Pure PRINCE2 - Change theme

Question 1

What is a change?

Answer 1

A change is an unplanned event that requires management input.

Question 2

What is the purpose of the change theme

Answer 2

Purpose is to identify, assess and control any potential / approved deviations from the project baseline. It is not to avoid change as it is inevitable, but rather to control it.

Without effective change control, control over a project will be lost and is unlikely to meet stakeholder needs.

Question 3

What are the three types of change?

Answer 3

There are three types of potential change:

• Requested change - formal request to change an aspect of the project by the SH’s. Usually involve big parts of the project, such as the project scope or baseline
• Off-specification - a requirement of the product will not be delivered
• Problem / concern - any other potential change that needs to be escalated

Question 4

Within the Change theme, what are the four things a PRINCE2 project must do?

Answer 4

1. Define how project baselines are created and monitored
2. Define it’s Change Control Approach (ChMA) and implement it throughout the project
3. Maintain an issue register
4. Use previous lessons to inform ChM and capture lessons throughout the project

Question 5

What is a Change Management Approach (ChMA)

Answer 5

Processes, tools, and responsibilities to identify, control and monitor potential and approved changes to a project.

Question 6

What are the four steps of Change Management?

Answer 6

1. Capture - the PM records he change in the daily log (informal) or the issue register (formal)
2. Assess - effect of the potential change on project baselines. timelines and costs is assessed
3. Propose - develop multiple potential solutions to issue and analyse their effect on the project
4. Decide - If within tolerances, PM decides on how to proceed, otherwise they escalate to the PB via an Exception Report

Question 7

What are the Issue Register and Daily Log?

Answer 7

Both are management products used to record information on and track potential and realised issues.

Formal issues should then have an issue report and are captured in the Issue Register.

Informal issues are captured in the Daily Log.

Both are maintained by the PM

Question 8

What is an issue?

Answer 8

An event that was not planned and requires management input.

Question 9

What is an Issue Report?

Answer 9

Created when a formal issue appears. It’s a management product that stores information on issues that need to be handled formally by the PM.

Issue reports are also passed onto the PB so they are aware.

It contains issue description and information, impact assessment, and mitigation recommendations.

Question 10

What is an Exception Report?

Answer 10

Used to escalate a potential or realised issue that exceeds the tolerances to the PB.

Question 11

What is the Change Budget?

Answer 11

Optional sum of money that is set aside by the customer and supplier before the start of the project to finance Change Reponses and the ChMA activities.

It is controlled by the Change Authority.

Having this lessens the effect of expected change, and gives a more accurate project cost and timeline.

Question 12

What are the key responsibilities of the Change Theme

Answer 12

• PB - determines ChMA, makes decisions on escalated issues and controls the change budget
• PM - manages issues that fall within tolerances and the ChMA procedures
• PA - implements corrective action for issues that fall within the tolerances set by the PM
• TM - supports project progress against tolerances