p2 user guide

8/8/2019 P2 User Guide

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Key Skills

Prince 2

Foundation

(Version 4.0)

User Guide


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Printed and Published by

Key Skills LimitedCharles HouseBarony ParkNantwichCheshire

CW5 6PQ

The Company has endeavoured to ensure that the information contained within thisUser Guide is correct at the time of its release.

The information given here must not be taken as forming part of or establishing anycontractual or other commitment by Key Skills Limited and no warranty orrepresentation concerning the information is given.

All rights reserved. This publication, in part or whole, may not be reproduced, storedin a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic,electrostatic, magnetic disc or tape, optical disc, photocopying, recording orotherwise without the express written permission of the publishers, Key SkillsLimited.

Key Skills Limited 1999


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Contents

Page

Foreward 4

Section 1 5Hardware / Software Pre-requisites

Section 2 5Installation Procedure

Section 3 6Operating the software

3.1 Sign-on Procedure 6

3.2 The User Interface 6

Section 4 8Course Notes

4.1 An Introduction to Prince 2 8

4.2 Prince 2 Processes 11

4.3 Prince 2 Components 15

4.3.1 Organisation 15

4.3.2 Planning & Control 17

4.3.3 Other Components 22

4.4 Prince 2 Techniques 27

Appendix 30

Glossary 30

Processes/Components Matrix 40


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Foreward

This interactive overview of the Prince 2 Project Management Method is the productof a joint venture development between Key Skills Limited and SPOCE Project

Management Limited.SPOCE were one of the first training organisations to be accredited for Prince 2training and have provided the subject matter content of this Foundation course.

Key Skills Limited are a leading developer and distributor of multi-media trainingproducts who specialise in the area of project and programme management.

Prince 2 Foundation uses the very latest multi-media educational techniques toprovide a learning environment which is stimulating, easy-to-use and stress-free.

The aim of this course is to take students with little or no knowledge of Prince 2 to

the level where they could take the Foundation (Part 1) examinations with a highdegree of confidence in achieving a pass. The examination within the coursepackage uses previous examination questions which are accessed at random toprovide an accurate simulation of the real thing.

An important complement to the training course is the unique on-line electroniccopy of the full Prince 2 manual. This can be run in parallel with the course toprovide a complete source of reference to facilitate your understanding of the wholemethod.

We hope you enjoy the course and that you find it a useful starting point in yourPrince 2 training programme.


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Section 1 Hardware / Software Pre-requisites

For optimum performance, you should operate this multi-media course on acomputer with the following minimum specification:

IBM/PC Pentium 100 Processor with 16 mb RAM

8x CD-ROM drive

Sound-card & speakers

SVGA Monitor

NoteThe course uses 800x600 resolution

Mouse/Pointing device

A Windows (95/98 or NT) environment is also needed.

The electronic Prince 2 manual which is contained on the CD-ROM provided withPrince 2 Overview is in Adobe Acrobat format, and an Acrobat Viewer is embeddedwithin the courseware.

Section 2 Installation Procedure

The courseware is run directly from the CD-ROM and the only function of theinstallation program is to copy the run-time files to your hard disk drive and to set upthe Programme Group/Folder and Items.

To set up the software simply run the INSTALL.EXE programme which is located inthe root directory of the CD-ROM and follow the on-screen instructions.


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Section 3 Operating the software

The course is invoked by clicking on the icon in the Program Group Window.

3.1 Sign-On Procedure

Once you have passed the title screen and copyright notices you will be asked toidentify yourself to the system.

Simply enter your name at this point, taking care that you always use the samename so that the system can maintain your own individual bookmark.

3.2 The User Interface

Once sign on is completed you will be presented with the main menu which lookslike this:


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Section 3

3.2 The User Interface

Each lesson is represented by one of the boxes on the menu screen, for example:

Each of these lesson boxes is divided into two distinct areas. If you click on theupper two-thirds of each box then you will be taken to the start of the correspondinglesson.

The lower one-third of each box is the book mark area and a red bar will appear inthis area to show whether you have part or fully completed the correspondinglesson. By clicking in the book mark area you will be taken to your last point ofstudy within the corresponding lesson.

NoteThe bookmarking system is switched off as soon as you move around the courseusing either the Index or the Contents buttons at the bottom of each page.

Throughout the course, the main user controls are located at the bottom of thescreen, and their functions are as shown below:

NoteIt is also possible to move backwards and forwards through each lesson using thePage-Up and Page-Down key on your computers keyboard.

Newcomers to the course will gain most benefit from starting at the beginning of thefirst lesson and working their way through, sequentially, to the end. However, thepackage is also a valuable source of reference and it is possible to re-visit specificlessons, or parts of a lesson, at any time. The Contents and Index facilities areparticularly useful for browsing in this way.

Start at First Page

Go to Book Mark

ClockCourse

Contents

Course Index Glossary

Frequently AskedQuestions

Progress Meter

PreviousPage

EXIT

NextPage

Prince 2 Online Manual


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Section 4 Course Notes

4.1 An Introduction to Prince 2

PRINCE was established in 1989 by CCTA (the Central Computer andTelecommunications Agency). The method was originally based on PROMPT, a

project management method created by Simpact Systems Ltd in 1975. PROMPTwas adopted by CCTA in 1979 as the standard to be used for all Governmentinformation system projects. When PRINCE was launched in 1989, it effectivelysuperseded PROMPT within Government projects. PRINCE remains in the publicdomain and copyright is retained by the Crown. PRINCE is a registered trademarkof CCTA.

Why use a project management method?

Project failures are all too common some make the headlines, the vast majority

are quickly forgotten. The reasons for failure are wide and varied. Some commoncauses are:

lack of co-ordination of resources and activities

lack of communication with interested parties, leading to products beingdelivered which are not what the Customer wanted

poor estimation of duration and costs, leading to projects taking more time andcosting more money than expected

insufficient measurables

inadequate planning of resources, activities, and scheduling

lack of control over progress so that projects do not reveal their exact statusuntil too late

lack of quality control, resulting in the delivery of products that areunacceptable or unusable.

Without a project management method, those who commission a project, those whomanage it and those who work on it will have different ideas about how thingsshould be organised and when the different aspects of the project will be

completed.

Those involved will not be clear about how much responsibility, authority andaccountability they have and, as a result, there will often be confusion surroundingthe project. Without a project management method, projects are rarely completedon time and within acceptable cost this is especially true of large projects. A goodproject management method will guide the project through a controlled, well-managed, visible set of activities to achieve the desired results. PRINCE adopts theprinciples of good project management to avoid the problems identified above andso helps to achieve successful projects.


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These principles are:

a project is a finite process with a definite start and end

projects always need to be managed in order to be successful

for genuine commitment to the project, all parties must be clear about why theproject is needed, what it is intended to achieve, how the outcome is to beachieved, and what their responsibilities are in that achievement.

What is PRINCE?

PRINCE (PRojects INControlled Environments) is a structured method for effective

project management. It is a de facto standard used extensively by the UKGovernment and is widely recognised and used in the private sector, both in the UKand internationally. PRINCE, the method, is in the public domain, offering non-proprietorial best-practice guidance on project management. PRINCE is, however,a registered trademark of CCTA.

The key features of PRINCE are:

its focus on business justification

a defined organisation structure for the project management team

its product-based planning approach

its emphasis on dividing the project into manageable and controllable stages

its flexibility to be applied at a level appropriate to the project.

Benefits of using PRINCE

PRINCE provides benefits to the managers and directors of a project and to anorganisation, through the controllable use of resources and the ability to managebusiness and project risk more effectively.

PRINCE embodies established and proven best practice in project management. Itis widely recognised and understood, providing a common language for allparticipants in a project. PRINCE encourages formal recognition of responsibilitieswithin a project and focuses on what a project is to deliver, why, when and forwhom. PRINCE provides projects with:

a controlled and organised start, middle and end

regular reviews of progress against plan and against the Business Caseflexible decision points


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automatic management control of any deviations from the plan

the involvement of management and stakeholders at the right time and place

during the project

good communication channels between the project, project management, andthe rest of the organisation.

Managers using PRINCE are able to:

establish terms of reference as a pre-requisite to the start of a project

use a defined structure for delegation, authority and communication

divide the project into manageable stages for more accurate planning

ensure resource commitment from management is part of any approval toproceed

provide regular but brief management reports

keep meetings with management and stakeholders to a minimum but at thevital points in the project.

Those who will be directly involved with using the results of a project are able to:

participate in all the decision-making on a project

if desired, be fully involved in day-to-day progress

provide quality checks throughout the project to ensure their requirements arebeing adequately satisfied.

For senior management PRINCE uses the management by exception concept.They are kept fully informed of the project status without having to attend regular,time-consuming meetings.


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Section 4

4.2 Prince 2 Processes


Directing a Project (DP)

Directing a Project runs from the start-up of the project until its closure. Thisprocess is aimed at the Project Board. The Project Board manages by exception,monitors via reports and controls through a number of decision points.

The key processes for the Project Board break into four main areas:

Initiation (starting the project off on the right foot)

Stage boundaries (commitment of more resources after checkingresults so far)

Ad hoc direction (monitoring progress, providing advice and guidance, reactingto exception situations)

Project closure (confirming the project outcome and controlled close).

This process does not cover the day-to-day activities of the Project Manager.

Starting up a Project (SU)

This is the first process in PRINCE. It is a pre-project process, designed to ensure

that the pre-requisites for initiating the project are in place. The process expectsthe existence of a Project Mandate which defines in high level terms the reason forthe project and what outcome is sought. Starting up a Project (S1-1) should be veryshort.

The work of the process is built around the production of three elements:

ensuring that the information required for the project team is available

designing and appointing the Project Management Team

creating the Initiation Stage Plan.

Initiating a Project (1P)

The objectives of Initiating a Project are to:

agree whether or not there is sufficient justification to proceed withthe project

establish a stable management basis on which to proceed

document and confirm that an acceptable Business Case exists for the project


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ensure a firm and accepted foundation to the project prior to commencementof the work

agree to the commitment of resources for the first stage of the project

enable and encourage the Project Board to take ownership of the project

provide the baseline for the decision-making processes required duringthe projects life

ensure that the investment of time and effort required by the project is madewisely, taking account of the risks to the project.

Managing Stage Boundaries (SB)

This process provides the Project Board with key decision points on whether tocontinue with the project or not. The objectives of the process are to:

assure the Project Board that all deliverables planned in the current StagePlan have been completed as defined

provide the information needed for the Project Board to assess the continuingviability of the project

provide the Project Board with information needed to approve the currentstages completion and authorise the start of the next stage, together with its

delegated tolerance level record any measurements or lessons which can help later stages of this

project and /or other projects.

Controlling a Stage (CS)

This process describes the monitoring and control activities of the Project Managerinvolved in ensuring that a stage stays on course and reacts to unexpected events.The process forms the core of the Project Managers effort on the project, being theprocess which handles day-to-day management of the project.

Throughout a stage there will be a cycle consisting of:

authorising work to be done

gathering progress information about that work

watching for changes

reviewing the situation

reporting

taking any necessary corrective action.


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This process covers these activities, together with the on-going work of riskmanagement and change control.

Managing Product Delivery (MP)

The objective of this process is to ensure that planned products are created anddelivered by:

making certain that work on products allocated to the team is effectivelyauthorised and agreed. Also, accepting and checking Work Packages

ensuring that work conforms to the requirements of interfaces identified in theWork Package

ensuring that the work is done

assessing work progress and forecasts regularly

ensuring that completed products meet quality criteria

obtaining approval for the completed products.

Closing a Project (CP)

The purpose of this process is to execute a controlled close to the project.

The process covers the Project Managers work to wrap up the project either at itsend or at premature close. Most of the work is to prepare input to the Project Boardto obtain its confirmation that the project may close.

The objectives of Closing a Project are, therefore, to:

check the extent to which the objectives or aims set out in the Project InitiationDocument have been met

confirm the extent of the fulfilment of the Project Initiation Documentand the Customers satisfaction with the deliverables

obtain formal acceptance of the deliverables

ensure to what extent all expected products have been handed overand accepted by the Customer

confirm that maintenance and operation arrangements are in place(where appropriate)

make any recommendations for follow-on actions

capture lessons resulting from the project and complete the Lessons Learned

Report


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prepare an End Project Report

notify the host organisation of the intention to disband the project organisation

and resources.

Planning (PL)

Planning is a repeatable process, and plays an important role in other processes,main ones being:

Planning an Initiation Stage (SL16)

Planning a Project (IP2)

Planning a Stage (SB1)

Producing an Exception Plan (SB6).

PRINCE provides a product-based start to the planning activity. It also providesplanning framework which can be applied to any type of project. This involves:

establishing what products are needed

determining the sequence in which each product should be produced

defining the form and content of each product

resolving what activities are necessary for their creation and delivery.


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Section 4

4.3 Prince 2 Components


4.3.1 Organisation

The PRINCE2 project management structure, which is shown above, consists ofroles and responsibilities which bring together the various interests and skillsinvolved in, and required by, the project.

A project management team is a temporary structure specifically designed tomanage the project to its successful conclusion meeting the requirements defined inthe project brief.

All the roles set out above need to be accommodated within job definitions whichclearly set out the authority and responsibility of those concerned.

PRINCE 2 is flexible and thus the job definitions describe roles most of which maybe allocated, shared, divided or combined according to the needs of the project.

The Project Board

Senior User Executive Senior Supplier

Project Assurance

Project Manager

Project Support

Team Manager

The project team


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The Project Boardrepresents the business, user and supplier interests of theproject at managerial level.

The Project Board members must have authority because they are the decision-makers and responsible for commitment of resources to the project. It is thereforenecessary for them to be sufficiently senior to fulfil this role.

Project Board membership is a part time job which involves being kept informedregularly but only asks for joint decision making at key points in the project.

The project board are accountable for:

approval of the appointment and responsibilities of the project manager

approval of all major plans

signing off completion of each project stage

authorising the start of the next project stage

ensuring required resources are committed to the project

arbitrating on conflicts within the project

liaison and communication with the world outside the project

The Project Manageris given the authority to run the project an a day-to-day basis

on behalf of the Project Board within the constraints laid down by the Project Board.The Project Manager has the responsibility to ensure the project produces:

the required products

to the right standard of quality

within the time

within the budget

In addition the Project Manager is responsible for producing a result which is

capable of achieving the benefits as defined in the Project Initiation Document.The Project Board do not work full time on the project.

A role is therefore defined within the PRINCE 2 structure to which members of theproject board may delegate responsibilities for monitoring the projects performanceand products independent of the Project Manager.

This is the Project Assurance function and members of it report to the relevantmember of the Project Board . This is in order to give the Project Board confidencethat the project remains consistent with and continues to meet a business need andthat no change to the external environment.


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Project Support

The Project Manager is likely to be very busy and administrative help may well be

supplied by a Project Support function.Also there may be mandated use of certain tools in which the Project Manager hasinsufficient expertise such as planning and control or configuration managementtools (more of these subjects later).

In many instances a central Project Support function will serve many projects.

Summary

Establishing an effective organisational structure for a project is crucial to its

success. Every project has need for direction, management, control andcommunication.

PRINCE 2 offers an approach which provides these elements and is sufficientlyflexible to be mapped to any environment.

The Project Board are strictly part time on the project, have individually assignedresponsibilities and make the high level decisions. The Project Manager may bepart time or full time.

The Project Board provide resources and the Project Manager manages them on aday to day basis.

The Project Board are responsible for the success of the project .

The Project Manager reports to the Project Board and carries out their instructions.

4.3.2 Planning & Control

What is a plan?

A plan is a document describing how, when and by whom a target is to be

achieved.A plan is a statement of:

what has to be produced

what has to be done to produce it

what has to be done to make sure it is produced correctly

what has to be done to monitor progress

what has to be done to control risks


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Levels of Plan

The size and complexity of the project and the level of control required will be usedin deciding the number of levels of plan required.

The Project Plan is mandatory.

A project will always be broken down into at least 2 stages. Small projects mayhave only one stage after Initiating a Project and so may possibly need only onelevel of plan.

NoteA stage within PRINCE 2 is a division of the project for management purposes andis a length of time. Stages cannot run in parallel.

If there is need to use Team Plans, the Stage Plan would normally act as asummary of the key start and end dates.

The plan being used for control purposes by the Project Manager, normally theStage Plan, will incorporate tolerance on finance and time as determined by theProject Board. This will give the Project Manager some room to maneuver withoutescalation to the Project Board. Tolerance may, of course, be set at zero ifapplicable.

The number of levels of plan chosen for your project should reflect a balancebetween:

the different information and control needs of the Project Manager and theProject Board

the effort of creating extra plans

the problems involved in ensuring compatibility between different plan levels

PROJECT PLAN

STAGE PLAN

TEAM PLAN


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Products

A product is any input to or output from a project. Products may make up the final

deliverable from the project or may be items delivered on the way through theproject.

Products are defined for projects for two reasons:

1. to ensure that the people working on the project know what they expected toproduce

2. so that the project can be controlled by monitoring the satisfactory completionof products which signifies the completion of the activities which producedthem.

A product is defined by a Product Description under the following major headings:

Purpose

This is a definition in measurable terms of what must be done for the final product tobe acceptable to the customer and staff who will be affected. For example - aProject Plan must provide the business case, major control points and provide abaseline against which to monitor project progress.

Composition

This will vary according to the type of final product but is basically a list of the itemsone would expect to find in the product. For example in a Project Plan - Project levelGantt Chart, Project Level activity network.

Derivation

This describes the products or knowledge which are input to the process to producethis product. For example - Project Brief, Senior User.

Format

This describes how the product should be presented. For example - on presentationfoils in landscape with A4 paper back up.

Quality criteria

This describes the measurable criteria which will be applied to determine whetherthe product is acceptable. For example - every team members work planned,project timescale acceptable to the users.


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Quality method

This describes how the adherence to quality criteria will be determined.

For example - a review meeting, Senior User to approve on behalf of all users.

Product breakdown structure

A product breakdown structure is a hierarchy of all the products to be producedduring a plan. Breaking down a product into its constituent sub-products helpsclarify and identify all necessary work for its creation.

Products within a PRINCE 2 structure are broken down to three broad sections:

management products

(produced to enable management of the project)

quality products

(produced to enable the quality of the project to be managed)

specialist products

(the products whose development is the subject of the plan. Also calledtechnical products)

Product flow diagram

A Product Flow Diagram shows the sequence of production and interdependenciesof the products listed in the Product Breakdown Structure.

Estimating

The fundamental principle of estimating within PRINCE 2 is that estimating is notgoing to produce an accurate prediction of what will happen but it is better than no

estimating at all.PRINCE 2 does not recommend any specific estimating methods or tools but itdoes define two basic approaches - top down and bottom up.

Top down estimating

This involves an estimate for the total project broken down across the normalstages for a project of that type. This method will normally be used for a projectplan.


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Bottom up estimating

This involves an estimate for each product which is built up into a figure for the

whole of the job in hand. This method will be used for a stage plan.In addition to the above, PRINCE 2 identifies the major steps in a typical estimatingprocess as:

Identifying resource types required

This will include human resources who may require specific skills dependingon the nature of the project, and also non-human resources such asequipment, travel, money.

Identifying the time and effort required for each activity.

Having done this the estimates will be approximate or provisional. In order toproduce a plan to show the ultimate feasibility of achieving its objectives theactivities are put together in a schedule.

Controls

Control is all about decision making and is the central role of project management.

The purpose of control is to ensure that the project:

is producing the required products which meet the defined acceptance criteria

is being carried out to schedule and in accordance with resource and costplans

remains viable against the business case.

Controls ensure that, for each level of the Project Management Team, the next levelup can:

monitor progress

compare achievement with plan

review plans and options against future scenarios

detect problems

initiate corrective action

authorise further work.


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4.3.3 Other Components

1. Risk Management

What is a risk?

Risk is defined as:

the chance of exposure to the adverse consequences of future events

Risk is a major factor to be considered during the management of a project.

Projects are set up to bring about change and hence project work is usually lesspredictable than routine work.

Projects also take time and there is always a risk that things in the real world will

alter during the course of a project.

Types of risk

Risks fall broadly into two categories:

Business Riskscover the threats associated with a project not delivering theproducts which can achieve the expected benefits.

Examples of business risks are:

change in the business area involved legislative changes

change in political factors such as public opinion

Project Riskscover the threats to the management of the project and hence theachievement of the projects end results within cost and time.

Examples of project risks are:

failure of third party to deliver satisfactorily

skill shortages

requirements not fully understood

Risk Analysis

This comprises three activities:

Risk Identification which determines the potential risks that could be faced bythe project


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Risk Estimation which determines how important each risk is based on anassessment of its likelihood and its consequences to the project and business.

Risk Evaluation which decides whether the level of each risk is acceptable ornot and, if not, what actions can be taken to make it more acceptable.

The actions which may be taken break down to five broad types:

Preventionstop the risk occurring or prevent it having any impact on the project orbusiness

Reductionreduce the likelihood of the risk developing or limit the impact to acceptable

levels Transference

pass the impact of the risk to a third party via perhaps an insurance policy

Contingencywhere actions are planned to come into force as and when the risk occurs

Acceptancewhere the Project Board decides to go ahead and accept the possibility thatthe risk may occur.

Risk Management

Once the risks have been identified and evaluated, attention needs to focus onmanaging them.

Risk management consists of four major activities:

planning for any countermeasure actions itemised during the risk evaluationactivities

resourcing which will identify and assign resources to be used for the work to

carry out the risk avoidance or amelioration actions.

monitoring which will involve checking planned actions are having the desiredeffect and watching for early signs that a risk is developing.

controlling which is taking action to ensure that the events of the plan reallyhappen.


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2. Quality in a project environment

What is Quality?

For PRINCE 2 purposes the definition of quality is as defined in ISO standard 8402:

totality of features and characteristics of a product or service which bearon its ability to satisfy stated and implied needs

This is normally expressed more succinctly as fitness for purpose.

Quality System

A quality system will normally include an organisation structure, procedures and

processes to implement quality management. PRINCE 2 itself will typically form partof a corporate quality system where it has been adopted as a corporate standard.

The quality system and the corporate quality policy may be dependent on theinternational standard for quality systems ISO 9001 issued under the authority ofthe International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO). The PRINCE 2 manualcontains a description of which parts of ISO 9001 are satisfied by PRINCE 2.

Quality Assurance

This element sets up the Quality System and assures that it operates to achieve anend product which meets customer quality expectations. Quality assurance is donebefore the job.

Quality Planning

This element establishes the objectives and requirements for quality on the projectand lays out the activities for the application of the quality system.

Quality Control

This is the means of ensuring the products meet the quality criteria specified forthem. Quality control applies to the completed product and is therefore done afterthe job has been done .


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3. Configuration Management

What is Configuration Management?

Configuration Management may be thought of as product control.

The construction of a car is a good example.

What components have to be brought together to assemble a particular modelof car?

What about components being redesigned and updated?

If a replacement window winder for a five year old example is required, the carsserial number in conjunction with the records kept by configuration management willensure the right one is supplied.

The four basic functions of configuration management

Identificationspecifying and identifying all components of the final product

Controlthe ability to agree and freeze configuration items and then to make changesonly with the agreement of the appropriate named authorities. Once a producthas been approved the motto is Nothing moves, nothing changes without

authorisation.

Status accountingthe recording and reporting of all current and historical data concerned witheach configuration item.

Verificationa series of reviews and audits to ensure that there is conformity between theprojects products and the authorised state of configuration items as registeredin the Configuration Management records.

4. Change Control

Purpose of change control

Change during a project is inevitable. However, change to specification or scopecan potentially ruin any project unless carefully controlled.

The control of change means the assessment of the impact of potential changes,their importance, their cost, and a judgmental decision by management to decidewhether to include them or not.

Any approved changes must be reflected in any necessary corresponding changeto schedule and budget.


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What is being changed?

If a product is changed, its Product Description should be checked to see if any

changes are necessary.If a product has been approved by the Project Board, that product cannot bechanged without the Project Boards agreement.

Authority levels

In some projects the Project Board may choose to delegate consideration ofchanges to a group often called a change authority.

A budget to pay for changes is normally given to this change authority. This

arrangement can avoid a number of mid stage assessments where the frequency ofchanges is high.

The Project Board needs to decide before the project moves out of initiation wherethe authority for making changes lies, and the responsibilities must be written intothe appropriate job descriptions.


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Section 4

4.4 Prince 2 Techniques


There are many techniques used within project management regardless of what

approach is being used. PRINCE 2 does not set out to cover these or the specialisttechniques involved in the creation of the products.

Within the PRINCE 2 Manual there are only 4 techniques described. These are theproject management techniques which are unique to PRINCE or PRINCE 2.

One technique is Product Based Planning which uses:

product descriptions

product breakdown structures

product flow diagrams

and was described in Lesson 4.

There are 3 other techniques described in the PRINCE 2 Manual and these aredescribed in the following sections.

1. Change Control

Project Issues - All changes are treated as types of Project Issue and are handledthrough the same change control process. A Project Issue can be:

a request to change requirements (request for change)

a suggestion for improving products (request for change)

a record of some current or forecast failure to meet a requirement(off specification)

a question on any topic

Every issue is sent to the Project Manager and entered on the Issue Log togetherwith its priority as indicated by the author:

1. a must2. an important change. It absence would be very inconvenient

3. a nice to have

4. a cosmetic change

5. no change involved


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2. Quality Review

Why have quality reviews?

Benefits which can be gained from quality reviews include:

assessment of the product against criteria in the product description

early identification of defects

measurement of progress by the formal completion of products

shared ownership of products

What is a quality review?

A quality review is a team review of a product with the emphasis on checking theproduct for errors as opposed to, for example, improving the design.

It brings together those with a vested interest in the product and with specialistknowledge which can contribute to quality.

The product to be reviewed will typically be a document such as a plan, a report ora drawing but could be other products such as a model or prototype.

A quality review is intended to review the product, not the producer of the product. Itis an opportunity for detection of errors and potential errors, not for their correction.

Management do not attend quality reviews in a people management role althoughthey may go as reviewers.

The result of a quality review will normally be one of three:

product is error free

product can be approved once the identified errors are corrected and signedoff

correction of errors will radically alter the product and it should be reviewed

again.

Steps in a quality review

There are three basic steps in a quality review:

preparation

review meeting

follow-up


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Responsibilities in a quality review

There are four basic roles in the quality review procedure:

review chairman

producer

reviewer

scribe

3. Project Filing

This is a suggested filing system to be used by a project.

The files decided upon may be tied in with the configuration management systemas required.

There are 3 major types of files within PRINCE 2:

Management

Specialist

Quality


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Appendix

Glossary

Acceptance Criteria

A prioritised list of criteria which the final product(s) must meet before the Customerwill accept them. They should be defined as part of the Project Brief and agreedbetween Customer and Supplier no later than the Project Initiation Stage. Theyshould be in the Project Initiation Document.

Baseline

A snapshot; a position or situation which is recorded. Although the position may beupdated later, the baseline remains unchanged and available as a reminder of theoriginal state and as a comparison against the current position.

Business Case

Information which describes the justification for setting up and continuing a PRINCEproject. It provides the reasons (answers the question 'Why?') for the project. It isupdated at key points throughout the project.

Change Authority

A group to which the Project Board may delegate responsibility for the consideration

of Requests For Change. The Change Authority is given a budget and can approvechanges within that budget.

Change Budget

The money allocated to the Change Authority to be spent on authorised RequestsFor Change.

Change Control

The procedure to ensure that the processing of all Project Issues is controlled,including the submission, analysis and decision-making.

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Glossary

Checkpoint

A team level, time-driven review of progress.

Checkpoint Report

A progress report of the information gathered at a Checkpoint meeting, which isgiven by a team to the project manager, and provides reporting data as defined inthe Project Initiation Document.

Concession

An Off-Specification which is accepted by the Project Board without correctiveaction.

Configuration Management

A discipline, normally supported by software tools, which gives managementprecise control over its assets (eg. the products of a project), covering identification,control, status accounting and verification of the products.

Contingency Plan

A plan which provides an outline of decisions and measures to be taken if definedcircumstances, outside the control of a PRINCE project, should occur.

Corporate Body

Used to describe any company, government department, corporation or charitablebody which is involved in the project. It can be a customer for the end results,supplier of specialist skills or deliverables, assurance or auditing body. The word isused to avoid confusion particularly between the public and private sectors.

CustomerThe person or group; who commissioned the work and will benefit from the endresults.


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DeliverableAn item which the project has to create as part of the requirements. It may be partof the final outcome or an intermediate element on which one or more subsequentdeliverables are dependent. According to the type of project, another name for adeliverable is 'product'.

End Project Report

The review by the Project Board and Project manager of the End Stage Report todecide whether to approve the next Stage Plan (unless the last stage has now beencompleted). According to the size and criticality of the project, the review may beformal or informal. The approval to proceed should be documented as an importantmanagement product.

End Stage Report

A report given by the Project Manager to the Project Board at the end of each

management stage of the project. This provides information about the projectperformance during the stage and the project status at stage end.

Exception

A situation where it can be forecast that there will be a deviation beyond thetolerance levels agreed between Project Manager and Project Board (or betweenProject Board and corporate or programme management).

Exception Report

A report which describes an exception, provides an analysis and options for the wayforward and identifies a recommended option. It is given by the Project Manager tothe Project Board.

Executive

The chairman of the Project Board, representing the Customer.

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Glossary

Follow-on Action RecommendationsA report which can be used as input to the process of creating a BusinessCase/Project Mandate for any follow-on instructions covering incomplete productsor outstanding issues. It also sets out proposals for Post Implementation Review ofthe project's products.

Highlight Report

Report from the project Manager to the project Board on a time-driven frequency onstage progress.

Issue Log

A log of all issues and change request raised during the project, showing details of

each issue, its evaluation, what decisions about it have been made and its currentstatus.

Lessons Learned Report

A report which describes the lessons learned in undertaking the project and whichincludes statistics from the quality control of the project's management products. It

is approved by the Project Board, then held centrally for the benefit of futureprojects.

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Glossary

Off-SpecificationSomething which should be provided by the project, but currently is not (or isforecast not to be provided). This might be a missing product or a product notmeeting its specification.

Outcome

The result of a project. Useful term where the project result is not an easilydefinable 'product'.

Post Implementation Review

One or more reviews held after project closure to determine if the expected benefitshave been obtained.

PRINCE

A method which supports some selected aspects of project management. Theacronym stands for PROJECTS INControlled Environments.

PRINCE Project

A project whose product(s) can be defined at its start sufficiently precisely as to bemeasurable against pre-defined metrics and which is managed according to thePRINCE method.

Process

That which must be done to bring about a particular outcome, in terms ofinformation to be gathered, decisions to be made and results which must beachieved.

Producer

This role represents the creator(s) of a document which is the subject of a QualityReview. Typically it will be filled by the person who has produced the product, orwho led the team responsible.

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Glossary

Product

Any input to or output from a project. PRINCE distinguishes between management

products (which are produced as part of the management of the project), specialistproducts (which are those products which make up the final deliverable) and qualityproducts (which are produced for or by the quality process). A product may itself bea collection of other products.

Product Breakdown Structure

A hierarchy of all the products to be produced during a plan.

Product Checklist

A list of the major products of a plan, plus key dates in their delivery.

Product Description

A description of a product's purpose, composition, derivation and quality criteria. Itis produced at planning time, as soon as the need for the product is identified.

Product Flow Diagram

A diagram showing the sequence of production and interdependencies of theproducts listed in a Product Breakdown Structure.

Project

A temporary organisation which is created for the purpose of delivering one or morebusiness products according to a specified business case.

Project Assurance

The Project Board's responsibilities to assure itself that the project is being

conducted correctly.

Project Brief

A description of what the project is to do; a refined and extended version of theProject Mandate, which has been agreed by the Project Board and which is input toProject Initiation.


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Glossary

Project Closure Notification

Advice from the Project Manager to inform the host location that the project

resources can be disbanded and support services, such as space, equipment andaccess, demobilised.

Project Initiation Document (PID)

A logical document whose purpose is to bring together the key information neededto start the project on a sound basis; and to convey that information to all concernedwith the project.

Project Issue

A term used to cover both general issues and change requests raised during theproject. Project Issues can be about anything to do with the project. They coverquestions, suggestions, Requests For Change and Off-Specifications.

Project Management

The planning, monitoring and control of all aspects of the project and the motivationof all those involved in it to achieve the project objectives on time and to thespecified cost, quality and performance.

Project Management Team

A term to represent the entire management structure of Project Board, Projectmanager, plus any Team Leaders and project assurance roles.

Project Manager

The person given the authority and responsibility to manage the project on a day-to-day basis to deliver the required products within the constraints agreed with theProject Board.

Project mandate

Information created externally to the project, which forms the terms of reference andis used to start up the PRINCE project.


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Glossary

Project plan

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 theProject Initiation Document. This is revised in later versions as information on actualprogress appears. It is a major control document for the Project Board to measureactual progress against expectations.

Project Quality Plan

The definition of key quality criteria and quality control and audit processes to beapplied to project management and technical work in the PRINCE project. It will bepart of the text in the Project Initiation Document.

Project Records

A collection of all approved management, specialist and quality products and othermaterial, which is necessary to provide and auditable record of the project.NoteThis does not include working files.

Project Start-up Notification

Advice to the host location that the project is about to start and requesting any

required project support services.

Project Support Office

A group set up to provide certain administrative services to many projects.

QualityThe totality of features and characteristics of a product or service which bear on itsability to satisfy stated and implied needs.

Quality Management System

The complete set of quality standards, procedures and responsibilities for a site ororganisation.

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Glossary

Quality Review

A Quality Review is an inspection with a specific structure, defined roles and

procedure designed to ensure a document's completeness and adherence tostandards. The participants are drawn from those with an interest in the documentand those with the necessary skills to review its correctness. An example of thechecks made by a Quality Review is 'does the document match the Quality Criteriain the Product Description?'

Quality System

see Quality Management System

Request For Change

A means of proposing a modification to the current specification of the productrequired. It is one type of Project Issue.

Reviewer

A person asked to review a product which is the subject of a Quality Review.

Risk Log

A document which provides identification, estimation, impact evaluation andcountermeasures for all risks to the project. It should be created during the start-upof the project and developed during the life of the project.

Senior Supplier

The Project Board role which provides knowledge and experience of the maindiscipline(s) involved in the production of the project's deliverable(s).

Senior user

A member of the Project Board, accountable for ensuring that user needs arespecified correctly and that the solution meets those needs.

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Glossary

Stage

A division of the project for management purposes. The Project Board approves

the project to proceed one stage at a time.

Supplier

Supplier is defined as the group or groups responsible for the supply of the project'sproducts.

Tolerance

The permissible deviation above and below a plan's estimate of time and costwithout escalating the deviation to the next level of management. Separatetolerance figures should be given for time and cost.

User(s)

The person or group who will use the final deliverable(s) of the project.

Work Package

The set of information relevant to the creation of one or more products. It willcontain the Product Description(s), details of any constraints on production such astime and cost, interfaces, and confirmation of the agreement between the ProjectManager and the person or Team Leader who is to implement the Work packagethat the work can be done within the constraints.

Work Package Authorisation

Authority from the Project manager to produce a defined Work Package.

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Appendix

Processes/Components Matrix

Processes/Components Matrix

The matrix below is reproduced from Lesson 1 and shows the relationships which

exist between the Prince 2 Processes and the Prince 2 Components.

p2 user guide

Documents