Understanding Basic Concepts Of Prince2

Question 1

What happens once a project has finished and the final product has been finalised?

Answer 1

It goes into BAU - Business as Usual

Question 2

What is Prince2 Agile?

Answer 2

• Configuration and adaption of Prince2, si Agile is most effective when combining Agile:
- Behaviours
- Concepts
- Frameworks
- Techniques

Question 3

What type of work is Prince 2 or Prince2 Agile suitable for?

Answer 3

• For projects only
• Not for BAU

(agile can be used for both)

Question 4

List the characteristics of Project Work?

Answer 4

• Temporary
• A specific team is created
• Element of difficulty
• Degree of uncertainty

Question 5

List the characteristics of BAU work?

Answer 5

• Ongoing work
• Stable/same team
• Routine understood tasks
• A deflgree of certainty

Question 6

Summarise Business as Usual work.

Answer 6

• Repeatable routine tasks by trained people
• No need for PM
• Work on existing products
• Relatively short timescales
• Long list of tasks arriving regularly throughout product lifespan
• An established team

Question 7

Summarise Project work.

Answer 7

• Temporary situation
• Team assembled
• Address specific problems, opportunities, or a difficult change
• Could be a collection of BAU items to be handled collectively
• May need to engage many stakeholders
• Team maybe remotely scattered
• Needs a PM
• Has defined stages prior to delivery
• Layer of PM & Product Direction
• Team disbands after completion
• Finalised product goes into BAU

Question 8

Define a timebox.

Answer 8

• Finite period of time where work is carried out to complete an objective
• Deadline cannot be moved (only prioritisation allowed)
• Low level TB: Sprints
• High level TB: Stage (Collection of low l TBs)

Question 9

What comprises the whole Prince2 framework?

Answer 9

• 7 Principles
• 7 Themes
• 7 Processes

Question 10

What are the 3 overall stages throughout the Prince2 project lifecycle?

Answer 10

• Pre-project Stage
• Initiation Stage
• Management Stages (Project Delivery Stages)

Question 11

What are the 7 Prince2 Processes?

Answer 11

• Starting Up a Project (SU)
• Directing a Project (DP)
• Initiating a Project (IP)
• Stage Boundary (SB)
• Controlling a Stage (CS)
• Managing Product Delivery (MPD)
• Closing a Project (CP)

Question 12

In Prince2 what is involved in the “Starting Up a Project” stage?

Answer 12

• Executive & PM involvement
• Is the project achievable?
• Creating a Project Brief
• Allows PB to make a decision to go ahead or require further investment.

Question 13

In Prince2 how does the project move from starting up a project stage to Initiating a Project Stage ?

Answer 13

• Project Brief submitted to the PB via a STAGE BOUNDARY
(aka Managing a Stage Boundary, turnstile, milestone, go no)
• Also to include Stage Plan for next stage
• Once submitted to PB, the PB deliberates whether to go ahead

Question 14

Who are 3 Prince2 Project Stakeholders?

Answer 14

• Business Executive (Business Interests)
• Senior User (User Interests)
• Senior Supplier (Creator Interests)

Question 15

In Prince2 what is involved in “Initating a Project?

Answer 15

• Planning the project
• A high level plan (No. Of Stages/Project Plan)
• Creation of Product Initation Documents (PID)

Question 16

In Prince2 what is the purpose of Product Initiation Documentation?

Answer 16

• Define the project
• Define rules (Approach, Risk, Quality, Communication, Benefits)
• Also include a Next Stage Plan by the PM
• In summary gives direction and scope & forms a contract between PM & PB
• Needs updating after each MS

Uses:
1. Ensure a sound basis prior to PB commitment
2. Act as a base document for PB/PM to assess progress, issues and on-going viability
3. A reference for the project for people joining the project

Question 17

In Prince2 what is the composition of the “Product Initiation Documentation”?

Answer 17

• PROJECT DEFINITION (Achieve: background, obj & outcomes l, scope & exclusions, constraints/assumptions, user/interested parties, interfaces)
• PROJECT APPROACH (Choice of solution & delivery approach)
• BUSINESS CASE (Justification based on costs/risks/benefits)
• PROJECT MANAGEMENT TEAM STRUCTURE (Who involved)
• ROLE DESCRIPTIONS
• QUALITY MANAGEMENT APPROACH
• CHANGE CONTROL APPROACH
• RISK MANAGEMENT APPROACH
• COMMUNICATION MANAGEMENT APPROACH
• PROJECT PLAN (how obj achieved, provide a baseline for progress via each MS)
• PROJECT CONTROLS (MS, tolerances, monitoring & reporting)
• TAILORING OF PRINCE2

Question 18

In Prince2 how does the project go from “Initiating a Project” to the “Controlling a Stage”?

Answer 18

• Creation of next stage plan
• Submission of Stage Boundary to the board
- Review of current stage
- Next Stage Plan
• PB to deliberate

Question 19

In Prince2 what is “Controlling a Stage”?

Answer 19

• Next Stage on from IP
• PM To oversee the work done by the teams
• Keep PB informed of progress
- Highlight Report

Question 20

How does a PM update the PB on “Controlling a Stage” management stages?

Answer 20

• Via a Highlight Report

Question 21

What does a Team Manager do?

Answer 21

• Manage the product delivery team through multiple work packages.
• Ensuring work package completion
• Updating PM on progress
- via checkpoint report

Question 22

When are Work Packages created?

Answer 22

• During the Initiating a Project Stage
• Discussion between the PM and TM

Question 23

In Prince2 how are the Product Delivery stages (Controlling a Stage) moved forward to the next ones?

Answer 23

• Towards end, PM submits a Stage Boundary to PB
- Current stage review (End Stage Assessment)
- Next Stage Plan
• Deliverated by PB to approve

Question 24

In Prince2 summarise the ending of a Project

Answer 24

• Towards the end of last Delivery stage, PM checks off last WPs
• Once finished it’s closed
• PPD has been given to customer
• The PB closes the project!
• PB closes and workers go back to BAU
• Post Project Assessment

Question 25

What are the 6 Prince2 Tolerances?

Answer 25

• Cost
• Time
• Quality
• Scope
• Benefits
• Risk

Question 26

What does the Team Manager have to raise to the PM for Work Package Tolerance change?

Answer 26

• Issue report

(PM cannot authorise outside stage tolerance)

Question 27

What does the PM raise to the PB for tolerance changes outside stage level tolerance?

Answer 27

• Exception

Question 28

What does the PB need to check when receiving an “Exeption” from the PM?

Answer 28

Continued Business Justification

Question 29

Where do the three levels of tolerance sit within the Prince2 “Processes”?

Answer 29

Project Level Tolerance [Directing a Project]

Stage Level Tolerance [Controlling a Stage]

Work Package Tolerance [Managing Product Delivery]

Question 30

What does the PB need to check at the end of each stage/ Stage Boundary within a Prince2 project?

Answer 30

Continued Business Justification

Question 31

What is the role called who is ultimately responsible for representing the high-level customer view?

Answer 31

• Super Product Owner
• Senior Product Owner
• Product Manager

Question 32

What are the main differences between Customer Representatives and Customer Subject Matter Experts?

Answer 32

• A Customer Representative’s involvement is significantly less than a CSME, not part of a one particular team and may want to contribute both at high-level and detailed-level.
• A CSME is assigned to a particular team, more involvement than CR. Can be part-time or full-time

Question 33

In terms of availability, what is the main difference between CSME & SSME?

Answer 33

SSMEs tend to be only full-time, unlike CSMEs