AKA the sponsor
Accountable for the project being a success
Represents the business
Owns the business case
Responsible for funding
Focus on business strategy and benefits realisation

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44
Q

With reference to the project board, what is senior user?

A

Represents those who use the products
Ensure user needs are specified and met
Ensure the user can realise the benefits
Concerned with quality and functionality

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45
Q

With reference to the project board, what is senior supplier?

A

Represents the internal/external suppliers providing skills or products required for the project.

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46
Q

What are the project board collectively responsible for / expected to do?

A

Monitor risks
Authority to commit and manage resources
Make decisions using the DP (directing project) process to guide the team.

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47
Q

When do the board meet?

A

At the end of each project stages to make decisions r.e progress and viability.
Apart from this, they meet by exception.
Rely on highlight reports from the PM

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48
Q

The project board need to be confident that?

A

The project manager is in control

Project is progressing as expected/reported

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49
Q

With relation to project assurance, what are the project boards responsibilities?

A

Executive:
Focus on risk and finance assurance

Senior User:
Ensures products meet user requirements.

Senior Supplier:
Ensures suppliers are following quality standards
Ensures product descriptions are correct

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50
Q

Can the project boards assurance responsibilities be delegated? If so, who can this role be delegated to?

A

Yes:
It can be delegated however, it cant be delegated to the PM, project team or team managers.
If delegated, highlight reports should be used to provide confidence to the project board.

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51
Q

What are the PMs main responsibilities?

A

Plan the project and the stages within it
Allocate work packages
Monitor progress using checkpoint reports
Take corrective action where required
Report progress using highlight reports
Prepare benefits management approach

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52
Q

What are the team managers main responsibilities?

A

Takes direction from PM
Agrees work packages with the PM
Reports progress via checkpoint reports

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53
Q

What are the project teams main responsibilities?

A

Managing registers and logs
Collating and analysing data
Updating the schedule and plans
May also include procurement, finance and configuration support.
Role may not be required and may be undertaken by PM

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54
Q

What is the change authority and what is their main responsibilities?

A

Decide whether change requests are implemented or not
Accept / Reject / Defer changes
Assess changes
Usually the project board is responsible however this may be delegated or there is a separate group of people responsible for change.

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55
Q

How may the project board roles be merged?

A

Executive:
Executive
Senior user
Assurance

Project Manager:
PM
Project Team
Team managers

Senior Supplier:
Project Assurance
Suppliers

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56
Q

What are the three primary stakeholder interests?

A

User
Business
Supplier

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57
Q

What is a stakeholder?

A

individual, group or organisaiton that can be effected by or effect or perceive to be effected by a project and its activities.

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58
Q

When are stakeholders identified and analysed?

A

Start Up (SU) and Intiation of the project (IP)

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59
Q

Whena are stakeholders engaged?

A

Throughout the project life cycle.

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60
Q

What does the communication management strategy define?

A

Defines means and frequency of communications.

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61
Q

What 3 things must the project do to be a Prince2 project relating to organisations & structures.

A

Define organisation structure and roles
Document rules for delegates and change authority
Define approach to engaging and communicating with stakeholders.

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62
Q

What are the two organisational products/documents required?

A

PID - project initiation document

Communications management approach

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63
Q

Which role makes sure the right people are involved?

A

Project assurance

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64
Q

How does Prince2 define the business case?

A

The BC establishes mechanism to judge whether the project is (and remains) viable, achieveable and desireable to support decision making in its investment.

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65
Q

When referring to the business case, what does desirable mean?

A

Examing cost beenfit balance
Benefits should outweigh costs and risks
Taking account of risks

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66
Q

When referring to the business case, what does viable mean?

A

Satisfied and confident that the products/scope required can actually be produced.

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67
Q

When referring to the business case, what does achieveable mean?

A

Satisfied that the products produced will achieve the expected benefits.

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68
Q

When is the business case produced / developed?

A 
During the pre project / intiation stages of the project life cycle
Done during the following processes:
SU = Starting Up the project
DP = Directing the Project
IP = Initiating the Project
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69
Q

Is the business case included in the project brief?

If so, what does this allow?

A

Yes

This allows the project board to have a clear understanding on the reasoning and business option to progress the project.

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70
Q

When is the business case refined after it has initially been accepted?

A

Initiation Stage / IP (Initiating Project)

Business case is refined using the information from the Proejct Plan which is then formed apart of the PID (project intiaition document)

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71
Q

At what other points in the project life cycle is the business case reviewed and updated? What is updated?

A

End stage assessments are done by the project board to ensure the Business Case remains viable

At the end of each project stage the business case is also updated to reflect the most accurate information r.e costs, schedule, risks etc.

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72
Q

What if the business case is invalid or becomes invalid during the project?

A

The project should be stopped

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73
Q

When are the business case f/c benefits reviewed?

A

These are reviewed apart of the benefits management approach where a comparison of actual benefits realised are made in comparison to what was outlined in the business case.

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74
Q

What are outputs?

A

Outputs are the product/deliverables of the project

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75
Q

What are outcomes?

A

The result of the change that the project outputs bring.

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76
Q

What are benefits?

A

The tangible or intangible measurement at which the project brings to the business.

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77
Q

When referring to the business case, what does desirable mean?

A

At an end stage assessments

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78
Q

List and explain the 9 contents within the business case?

A

Executive Summary - Provides a summary to senior management on the project

Reasons - Describes problem trying to solve or the new opportunity. Describes the current situation.

Options - Do nothing, Minimum, Maximum. Analysis and recommendation provided.

Benefits - Expected benefits to result from executing the project.

Disbenefits - Bad things that might happen as a result of the project

Timescales - Duration of project, how long it will take to realise benefits.

Cost - Total costs of running project, operational and maintenance costs. Funding arrangements

Investment Apprailsal - How VFM is achieved, financial appraisals of each option

Major Risks - Major risks impacting business case. High probability and impact, red risks.

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79
Q

What is the benefits management approach and when is it produced?

A

Produced in the IP process

Decribes how benefits will be benchmarked and measure benefits, analyse progress, document and f/c benefits.

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80
Q

What are the 4 aspects a projcet must follow to be a Prince2 project?

A

Create and maintain a business justification for the project, usually a business case

Review and update the business justification throughout the project

Define the management actions necessary to create the outcomes and realize the benefits and

Define and document the roles and responsibilities for the business case and benefits management approach.

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81
Q

In a customer/supplier environment, who has a busienss case?

A

Both the supplier and the customer.

Supplier - Justifies their involvement in the project
Customer - Justifies the reasoning and need for the project

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82
Q

Who owns the business case and which is most important?

A

Project Executive owns the customers business case which is the basis of the project and drives decision making.

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83
Q

What is the Prince2 definition of plans?

A

A document describing how, when and by who a specific or set of targets will be achieved.

Targets refer to the projects products, baselines, timescales, costs, quality and benefits.

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84
Q

What is the Prince2 purpose of plans?

A

The facilitation of communications and control by defining means of delivering products (who, what, when, where, why, how, how much).

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85
Q

What are the 4 levels of the project organisation/

A

Customer/Organisation
Project Board
Project Manager
Team Manager

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86
Q

What is the first plan to be produced on a project?

A

Initiation plan

Developed in the SU (starting up) process
Brief and high level
Shows key dates and brief activities

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87
Q

What plans do the project board require?

A

Project Plan and/or Programme plan if applicable.

This will outline key activities, critical path and milestones on the project.

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88
Q

What plans do the PM require?

A

Stage Plans (Delivery)

Provide more detail to allow the PM to manage the project day to day.
Timescales, resource requirements, costs, critical path etc.

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89
Q

What plans do the team managers require?

A

Team Plan

Provide further detail than the stage plans. Provide more detail r.e work packages etc.

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90
Q

What is the exception plan?

A

Something managed and requested by exception and requested by the project board if the project is exceeding initial plans and tolerances.

Project board requests, PM produces.

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91
Q

What is the Project Plan, when is it created and updated?

How does the project plan relate to schedules?

A

Provides an overview of the entire project
Produced in the initiation of the project (IP) process.
Part of the Project Plan is schedules and key decision points are identified in the plan. This is then used to define stage boundaries.
Updated at the end of stages

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92
Q

How does the business case relate to the plan?

A

Business case is updated to reflect costs and timescales as documented in the plans.

93
Q

Whats the difference between the project plan and the stage plan?

A

Project plan provides an overall plan across the project life cycle (Pre Project, Initiation, Delivery, Final Stage Delivery, Post - Project.

Stage plans focus on the Delivery stage primarily and provide plans for activities within this stage. Stage plans produced at the end of each stage whereas project plan is produced during the project initiation.

94
Q

What are stage plans for?

A

Used to monitor and control daily activities in the stage.. Developed in the managing a stage boundary process (MSB)

95
Q

What are team plans?

A

Produced by team manager.
Helps accept and manage work packages
Developed and produced in the Accepting Work Packages / Managing Product Delivery (MPD) processes.
Required on complex projects but optional.

96
Q

What are exception plans?

A

Requested by the project board when tolerances are exceeded on either the team or stage plans.

Outcomes of the exception plans may be that the project is terminated however, more likely the baselines and plans are just updated using the exception plan.. More information might be requested

Requires approval by project board through an exception assessment.

Once approved, this becomes the new baseline.

97
Q

What if the project plan requires an exception plan?

A

Same process as the exception plans used for stage and team plans however, the exception plan for the project plan will be escalated to the customer or organisation for approval.

98
Q

What are the 7 steps required in a prince2 plan (used for project, stage and team plans)

A
  1. Design Plan - What type of plan will be used, how much detail required, estimating techniques. Produced during initiation stage.
  2. Define & analyse products - PBS, prioritise, list products to be produced.
  3. Identify activities & dependencies - Create network diagram.
  4. Prepare Estimates - Duration & Cost
  5. Prepare Schedule - Resource requirements and usage
  6. Document Plan - Describe plan and produce formal baseline.
  7. Analyse Risks - Take into account of risks and continually assess throughout project.
99
Q

Why do we have different levels of Plan?

A

Reflect the needs of different levels of management involved at the project, stage and team levels.

100
Q

What plans do exception plans replace?

A

Project & Stage

Not team plans because they’re optional

101
Q

How does planning help provide the basis for project controlling and monitoring?

A

By providing a realistic and achievable plan

102
Q

What are the 6 management stages a project schedule will need to be split into?

A 
Pre Project
Initiation
Delivery
Final Delivery
Post Project
103
Q

Where does the project board need to make decisions?

A

After significant development or achievements
Before major investments or commitments

These are known as decision points and typically take place at the end of each stage within the lief cycle to provide a no/go decision.

104
Q

Why are stages beneficial in monitoring and controlling a project?

A

Provides control to the project board as the project cannot progress without their decision.

105
Q

What is the difficulty when determining stage boundaries?

A

Their relationship with the projects delivery steps.
Usually delivery steps and stage boundaries overlap so stage boundaries must be inserted part way through a delivery step.

Delivery steps are recommended to split into two or more parts.

106
Q

What are project delivery steps?

A 
Use of specialist skills during the project relating to:
Specification
Design
Build
Test
Commissioning

Delivery steps are recommended to split into two or more parts.
Best practise to control projects:
High risk projects - Establishing frequent and shorter management stages.
Low risk projects - Fewer and longer management stages

107
Q

What are the four Prince2 products that require maintenance?

A

The project product description

Product descriptions

A product breakdown structure

And a plan.

108
Q

A project plan must have the following in order to be classed as Prince2: (7)

A

Make sure the plans enable the business case to be realised

Have at least two stages, initiation and one further management stage

Have a project plan for the whole project and a stage plan for each stage

Use the product based planning technique

Produce plans for managing exceptions as needed

Define the roles and responsibilities for planning

And use any lessons from previous projects to inform planning.

109
Q

What is product based planning?

A

Process of being able to identify what products are needed, what the specs are and what work is required to produce these products.

110
Q

What are the 4 stages to product based planning?

A
  1. Project Product Description - Defines the project and its main components. Completed during the Stating Up a Project (SUP). Defines the scope.
  2. Product Breakdown Structure (PBS) - Hierarchical breakdown structure of all products the project will produce and how they relate to each other.
  3. Product Description - Defines each product and its requirements/features.
  4. Product Flow Diagram (PFD) - In what order products will be produced.
111
Q

What are grouping products?

A 
Categorising the products that will be produced to make it easier to identify further products. E.g when building a house, the grouping products might be:
Raw materials
Electrics
Plumbing
Units
Etc

Grouping products aren’t products, they act as headings to identify products.

112
Q

What is an external product?

A

Something that has already been produced which wasnt initially included within the scope of the plan.

Products produced that are external from the plan and scope.

113
Q

What is a PFD?

A

Product Flow Diagram

Shows the order in which products are created and the relationship between them

The last product on the PFD is the top product on the PBS.

Typically, the design comes first within the PFD.

114
Q

What is quality?

A

Degree to which a set of inherent characteristic, product, service, process, person, organisation, system or resource fulfils its requirements. Fit for purpose.

115
Q

What is the purpose of quality?

A

Define and implement the means by which the project will create and verify products that are fit for purpose.

116
Q

Should quality be measurable?

A

Yes – have to be able to quantify the quality of products. E.g a new office must be warm. A new office must be able to reach 37 degrees.

117
Q

What is acceptance criteria?

A

Whether the requirements and measurable quality statements have been met. If so, this meets the acceptance criteria and is fit for purpose.

118
Q

What is quality criteria?

A

An individual products characteristics and requirements that need to be met.

119
Q

What does prince2 quality approach ensure?

A

It ensures the products meet business expectations and enable the business benefits to be achieved

120
Q

Define quality management

A

The co-ordinated activities to direct and control an organisation with regard to quality.

121
Q

Whats the difference between Quality Control and Quality Assurance?

A

QC = Ensuring products are built to specification, requirements, standards and criteria as stated in the product description to meet their quality criteria. Walk through, inspections/measurement, test equipment, control charts.

122
Q

What is the role of project assurance with regards to quality?

A

To ensure the project is managed properly and that the appropriate checks are undertaken.

123
Q

What is quality planning and why is it important?

A

Quality planning involves defining the projects products, quality criteria, quality methods, effort required, product approval and quality responsibilities.

Ensures;Obtain approval from the project board on the overall approach to quality
Communicate these agreements to all stakeholders
Establish effective baseline for quality

124
Q

What are the 9 quality management approaches that require defining in order for the project to follow Prince2 practises?

A

Define approach to quality control

Define approach to quality assurance

How quality is communicated throughout the lifecycle

Define roles and responsibilities

Specify quality criteria for project products

Maintain Records

Specify customer quality expectations

Prioritise acceptance criteria

Use LFE to inform quality planning

125
Q

What are the two products that must be created and maintained in relation to quality management?

A

Quality management approach

Quality register

126
Q

When will the PM discuss the requirements with the executive and the senior user to establish the initial scope of the project? Where will these requirements be stored?

A

During the SU (starting up the project) process.

Requirements will be stored in the project product description (PPD)

127
Q

What is the PPD?

A

Project Product Description

Document that defines what the project must deliver to gain acceptance.

128
Q

Where is the quality management approach stored / what is it apart of?

A

PID - project initiation document

129
Q

Whats the purpose of the quality management approach?

A

Includes specific processes, procedures, techniques, standards and responsibilities which should be applied in the project.

Process adopted for quality control key responsibilities, defines the records to be kept and reports to be issued.

130
Q

What is the purpose of a product description?

A

To understand the nature of the product, its function, appearance, attributes and specifications.

Also defines who will use the product (end-user), skills required to build the product and the sources of information or supply for the product.

Defines the quality criteria that will be used to judge whether the product is fit for purpose.

Defines the quality criteria to assess whether the product is fit for purpose.

Defines the quality method (way in which the product will be tested).

Quality responsibilities (who the producer, reviewer, approver for the product is).

131
Q

What are the main aspects related to Quality (9)

A

Quality Control

Quality Assurance

Quality Criteria

Product Description

Quality Planning

Quality Tolerances

Quality Method

Quality Responsibilities

Quality Register

132
Q

What document is used to record when products will be tested during the build cycle / project life cycle?

A

The quality management approach will document this. For example, the strategy may state that we check our products at draft, interim and final stages of production.

133
Q

What are the two types of quality checking activities?

A

In process - regular checks conducted on quality throughout the build cycle

Appraisal – relates to the final test at the end of the build cycle

134
Q

What are the three main quality checks/reviews once a product has been built?

A

Review preparation – Someone tests the product

Review meeting – Discuss the results

Review follow-up – Problems are resolved, product is re-tested and signed off

135
Q

What are the four main roles associated with quality reviews?

A

Chair – the person who organises and oversees the process. Checks the product is ready during the review.

Reviewer – Person who checks the product against product descriptions. Annotate minor errors of spelling and grammar on the product hence why this technique is aimed at documentation.

Presenter – Represents the producer and presents the product for review. Distributes the product and its product description to the reviewers.

Administrator – Provides admin support to the chair and records the result and any actions.

*Approver – Responsible for providing final approval of the product. However, this is an optional role.

136
Q

What is the main purpose of a quality review?

A

List the problems and actions required rather than to solve the problems during the review.

137
Q

What are the outcomes / results of the quality review?

A

Complete – The product is fit for purpose.

Conditionally complete – A few minor problems to the product

Incomplete – Product requires a complete re-review due to the nature of the problems and their corrections.

138
Q

What is the Prince2 definition of risk?

A

An uncertain event or set of events that, should it occur, will have an effect on the achievement of objectives.

139
Q

What is the Prince2 definition of risk management?

A

Systematic application of principles, approaches and processes to the tasks of identifying and assessing risks, planning and implementing risk responses and communicating risk management activities with stakeholders

140
Q

What are the four activities required to ensure risk management is effective?

/ what is the risk management process?

A

Identify, capture and describe risks

Assess the probability and impact of each risk

Plan appropriate risk responses and assign these to people to action and own

Implement responses, monitor and control their effect.

141
Q

Why is communication important with regards to risk?

A

It’s a continuous process required to report the status or risks and LFE

Should form apart of all regular and exceptional communications

Ensures clarity, awareness and alignment

Helps expose opportunities

142
Q

What project process/stage is the risk register created?

A

IP (initiating project)

143
Q

How are risks assessed?

A

Probability x impact

PIG chart

144
Q

What is risk proximity?

A

The forecast on when the risk might occur (timescales)

145
Q

What are the approaches/responses to risks and opportunities?

A 
Opportunities:
Exploit
Enhance
Reject
Share
Contingency
Risks:
Avoid
Accept
Reduce
Transfer
Contingency
146
Q

What are the contingency plans?

A

A plan made in response to a specific risk if it occurs

147
Q

What is the project exposure to risk?

A

The amount of on-going risks that could occur

The overall impact of these risks if they occur

148
Q

What project documentation is used to report risks?

A 
Checkpoint report
Highlight report
End stage report
End project report
Lessons report
149
Q

What is risk appetite?

A

A company’s attitude towards risks and the amount fo risk an organisation is willing to take on.

150
Q

What is risk tolerance?

A

acceptable amount to deviate from the projects plans in terms of time and cost without having to escalate it to senior management.

151
Q

For a project to follow prince2, what must it do with regards to risk?

A

Define risk management approach
Maintain risk register
Follow risk management approach
Use LFE to inform the process

152
Q

What are the 2 documents required/outputted in risk management?

A

Risk management approach

Risk register

153
Q

What is the purpose of the project progress theme?

A

To establish mechanisms to monitor, control and compare actual achievements vs what was initially f/c.

Forecast project objectives, viability and control deviations.

154
Q

What are the 4 stages in the control loop?

A

Plan
Delegate work
Monitor progress
Controlling action

155
Q

Why is tolerance needed?

A

As plans are just estimates

Helps the project progress without escalation all the time

156
Q

What is tolerance cascade?

A

Defines who sets the levels of tolerance

Describes how deviations are escalated

157
Q

Where are tolerances established/documented?

A

Project brief
SU process
Reviewed in IP process

158
Q

What is the programme mgt / corporate / customers role with regards to tolerances?

A

They set the project tolerances

159
Q

What is the programme project boards role with regards to tolerances?

A

Discuss tolerance with the PM and its requirements. Help apply tolerances to stages

160
Q

What is the programme PMs role with regards to tolerances?

A

Work with stage tolerance and allocate tolerance to work packages

161
Q

What is an exception?

A

A f/c that there will be a deviation beyond the agreed tolerance levels

162
Q

If the following exceptions occurred, who would they be managed by?
Work packages
Project stages
Project

A 
W/P = managed by PM
Stage = Managed by PM and Project Board
Project = Managed by the customer
163
Q

Where are project tolerances recorded and documented?

A

Other tolerances: Project brief & project intiation document (PID)

Cost time & scope tolerances: Project plan at stage, team and project level.

Risks: Risk mgt approach

Quality: Project product description

164
Q

Who owns the project control?

A

The person who:
Receives the report
Makes decisions

165
Q

What does the project board control / do?

A

Auhtorises activities in the DP (directing project)

Gives project board control over changes

166
Q

What information do highlight reports provide?

A

Information needed to control corrective action

167
Q

What information do end-stage reports provide?

A

Information needed to authorise the next stage of the project

168
Q

What information do exception reports provide?

A

Help facilitate decision making by providing info on issues and exceptions.

169
Q

What are checkpoint reports and who provides the information?

A

Team manager provides the information as per the frequency stated in the work package.
Provides info r.e progress to the PM
Corrective action can be taken if needed

170
Q

What do highlight and checkpoint reports both have in common?

A

Time driven

Both report progress

171
Q

What information do log and LFE reports provide?

A

Info on risks
Issues registers
Quality registers

172
Q

What is the product status account?

A

Reports on config items

Status of products in various stages

173
Q

For a project to be prince2 it must:

A

Describe the approach to monitoring and controlling in PID

Have at least 2 management stages

Set tolerances to allow management by exception

Review business justification

Learn and apply lessons throughout

174
Q

What is the purpose of change?

A

To identify, assess and control any potential and approved changes to baselines.

175
Q

What is a baseline?

A

Starting point / agreed expectation on one core project constraint i.e cost, time, scope, quality etc.

A snapshot of a product at a particular point

176
Q

What is configuration management?

A

Managing interdependencies between products and individual components to ensure they work as expected and work as expected with other products.

177
Q

What are configuration items?

A

Products that have been identified that require controlling and baselining

178
Q

Where are configuration items recorded and what does this document provide?

A

Configuration item record

Describes the:
Status
Version
Variant

of a configuration item and any details of the important relationship between them.

179
Q

What is a product status report?

A

Required products can be specified by the identifier or part of the project in which they were developed. An update on their current status i.e revision etc

180
Q

What must a project do with regards to change to be a Prince2 project?

A

Define change control approach which covers the issue management process, roles and responsibilities.

Define how baselines are created and maintained

Maintain some form of issue register & ensure issues are managed

Use LFE to inform issue identification and management.

181
Q

What are the issues?

A

Relevant events that has happened which were not planned and require management action.

182
Q

What are the 3 categories of change?

A

Request for change:
Someone requests that the products do something different than previously designed/thought.

Off specification:
The product doesn’t meet the initial product specification
Project board can grant a concession if they accept the defect

Problem/Concern:
Covers all other aspects of change

183
Q

List and describe the 5 steps in the Prince2 change/issue management process.

A

1) Capture
Determine the issue / change type
Determine severity / priority
Log request in the register

2) Examine
Assess the impact on project objectives, business case, risks and baselines.
Seek advice from the project board or change authority
Explore the impact on other interrelated products.

3) Propose
Identify options
Evaluate options
Recommend options to change authority/project board
What is the impact of the proposed solutions?

4) Decide
Request advice
Escalate if required
Approve, reject or defer
Provide issue report which includes the change recommendation.

5)
Outcome communicated to relevant stakeholders
Plans and records are updated
Take corrective action as per request / solution

184
Q

What is the role of the change authority?

A

Decide the outcome of changes
Delegate responsibility if needed
Allocate and manage the change budget

185
Q

What’s the difference between formal and informal issues?

A

Informal:
If the issues are easy to resolve, the PM can resolve the issue and update the log.

Formal:
If the issue is serious (change request e.g) it will be dealt with formally.
An issue report is prepared and entered into the issue register.

186
Q

Which product provides a full and firm foundation for the initiation of the project?

A

Project brief

187
Q

What process is triggered by the Project Manager’s request to initiate a project?

A

Directing a Project (DP)

188
Q

Which product gains agreement from the user on the project’s scope and requirements

A

Project Product Description

189
Q

When is the lessons log created?

A

SU (Starting up a project)

190
Q

Which plan(s) is used by the Project Board as a baseline against which to monitor project progress stage by stage?

A

Project plan

191
Q

When is the review of the business justification for the project done?

A

Managing a stage boundary process (MSB)

192
Q

Which role in a Quality Review is responsible for producing a consolidated question list?

A

The chair

193
Q

Which is an objective of the quality review technique?

A

Involve key interested parties to promote wider acceptance of the product

194
Q

What is the difference between technical and management stages?

A

Management stages are sequential but technical stages can overlap

195
Q

Which document is created in outline in Starting up a Project and finalised in Initiating a Project?

A

Business case

196
Q

Which is the purpose of the Managing Product Delivery process?

A

Controls the link between the Project Manager and the Team Manager(s)

197
Q

Which product defines how and when a measurement of the achievement of the project’s benefits can be made?

A

Benefits review plan

198
Q

In which document are the acceptance criteria recorded?

A

Project product description

199
Q

How should a Team Manager escalate a suggestion for an improvement to a product?

A

Raise an issue

200
Q

What’s the difference between the SU and IP process?

A

SU = starting up a project. This process aims to ensure the project is viable and worthwhile to undertake.

IP = Initiating a project. Understands what the scope of work, sets the foundations for the project, identifies initial outputs and benefits, conducts the financial appraisal etc before the project gets the go ahead. A more in-depth analysis than SU

201
Q

What is the project mandate and when is it produced?

A

Brief, high-level document (depending on whether a feasibility study has been created)

Nominates the executive, briefly outlines the project.

Produced in the SU process/phase

202
Q

What is the project brief and when is it produced?

A

More indepth document than the project mandate. Provides info on what tools and techniques will be delivered, how the project will be managed, defines the project, provides further documentation.

Produced in the SU phase and replaces the project mandate once produced.

203
Q

What are the 5 different Prince2 recognised tools and techniques?

A

Records:
What info is required, the format of registers logs etc

Reporting:
Issue report, product status account format
Purpose of info, timing and recipients

Timing:
When something will be done and how often

Roles & Responsibilities:
Who, RACI, accountable person

Scales:
Priorities for change
Priorities for issues/risks

204
Q

When is the project scope captured and defined?

A

During the SU stage.

Designed to indicate user requirements, skills required to help establish the team

Scope may not be fully defined however

205
Q

When are the following produced and what are they:

Project product description
Outline business case

A

Project product description:
Defines outputs and products that the project will produce. This helps define the scope of work

Outline business case:
Feasibility of the project, strategic, commercial, management, financial, economic, financial appraisal etc.

Both produced during the SU phase / process

206
Q

What are ‘lessons’ and when are they used in the project?

A

AKA LFE
Used in the SU & IP phases to help plan the project based on historic data

Reported and discussed at the end of stages and when the project has been complete

Updated throughout the project however

207
Q

What is the project approach?

A

AKA options appraisal

Defines how the options stated in the business case will be delivered

208
Q

What is the first plan produced in a Prince2 project?

A

Initiation stage plan:

Varies depending on project complexity but should give an overview.

209
Q

What questions does the IP stage answer?

A 
Who
What
When
Where
Why
How
What if
How much
How good
210
Q

What are the four approaches of PM that the IP stage defines?

A

Risk (risk/issue register)
Quality (Quality plan / log)
Change (log / register)
Communications management

Ultimately defines how they will be managed

211
Q

When is the communications management approach finalised?

A

After the stakeholder analysis has been complete

From this, it allows the team to be refined from the initial SU process

212
Q

Once the approaches have been defined during IP, what plans can be made?

What do these plans help define?

A 
Gant chart
PBS
Flow diagram
Budget
Resources
Helps define:
Stages
Levels of control
Frequency of reports
Team meetings
213
Q

Who produces the benefits management approach and what is it?

A

PM is responsible to produce

Documents information relating to benefits realisation, measurement and timescales

214
Q

What is MSB and what is its main aim?

A

Managing Stage Boundary

Helps assemble PID
Helps plan the next stage in the project
Helps evaluate current stages

215
Q

What 3 documents / outputs are presented to the project board at the end of the IP stage?

A

Project INitiation Document
Benefits Management Approach
Stage Plan

216
Q

What are the main outputs from the SU and IP stages?

A

SU:
Project mandate
Which gets replaced by the project brief

IP:
PID
Benefits mgt approach

217
Q

What is the CS process and what are its three areas and what does it aim to do?

A

CS = Controlling Stage

Process managed by the PM
Used to assign work & WP
Monitor progress of Team managers
Deal with issues
Report progress to the project board
Take corrective action
Ensure stage remains within tolerance

Grouped into 3 areas:
Completing work
Monitoring & control
Dealing with issues

218
Q

What is the MPD process and what are its main aims?

A

MP = Managing Product delivery

Managed by the team manager
Agrees with the PM over what needs to be done
Execute work
Handover completed work
Process links the PM and team manager
219
Q

With regard to the CS process, what is the stage plan used for?

A

Used to plan and agree work packages between the PM and team managers

220
Q

The meeting between the PM and team manager during the CS process defines what?

A 
What needs done
Quality expectations
Time scales
Frequency of checkpoint reports
How to accept / document when work is done
221
Q

What is the process of developing/executing work packages once they’ve been agreed? (Team manager)

A

Produce team plan or allocate a work package to the teams

The team executes work package

Quality checks are undertaken as stated in the quality management approach and plan.

The quality register is updated and the product is baselined

Team manager provides checkpoint reports to the PM as stated in the WP

Team manager signs off the WP and hands over to the PM

PM accepts and reviews the quality register and configuration management system

222
Q

What does the PM do once they receive checkpoint reports?

A

Evaluate progress, take corrective action if needed.

Reviews and updates the plan, amends the schedule.

223
Q

When might corrective action be required by the PM and what will be the actions from this?

A

When issues exceed tolerances

Requires comms with team members and SMEs
Amendment to the plan
Escalation if needed

224
Q

What is the review management stage status?

A

When the PM assesses and evaluates the whole stage progress as well as WP.

225
Q

What report does the PM provide to the project board during stages?

A

Highlight report as agreed upon

226
Q

When are risks and issues assessed?

A

Captured and assessed during the CS process

227
Q

Where are the risks and issues recorded?

A

Risks - risk register

Issues - issue register

228
Q

What are the actions to take if an issue is in or outside of tolerance?

A

Within tolerance:
PM takes corrective action
Dealt with informally

Outside of tolerance:
Requires escalation and consultation to change authority/project board.

229
Q

What are exception situations and what do they require?

A

When issues happen by exception.

Requires an exception report to the project board

Prince2 (1 decks)

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