PRINCE2 Flashcards
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What is different about Agile to PRINCE 2
Agile can be used for projects and Business as usual
What are a projects characteristics?
Temporary
Team is created
Difficult
A degree of uncertainty
What are the BAU characteristics?
Ongoing
Stable team
Routine
A degree of certainty
What does BAU look like?
BAU is repeatable routine tasks that can be carried out with the appropriate technical skills without needing to be managed by a Project Manager. An example would be the modifications or enhancements of an existing product and the timescales are relatively short.
What does a project look like?
A project is a temporary situation where a team is assembled to address a specific problem, opportunity or change that is sufficiently difficult that cannot be handled as BAU
Who are projects managed by?
Project manager
What are a few challenges a project faces in its lifecycle?
Team based in different locations
Team personnel may change
may last a long time
it may be part of a wider programme of work
How can a project be agile?
An agile project is responsive, incremental, flexible and responds to the environment.
Define a timebox
A finite period of time when work is carried out to achieve a goal or meet an objective.
What is a low level timebox?
A low level time box lasts days or weeks (e.g. a sprint)
What is a high level timebox?
A high level time box acts as an aggregated timebox and contain low level timeboxes (e.g. stages)
The list of work in a BAU environment is known as what?
Timebox
what is the strength of PRINCE 2 framework?
It provides project direction and management
What is the weakness of PRINCE 2?
It provides little focus on product delivery.
BAU is…
routine ongoing work and does not need a project manager.
Is a scrum effective in PRINCE 2 or BAU?
BAU
What are the four integrated elements of PRINCE 2?
Principles
Themes
Processes
Project environment
Principles?
the guiding obligations and good practices which determine whether the project is genuinely being managed using PRINCE 2?
Themes?
Describe aspects of project management that must be addressed continually and in parallel throughout the project
Processes?
Describe a progression through the project lifecycle, from getting started to project closure
Project environment
tailoring PRINCE 2 to create a project management method for a specific organisation
Key principles of PRINCE 2?
- Continued business justification
- learn from experience
- defined roles and responsibilities
- manage by stages
- manage by exception
- focus on products
- tailor to suit the project environment
Benefits of PRINCE 2?
Best practice and governance
Tailored to meet specific needs and scaled to the size and complexity
ease of use
stakeholders are properly represented
promotes continual improvement
PRINCE 2 definition of a project?
A temporary organisation that is created for the purpose of delivering one or more business products according to an agreed business case
5 characteristics for project work
Triggered by a project mandate?
Starting up a project
Used by project manager to authorise work packages?
Controlling a stage
team managers and team members work in the process
managing product delivery
Here we plan post project benefit reviews?
Closing a project
prepare the project initiation documentation?
initiating the project
used by the project board to make decisions?
directing a project
after the initiation stages the business case is updated with the latest information?
managing a stage boundary
Develop the project brief?
Starting up a project
The project manager plans the detail of the next management stage?
managing a stage boundary
The team manager reports progress via checkpoint report?
managing a product delivery
Covers the project boards activities?
directing a project
The projects performance is assessed against its original plan?
Closing a project
the project manager checks the work is going according to plan?
controlling a stage
Used in the first stage?
initiating a project
Which management product must be updated to allow the Project Board to assess the ongoing viability of the project?
Business case
Who assigns work to be done to the Team Manager?
Project manager
In which process are the activities necessary to make sure the project is worthwhile and viable undertaken?
Starting up a project
In which process is a robust business case developed?
Initiating a project
What is the output of the initiation stage?
Project initiation document
In which stage do the Project Board check that the recipients of the products are able to own them and use them on an ongoing basis?
Final stage
Which regular report does the Team Manager send to the Project Manager to keep him/her informed of progress during the execution of a work package?
Checkpoint report
What name is given to a piece of work undertaken by a Team Manager and his/her team?
Work package
Which process does the Project Manager use to monitor and control the day to day work of the project?
Controlling a stage
Which regular report does the Project Manager send to the Project Board to keep them informed of progress during a stage?
Highlight report
In which process are the activities necessary to decommission a project planned?
Managing a stage boundary
Which process is used exclusively by the Project Board?
Directing a project
What is the idea or need that triggers a PRINCE2 project called?
Project mandate
Which management product sign-posts the benefits reviews?
Benefits management approach
Which process is used during the initiation stage to plan the next management stage in detail?
Managing a stage boundary
When are benefits normally realized?
After the project has closed
Who decides whether to initiate the project and states the level of authority to be delegated to the Project Manager for the initiation stage?
Project board
In which process does the Project Manager prepare the information necessary to enable the Project Board to assess the continuing viability of the project?
Managing a stage boundary
Why is the initial version of the project initiation documentation preserved?
So it can be used as an input to later performance reviews
What is the output of starting up a project?
Project brief
Continued business justification
Any project should be driven and underpinned by a viable business case
What is a business case?
The reason for the project and the justification for its undertaking
What should a business case state?
Benefits
costs
risks
timescales
When is the business case developed?
At the start of a project, and reviewed throughout the life of the project
Business case reviewed by?
Project board at end stage assessments and exception assessments
what does the business case provide for project board?
desirable
viable
achievable
Who realised benefits?
Senior user
What do project outputs enable?
Business changes
What do business changes create?
Desired outcomes
Desired outcomes are measured in?
Benefits
What the side effects and consequences of an outcome?
Disbenefit
What are the Executives responsible for?
Executives are responsible for the VFM and aligned to objectives
What are the minimum requirements for a PRINCE 2 project?
Create and maintain business justification using business case
Review and update the justification in response to decision and events that impact desirability, viability and achievability
Define the management actions to ensure the outcomes are achieved and the benefits realised
define and document the roles and responsibilities for the business case and benefits management
What does develop mean in terms of business case?
getting the right information
What does verify mean in terms of a business case?
assessing whether the project is worthwhile
What does maintain mean in terms of business case
updating the business case with the latest information about costs and benefits
What does confirm mean in terms of business case?
assessing whether the intended benefits have/will be realised
Purpose of the business case?
document the business justification for the project based on estimated cost, implementation and ongoing operation and maintenance
When is a business case developed?
Starting up a project
When is a business case refined?
Initiating a project
When is the business case approved by the Project board?
Directing a project (DIP)
When are the business cases issues and risks assessed?
Controlling a stage (CS)
When are business cases reviewed and updated?
managing a stage boundary
Business cases are reviewed at the end of the project known as
Closing a project
Define the benefits management approach?
the actions and benefits reviews that are required to ensure that the outcomes and benefits are achieved
When is the benefits management approach prepared
initiating a project
If the project is apart of a bigger programme, how are benefits captured?
programme benefits realisation plan
After the project, the benefits are maintained by..
corporate or programme management
Definition of achievable?
whether using the products is likely to result in the envisaged outcomes and resulting benefits
business case sections: Executive summary?
Key points
benefits
return on investment
Business case sections: reasons
reasons for the project (problem to be solved)
Enable of corporate strategies and achievements
Business case sections: Business options
analysis and reasoned recommendations: do nothing, do minimum, do something
Business case sections: expected benefits
benefits to accrue from project are identified and described and tolerances should be said for each benefit.
requirement for benefit realisation
Business case sections: expected disbenefits
outcomes perceived to be negative to stakeholders
Business case sections: Timescales
actual project duration
feeds into prep for project plan, stage plan and benefits
Business case sections: costs
summary of project costs, include ongoing cost of operations, maintenance
Business case sections: investment appraisal
compares aggregated benefits and disbenefits with costs of project and ongoing operation/maintenance costs. Techniques to develop IA, return on investment, net present value, sensitivity analysis (not PRINCE 2)
Business case sections: major risks
view of aggregated risk and summary risk profile
Responsibility of the executive?
project objectives, costs and benefits are aligned to business strategy or programme objectives.
What does the project mandate contain?
basic elements of the business case, sketchy and incomplete
In the starting up a project stage, what is a project mandate used for?
information required to develop the outline of the business case and send to project board for approval.
In what stage do the project board approve the business case?
Directing a project
Where is the detailed business case fully developed?
Initiating a project
What is the Project initiation documentation derived from?
Outline business case, project plan, and risk register
when the business case is reviewed by the project manager, what is it called?
impact assessment
How regularly is the business case reviewed by project manager?
At the end of each stage
What is the benefits review?
determine whether the project outcomes have successfully realised the expected benefits
What is the purpose of the organisation theme?
define and establish the project structure of accountability and responsibility. D
What is the organisation theme directly linked to?
Defined roles and responsibilities principle, and define roles which relate to the projects interest being the business, user and supplier.
What are the three main stakeholder groups?
Business, users, suppliers
What is a stakeholder?
Any individual, group or organisation that can affect or be affected, or perceive itself to be affected by an initiative
Key information on Business
projects products should be meet business needs that justifies the investment and project should represent value for money. This is known as business interest and represented by Executive
key information on user
represents stakeholder from user community. This group define requirements and use outputs to create outcomes and benefits
key information on supplier
provides the skills and build products. Suppliers need to understand standards, and can be internal or external to the organisation
What are the four basic levels of management in projects?
Corporate/programme management, directing, managing, delivering
What does the corporate/programme management do?
Commissions the project, identifies the executive and defines project tolerances
What does the directing do?
activities of the project board where major decisions on the future of the project are made
what does the managing do?
activities of the project manager, produce the right products at the right time, on budget and to a required standard.
What does the delivering entail?
work is undertaken to build or develop project products.
What is the project board?
overall authority for the project and responsible for initiation, direction, review and eventual closure.
Who do the project board report to?
Board of directors
What are a board of directors known as?
Corporate/programme management or the customer
what is handed down from the board of directors to the project board?
project mandate
What are the three roles of a project board?
senior user, senior supplier and executive
If a project is big or small, what will change in terms of representation at the project board level?
multiple members of a senior supplier, or combine roles of user and executive
Role of the executive
ultimately responsible for the entire project and supported by other two roles. The exec owns the business case and brings value, and chairs project board meeting.
Who appoints the exec
Programme director
what is the senior user role?
represents the interest of individuals who will use or be affected by project and products, specification of user needs and commitment of user resources. Tends to be multiple senior users to represent all user interests.
what is an important aspect of the senior user role?
identification and realisation of benefits, and this role will continue to operational environment and beyond lifetime of project
what is the senior supplier role?
represent the interests of those designing, developing, facilitating, procuring and implementing the project products. Tend to be external.
What is the group responsible for creating outcomes on the project board?
senior user
At which level of management are products produced?
Delivery
Project manager responsibilities?
plan and oversee all the day to day work and ensure project is producing the right products, at the right time, to the right quality and within cost.
If there is a lot of work on the project, what might a project manager do?
appoint team managers
overall tasks for the project manager?
Planning the project
staff motivation and leadership
liaise with programme management over related projects
define responsibilities for specialists
report progress to project board
responsibility of the team manager?
manage the creation and delivery of specialist work packages and products
The issues from the team managers are shared with?
project manager
team managers provide the project manager with
checkpoint reports and meetings
from checkpoint meetings and reports, what does the project manager create?
A highlight report for the project board
who is responsible for administrative tasks?
Project support
what does the project support role enable?
allows project managers to focus on the management of project instead of getting caught up.
main tasks of project support
setting up and maintaining documentation and filing, updating plans, and assessing impacts of changes, defining and maintaining project management standards, configuration management and change control, minutes and compiling reports.
what is the means of assessing projects performance products?
quality assurance
what are the three types of quality assurance in project board?
business assurance
user assurance
supplier assurance
who cannot be responsible for quality assurance
project management
who are the change authority?
group responsible for changes in requirements or scope of project, typically with project board but can be delegated to another body.
minimum requirements for PRINCE 2 (organisation)
define organisation structure and roles making sure each role are represented
document the rules for delegating the responsibilities of change authority
define the approach for communicating and engaging with stakeholders
what two documents are produced to support organisation theme?
the project initiation documentation which sets the team structure
communication management approach means and frequency of communications
what is the communication management approach
means and frequency of communications, facilitates engagement with stakeholders (who, when, what)
what can the project board delegate to others?
quality assurance
without a plan..
there is no control
planning provides information on…
what products need to be delivered
the risks - opportunities and threats
issues with definitions of scope
which people, equipment and resources are needed
are targets achievable
what questions does a PRINCE 2 plan aim to accomplish
what has to be produced
what has to be done to produce it
what has to be done to be produced correctly
when will it be produced
how progress will monitored
what has to be done to control risks
why is planning for a 12 month period silly?
usually not possible to plan all the detail and will be out of date in only a few weeks. Typically known as manage by stages.
What are the three stages of a plan?
project plan
stage plan
team plan
what are the key components of a project plan?
provides high level view, key milestones, resource requirements and overall costs and time estimates
project plan definition
A high level plan showing the major products of the project, when they will be delivered and at what cost. An initial project plan is presented as part of the project initiation documentation or PID. This is revised as information on actual progress appears. it is a major control document for the Project Board to measure actual progress against expectations.
what PRINCE Principle focuses on planning
manage by stages
what is the detailed plan for each quarter/stage called?
stage plan
what is the stage plan?
A detailed plan used as a basis for project management control throughput a management stage
What is a team plan?
covers the work of the team during the stage - team plans are optional in PRINCE2
Why is having the right number/length management stages in a project is useful?
control for project manager, key controls for PB to continue or not
what 2 stages must a PRINCE 2 project include?
initiation stage (thinking), rest of the project (doing)
when we define stages, we must balance…
how far ahead is it sensible to plan, where the key decision points are needed, the amount of risk in a project, too few long stages or too many short ones, how confident the Project Board and the project manager are in proceeding.
what delivery stages would we align to management stages?
design, build and test
what is the key difference between management stages and delivery stages
management is sequential, delivery can overlap
If the delivery stage crosses the management stage boundary, what must be completed?
products descriptions concern
why is the delivery stages dissected into smaller chunks?
to be clear and align to the management stages
what are the seven planning steps?
designing a plan, defining and analysing the products, identifying activities and dependencies, preparing estimates, preparing a schedule, analysing risks, document the plan