Progress Flashcards
What is the purpose of the Progress theme?
To establish mechanisms for monitoring and controlling actual achievements against those planned;
To provide a forecast for project objectives and the project’s continued viability;
Control any unacceptable deviations.
What is tolerance?
Tolerance is the acceptable deviation above or below target time and cost without escalation to the next management level.
Tolerance can also be set for risk, benefit, quality, and scope.
Why is tolerance required?
Tolerance is important because plans are made based on estimates, and it is expected that realisation of plans will not necessarily match the estimated performance targets.
When is tolerance set?
Tolerance is established in the SU - Starting Up a Project stage, and included in the project brief.
Tolerance is reviewed during IP - Initiating a Project
What is the tolerance cascade?
This refers to who is responsible for tolerance and when.
The corporate/programme board or customer sets the project tolerance for the project board.
The project board discusses tolerance requirements for each stage with the project manager.
The project manager allocates stage tolerance to work packages as required.
What is an exception?
An exception is a situation in where it can be forecast that there will be a deviation beyond the agreed upon tolerance levels.
Project exceptions must be raised with the corporate board or customer by the executive for a decision to be made.
Where are tolerances recorded?
Project quality -> Project product description
Other project tolerances -> Project brief (definitions) -> Project initiation documentation (project controls)
Time/Cost/Scope -> Project plan
Project level risk -> Risk management approach
Quality -> product descriptions
Who owns a project control?
The person who receives the report or makes the decision owns the control.
What are project board controls?
- Authorisation decisions during DP - Directing a Project
- Highlight reports provide the information for controlling corrective actions
- End stage reports provide information for authorising the next stage of a project
- Exception and issue reports facilitate the decision making process
What are project manager controls?
- Authorising work packages
- Checkpoint reports provide information for corrective actions
- Daily log and lessons log provide information on risks, issues, and quality
- Product Status Account provides an up-to-date snapshot of the status of configuration items
What are some time driven or event driven controls?
Time driven controls are ones that are received at defined times, as opposed to event driven controls, which are prompted by specific events.
Examples are highlight and checkpoint reports.
Event driven controls might include end-stage reports or exception reports.
What are the minimum requirements of the PRINCE2 Progress theme?
- Describe the approach to monitoring and controlling progress in the Project Initiation Documentation
- Must have at least two stages (initiation and one management stage)
- Tolerance must be set to enable Management by Exception
- The business justification must be reviewed when exceptions arise
- Lessons must be learned and applied throughout the project
