Topic 1 Transcript

Skillsoft Course Transcript https://cdnlibrary.skillport.com/courseware/Content/cca/apj_29_a01_bs_...
Course Transcript
Course Overview
Read the Course Overview .
Overview of the PRINCE2® Methodology

1. Introduction to Project Management Using PRINCE2®
2. Benefits of Project Management
3. Aspects of Project Performance
4. The PRINCE2® Methodology
5. History of PRINCE2®
6. Benefits of PRINCE2®
7. PRINCE2® Principles
8. PRINCE2® Themes
9. PRINCE2® Processes
10. PRINCE2® Management Stages
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[Course title: PRINCE2® Project Management Overview (2017 Update). The presenter is Sue
Hopgood | MA (Hons), PGCE, Prince2, MSP, & APM Accredited Trainer. PRINCE2® is a registered
trade mark of AXELOS Ltd. Used under permission of AXELOS Ltd. All rights reserved.] Projects
have been around for thousands of years. The pyramids of ancient times would have been impossible
to build without skilled managers to coordinate and plan the construction of these monumental
projects. Critically important in any project is good project management. In this course, you'll learn
what project management involves and why it's important. You'll also learn fundamental concepts in
PRINCE2®, a widely recognized and accepted project management methodology.
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Learning Objective
After completing this topic, you should be able to
identify key characteristics of a project
1.
[Topic title: Introduction to Project Management Using PRINCE2®.] There are many types of projects,
such as projects in construction, manufacturing, information technology, and scientific research.
Modern day examples of projects are everywhere. Engineers plan large scale construction projects,
space agency teams send sophisticated robots and probes to other planets in our solar system. And
scientist manipulate matter at the molecular level to develop revolutionary materials and
manufactured products. Less obvious examples of projects are also plentiful. Raising funds for a new
stadium, opening a medical clinic, getting a political candidate voted in, or installing an updated
accounting system are all examples of projects. So what exactly is the definition of a project? And
how does project work differ from other types of work? Well, in PRINCE2®, a project is defined as "a
temporary organization that is created for the purpose of delivering one or more business products
according to an agreed business case." (Quoted text Source is Managing Successful Projects with
PRINCE2®. Copyright © AXELOS Limited 2017. Reproduced under license from AXELOS. All rights
reserved.)
Projects are seldom carried out in isolation from an organization's other business activities or
projects. But there are situations in which this happens. For example, an independently established
project within an organization that is purposely managed outside the organizational governance
structure. Or in cases where an organization is established specifically for undertaking a project. More
commonly though, PRINCE2® projects may exist as part of a program, which is a collection of
projects that are managed in a coordinated way to deliver business benefits. In a program, the
outputs from one project may be used as inputs by another project, even though the projects may not
be related in any way. There may also be dependencies between projects, such as shared resources.
The PRINCE2® method focuses on the products that a project is required to deliver. So this provides
a firm basis for defining the boundaries between various projects in the program. Projects may also
be part of a portfolio, which is a group of projects generally related in some way. For example, they
may all fall under the same organizational division, such as marketing or sales. And projects may be
managed within a commercial environment. In this situation, rather than projects working to support
organizational goals and objectives, the project is entirely focused on the goals, objectives, and
project delivery for a customer's requirements. Projects within the commercial environment typically
include a formal tender between the customer and the supplier, which would be the organization
delivering the project.
The lines between what constitutes a project and what falls under other types of work can sometimes
seem blurred. And regardless of whether the project is standalone, part of a portfolio or program, or
being managed in a commercial environment, there are a number of key characteristics that
distinguish projects and project work from day to day operational work. The first characteristic is that
project work has temporariness. Projects are temporary in nature because they have defined start
and end dates. Once they're completed, business resumes as normal after the desired change has
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been implemented. Another characteristic of a project is change. You can think of a project as the
change effort of an organization. When you view projects in this light, developing a new product,
creating a new service, or establishing a new training program can be considered both change efforts
and projects. The third characteristic of a project is uniqueness. An organization may have many
similar projects and project activities, but each one will be unique in some way. There may be
different teams, different customers, different locations, and different products or services being
delivered. All of these factors combine to make every project unique.
There are two other key characteristics of all projects. Projects have cross functionality. Projects
involve a selected team of cross functional personnel with unique and different skills working together
temporarily to introduce a change that will impact others outside of the team. Projects often cross the
normal functional divisions within organizations and can sometimes even span entirely different
organizations. This frequently causes stresses and strains both within and between organizations.
For instance, customers and suppliers might have different perspectives and motivations for getting
involved in the change.
The final characteristic of a project is uncertainty. A project, by its very nature, is set up to introduce
change. And the project management environment is less routine and predictable than the
environment of ongoing functional work. Dealing with new or unusual elements makes the future less
predictable. And the planning of project activities riskier than when performing routine operational
activities.
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Learning Objective
recognize the benefits of using a project management methodology
1.
[Topic title: Benefits of Project Management.] Imagine that an educational software products company
has been awarded a contract to develop customized training software for a major new customer. The
project development team is very experienced, but for this particular project, the team is following a
new rapid development process that it has never used before. During the project, the product
specifications have changed several times. And the team has discovered through trial and error that
some of the steps in the new process don't work and need to be revised. Attempting to follow the new
rapid development process has also led to serious concerns about deliverables. Such as difficulty
knowing where they are at any one time, what their status is, which team member is working on them,
and which deliverables are the current versions. This scenario presents a number of glaring risk
factors to the project. Inexperience and unfamiliarity with processes or systems, revisions to the
product specifications, and versioning control are all serious concerns that could easily derail a
project.
There are many reasons why projects fail. Some common causes of project failure are lack of quality
control, inadequate planning, and coordination of resources. Inadequate definition of the roles and
responsibilities of project team members, inadequate planning and monitoring for sudden unexpected
changes, and insufficient definition of the required outcomes.
A good project management methodology has many benefits. For example, it defines quality
requirements. When quality requirements are defined in the plan and controlled throughout the
project, the end product meets customer expectations. Another benefit is that it provides adequate
planning and coordination of resources. Proper planning and coordination of resources ensures
deliverables are completed on time and on budget. It also provides an adequate definition of project
roles and responsibilities. When project team members understand and accept their roles and
responsibilities, they have more direction and make better decisions. Another benefit of project
management is that it provides adequate planning and monitoring for sudden unexpected changes. A
good project management methodology provides controls and techniques with dealing with changes
during the life of the project. And finally, a key benefit of using the project management methodology
is that it defines the required outcomes. At the end of a successful project, the required outcomes are
met because the plan was built around them from the outside.
Projects can fail for many reasons, such as lack of quality control, inadequate planning, inadequate
role and responsibility definitions, and a failure to anticipate sudden changes during the life cycle of
the project. However, a good project management methodology can provide many benefits, such as
defined quality requirements, adequate planning and coordination of resources. An adequate
definition of project roles and responsibilities, adequate planning and monitoring for sudden,
unexpected changes, and defined required outcomes.
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Learning Objective
distinguish between project variables project managers are responsible for
1.
[Topic title: Aspects of Project Performance.] In order to achieve control over anything, there has to
be a plan. It's the project manager who plans the sequence of activities needed to carry out a project.
Decides how many people are necessary to complete the project, and how the work should be done.
Although you could do all these tasks yourself, being the manager means delegation is required. In
an ideal world, nothing would go wrong. But in reality this is not true. Once work has been delegated,
a successful project manager must also monitor the work and ensure it matches the original plan. If
the work does not go as planned, the project manager must be ready to step in and take control of
the situation.
As a project manager, you may need to step in even when the work is going according to plan. This
could help reduce costs, or even speed up the work. Within any project there are six variables that
the project manager must be aware of. The first three are costs, timescale and quality. In terms of
costs, the project manager should ensure that the project stays on budget by avoiding overspending,
and finding ways to cut costs if necessary. The project manager must ensure the project is finished in
a timely manner. And the project manager needs to ensure that the product or service is fit for its
purpose, which translates to the quality of the product or service.
Another variable that project managers are responsible for is scope. The scope sets out the definitive
terms of the project. Controlling the scope is important to ensure that there are no conflicts between
what's agreed upon and what is delivered. Knowing what is within the scope and what is outside of it
will help improve the understanding of the project for all concerned. Delivering outside the scope, also
known as scope creep, is a common source of delays, uncontrolled change, and inflated costs and
projects.
The fifth variable project managers are responsible for are risks. All project undertakings have a level
of risk. The key is to know how much risk you are prepared to accept. For instance, if you were to
build a house near a site prone to earthquakes, is there anything you could do about the associated
risk? Options could be to insure against the risk or have thorough surveys carried out.
The final project variable that falls under the responsibility of the project manager are benefits.
Benefits are commonly overlooked. For instance, it's not enough to finish a project on time, within
budget and to quality specifications, if in the end, the final product or service, can't be used as
intended. The project manager must have a clear understanding of the purpose of the project as an
investment. And make sure that what the project delivers is consistent with achieving the desired
return.
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Learning Objective
identify key characteristics of PRINCE2® projects
1.
[Topic title: The PRINCE2® Methodology.] Change in innovation are a way of life with today's
organization. A good project management method helps organization identify and manage risks and
ensure that business objectives are achieved on time and within budget. PRINCE2® was created
with the aim of helping organizations to manage their projects, programs, and services, consistently
and effectively. Although it is not possible to cover every aspect of project management, it has been
developed to provide a set of guidelines for effective project management.
The PRINCE2® methodology structure includes principles, themes, stages, processes, and
recommended techniques for managing projects. Note that PRINCE2® is a methodology, and does
not cover every aspect of project management. There are other project management institutions that
take a knowledge-based approach. They take the sum of knowledge within the profession and place
it in a body of knowledge. This is a very useful reference for a project manager and can be used
alongside the PRINCE2® methodology.
There are a number of key characteristics of the PRINCE2® project management methodology.
Firstly, PRINCE2® is non-proprietary in nature. It is an open domain methodology and open to the
public for use. Another characteristic is that it is structured. PRINCE2® is based on best practices in
project management methods and uses common project language. And the PRINCE2® project
management methodology is also a scalable method. That means they can be used to plan, monitor
and control any type or size of project. In other words, it is completely flexible and adaptable to any
project. It can be tailored to suit the requirements in any project environment. One other key
characteristic of the PRINCE2® project management structure is that it is based on a customer and
supplier environment. Where the customer specifies the product requirements, makes use of the final
product, and in most cases pays for the product. The supplier provides the skills and resources to
create the product. This assumption has an effect on how the project is organized. The customer and
supplier may be part of the same organization or may be independent of one another. Either way, the
supplier must be fully involved with the project by sharing their expertise. And both the customer and
supplier interest will be represented on the project board.
A project needs to have a different organizational structure from line management. It needs to be
more flexible and is likely to require a broad base of skills for a short period of time. There’s a lot of
different project methodologies out there. And a project manager may even adapt more than one to
suit the needs of the project. But in order for a project to be considered a PRINCE2® project, there
are a few key characteristics that have to be present. As already mentioned, one of the great
characteristics of the PRINCE2® methodology is that it can be tailored to any project and project
environment. But no matter what project you're managing if you're managing with a PRINCE2®
approach, PRINCE2® principles must be applied. In addition, the seven PRINCE2® themes have
minimum requirements and these must be met. The PRINCE2® methodology also outline seven
processes which are based on project management best practices. Well, it's not mandatory to follow
the PRINCE2® methodology exclusively, your project processes should align with the purpose and
objectives of the PRINCE2® processes. This helps ensure project quality and completeness overall.
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And finally, if you're managing a project following the PRINCE2® methodology, the techniques you
use should either be the PRINCE2® recommended techniques. Or alternative techniques that are
equivalent in terms of their purpose, objectives, and robustness.
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Learning Objective
recognize the history of PRINCE2®
1.
[Topic title: History of PRINCE2®.] PRINCE2® is a proven project management methodology with a
long history of development.
PRINCE2® was developed from PROMPT II, a project management method established in 1975, for
large IT projects. Essential computer and telecommunications agency, or CCTA, adopted it in 1979 as
the standard method for UK government IT projects.
In 1979, the UK government made the method available to the public. Introduced a number of
enhancements and named the revised method PRINCE.
In 1996, there was a major revision of the existing methodology that saw the emergence of
PRINCE2®, a generic method featuring the set of processes that is available today.
In 2009 the PRINCE2® method was owned by the Office of Government Commerce. It was updated
and re-released as a refresh.
Then in 2013, ownership was transferred to AXELOS Limited, and is still managed by AXELOS
Limited today. Thousands of companies in the private sector, government, and public services use
the method, and it is widely recognized and used throughout the UK and worldwide.
And most recently 2017 saw a refresh and updated the PRINCE2® methodology. This update reflects
modern practices of tailoring the methodology to many different project environments.
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Learning Objective
recognize the benefits of using a PRINCE2® project management approach
1.
[Topic title: Benefits of PRINCE2®.] In addition to general benefits that a sound project management
methodology offers, PRINCE2® also has a number of specific benefits.
PRINCE2® is a proven best practice and governance for project management. It can also be applied
to any type of project. PRINCE2® can easily be implemented alongside specialist, industries specific
models. For example, engineering models or development life cycles. In other words, it can be
tailored to any project type, environment, and industry. Another benefit is that it is widely recognized
and understood. Since PRINCE2® uses common project language, regardless of an organization's
industry, location, size, or project type, it can be adapted for use.
An additional benefit of PRINCE2® is that it enables explicit recognition of project responsibilities. It

allows participants to understand each other's roles and needs by defining the structure for
accountability, delegation, authority and communication. In simple terms, the clarity it provides helps
ensure that all project team members are on the same page in terms of who is responsible for what.
Another benefit of PRINCE2® methodology is that its plans are carefully designed to meet the needs
of the different levels in the management team, improving communication and control. Regardless of
functional level in the organization, it can be adapted and utilized. Further, PRINCE2® is based on
the management by exception framework. This enables efficient and economic use of management
time.
Additional benefits of PRINCE2® are that in encourages participants to focus on project viability. It
ensures proper stakeholder representation. And it supports continual learning and improvement in
organizations that adopt it.
In summary, there are several benefits of using PRINCE2®. For example, it is a proven best practice
in governance for project management. And enables explicit recognition of project responsibilities,
allowing participants to understand each other's roles and needs. PRINCE2® is an effective project
management approach because it is easily adapted. It can be tailored and applied to any type of
project in any project environment and industry.
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Learning Objective
distinguish between the seven PRINCE2® principles
1.
[Topic title: PRINCE2® Principles.] The aim of PRINCE2® is to produce a project management
method that can be used in diverse projects, regardless of the project culture, geography,
organization, scale and type. The PRINCE2® method adopts numerous principles of good project
management to guide a project to a successful outcome. It is the adoption of these principles that
characterizes whether a project is using PRINCE2®, not the adoption of processing documents
alone. The principles promote videos of PRINCE2® by ensuring that method is not applied in an
overly prescriptive way. Or in name only, but rather applied in a way that is sufficient to contribute to
the success of the project.
The PRINCE2® principles share three characteristics. First, they are universal. The principles apply
to all types of projects. Second, the principles are self-validating. This means that the principles have
been proven in practice over many years. Finally, the principles are empowering. Practitioners of
PRINCE2® have the ability and confidence to influence and shape how the project is managed.
The PRINCE2® principles are derived from lessons learned from projects both positive and negative.
Essentially, the principles provide a best practice framework for project members and stakeholders.
They form the basis of what defines a PRINCE2® project. If a project does not adhere to these
principles, it is not being managed using PRINCE2®.
The first key principle of the PRINCE2® method is to ensure that a project has continued business
justification. This justification which is outlined in the business case, is developed before the project
starts and continues throughout its life cycle. The benefits of undertaking a particular project such as
financial strategic games, it clearly stated in the business case. A project should not be initiated
unless there is a sound business need or business case for it. As the project progresses, team
members may discover opportunities for new benefits or an unexpected change of events may cause
stakeholders to question whether a project is still viable. But these reasons the business case is
reviewed and updated as necessary throughout the duration of a project. Therefore, there should
always be a justifiable reason to start a PRINCE2® project. And this justification should remain valid
throughout the project life cycle while the project is being documented and approved. In cases where
the project is no longer justified it should be stopped immediately. This allows resources and funds to
be reallocated to other projects that are justified.
Another key principle is that PRINCE2® project teams learn from their previous experiences by
proactively seeking the lesson they learned. Documenting them and applying them throughout the
project life cycle. Because projects are unique, project team members may not have the necessary
experience to undertake the given project. As a result, team members should draw upon lessons
learned from previous projects or activities to help them. The lessons learned in PRINCE2® are used
and documented throughout the project life cycle. Including at the start, during and at the end of the
project life cycle.
Another key principle is that a PRINCE2® project has defined and agreed roles and responsibilities
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within an organizational structure that engages the business, user and supplier stakeholder interests.
The day to day functional structures within an organization may not be suited for project work. As a
result, projects often comprise full time or part time team members from different departments within
an organization or multiple organizations. This can cause issues because functional managers have
different priorities and objectives.
Another key principle is that PRINCE2® projects are managed on a stage by stage basis. The
planning, monitoring and controlling. These stages provide control points, the key intervals throughout
the project. Having multiple stages allows senior management bearing levels of control at different
points throughout the project. Depending on the business priority, risk, and complexity involved.
Shorter stages allow senior management more control, whereas longer stages minimize their control.
When planning a PRINCE2® project, the level of detail included should be manageable and
predictable. Otherwise, a huge effort is wasted on trying to plan beyond a reasonable planning
horizon. Therefore, you should provide a detailed stage plan for the short term and an outline project
plan for the long term. This provides a more effective approach to managing projects.
PRINCE2® projects are also managed by exception which is another key principle. The PRINCE2®
method provides the appropriate governance by using specific responsibilities and accountabilities by
directing, managing, and delivering the project. Accountability is created by delegating authority from
one management level to the next by setting tolerances. Defining controls and implementing an
insurance mechanism. A PRINCE2® project focuses on how products are defined, especially in
terms of their quality and delivery. The PRINCE2® method uses product based approach for planning
projects and focuses on delivering specified products to meet business objectives. This product focus
shapes the PRINCE2® method of planning, controls and approach for assuring quality. The method is
tailored to the project environment. In other words, the PRINCE2® method is tailored to the project
environment to meet the needs of the project.
And the seventh key principle of PRINCE2® is that it is a universal project management method that
can be tailored to suit each project's unique environment. This means that the method can be used in
diverse situations, regardless of the projects environment, size, complexity, importance, capability,
and risk. Specifically, as a project manager, you are responsible for tailoring PRINCE2® to your
project's requirements. You can apply tailoring to themes, processes, management products, as well
as terminology. The one aspect of a PRINCE2® project, you cannot apply tailoring to is the
PRINCE2® principles. This is because the principles are always applied and are universal.
Some examples of tailoring, include adding activities to process, combining project roles, combining
or splitting management products. And modifying terminology to align with other standards or policies
as necessary. The PRINCE2® project management methodology is based on seven principles. A
PRINCE2® project should provide continued business justification throughout the project. It should
emphasize the importance of learning lessons from previous experience and documenting them for
future use. In the PRINCE2® project, the team structure is created. The defined roles and
responsibilities to ensure smooth and effective communication between project stakeholders. The
PRINCE2® methodology also advocates managing the project on a stage by stage basis for better
planning monitoring and control. The PRINCE2® project also defines tolerances that each project
objective to establish limits of delegated authority. This methodology focuses on products and their
quality requirements. And can be tailored to suit a project's environment size or complexity.
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Learning Objective
identify the PRINCE2® themes
1.
[Topic title: PRINCE2® Themes.] An important PRINCE2® concept is the idea of themes. Themes
are those aspects of project management that require the continuous attention of a project manager.
While the concept of themes is important, it's how the themes are combined that makes the
PRINCE2® method an important approach to project management. The mixing of themes helps to
shape PRINCE2® processes that define the sequential flow of the project. PRINCE2® themes are
integrated logically, in order to continually address every aspect of project management.
There are seven themes in PRINCE2®. The first is the business case theme. The business case
theme is responsible for developing the initial idea, which will provide value to the organization into an
actual investment plan. It also addresses how the project management team will maintain focus on
the project's objectives from start to finish. This theme answers the question, why?
Another theme is organization. The organization theme outlines the roles and responsibilities for the
project management team members. This is a direct result of the sponsoring organization allocating
project work to the managers. This theme answers the question, who?
The third theme is quality. The quality theme describes how the outline for an idea is developed. So
that team members can better understand how the quality attributes for all products will be delivered.
This theme answers the question, what?
The fourth theme is plans. The plans theme details the steps needed to develop plans and any
PRINCE2® techniques that would normally be applied. In PRINCE2®, approved plans are important
for projects to proceed. This theme answers the questions how, how much, and when?
The remaining three themes include risk, change, and progress. The risk theme outlines how
uncertainties in the plans and project environment are managed. This theme answers the question,
what if? The change theme addresses issues that effect changes to project baselines. These issues
could include unanticipated problems, change requests, or instances of quality failure. This theme
answers the question, what is the impact? And finally, the progress theme is concerned to how viable
the plan is as the project proceeds. The theme outlines how plans are approved, how performance is
monitored, and the escalation process when there is a deviation in plans. This theme answers the
questions, where are we now, where are we going, and should we carry on?
All the themes are applied to PRINCE2® projects by tailoring them on the project by project basis.
For complex projects that are considered high risk, you would typically include more detailed
documentation and strictly follow formal processes. For less complex projects, you can provide
information in an outline format through presentations and use more informal processes.
PRINCE2® contains several themes that are integrated together to define every aspect of project
management. These themes are progress, quality, organization, plans, business case, risk, and
change. Although every project needs to address these themes in some form, the key is to tailor each
theme to the needs of the individual project.
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Learning Objective
identify PRINCE2® processes
1.
[Topic title: PRINCE2® Processes.] PRINCE2® is process based and uses a set of activities
designed specifically to accomplish project objectives. Inputs are fed into a process resulting in
outputs. PRINCE2® consists of seven processes, which are starting up a project, directing a project,
initiating a project, controlling a stage, managing product delivery, managing a stage boundary, and
closing a project.
Before a PRINCE2® project is started, someone within the organization has an idea based on a
trigger, such as a new business objective or changes in legislation. This trigger is known in
PRINCE2® terminology as the project mandate. Before the project scope can be defined, it is
important to determine if the project is viable and worth doing. The activities that perform this function
are part of the starting up a project process.
In a PRINCE2® project, the project board makes important decisions and ensures the project stays
on course. The activities performed by the project board start before the project begins and continue
until project closure. These activities are part of the directing a project process.
During the initiating a project process, the detailed plan is created. Strategies and controls for project
management are established, the business case is developed, and the project initiation
documentation is assembled.
The activities used to control the subsequent delivery stages fall within the controlling a stage
process.
Executing work packages and sharing progress through checkpoint reports are performed within the
managing product delivery process by team managers. As the end of the management stage draws
near, the project manager must request permission to continue with the next stage. Before approval is
given, the project manager describes how a stage was performed, updates the business case, and
plans the next delivery stage in detail. The project board reviews the results from the activities of the
project manager and determines whether or not the project will continue.
The activities for managing stage boundaries are part of the managing a stage boundary process.
Once the project manager has attained final approval of all project products, the project can be
closed. For the products to gain final approval, the project board must be certain that the product's
recipients are able to own the products and use them without support from the project team.
When closing the project, the following activities are performed during the closing a project process.
Project documentation is updated and archived. Performance information is compared with the
original plan. Resources assigned to the project are released from the project. And post project
benefit reviews are planned to assess products once they are completed.
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Learning Objective
identify the management stages of PRINCE2®
1.
[Topic title: PRINCE2® Management Stages.] In PRINCE2®, most of the seven processes are
arranged within management stages. The purpose of these management stages is to break up
project work and activities into logical phases. So that the work performed can be reviewed before
moving on to the next stage. Management stages offer some control to ensure that the project
progresses on track and according to plan. The concept of a product life cycle is not unique to
PRINCE2®. But they like to call it the PRINCE2® journey. And it is made up of five phases, they are
pre-project, initiation stage, subsequent delivery stages, the final delivery stage and post-project. The
seven PRINCE2® processes fit within these phases of the PRINCE2® journey but not exactly.
The pre-project phase aligns to the starting of the project process, but is not considered a
management stage because this is just exploratory work and does not require plan or regular report.
The initiation phase is treated as a management stage by PRINCE2®. It is controlled using an

initiation stage plan and is comprised of two processes. The initiating a project process where the PID
is created and the managing a stage boundary process where the next stage plan is created for the
first delivery stage.
Subsequent stages, otherwise known as delivery stages are also considered management stages, as
they will be controlled by stage plans and will be using a number of processes, controlling stage,
managing product delivery, and managing a stage boundary.
The final delivery stage is also a management stage but is a little different because at the end of the
final delivery stage there are no further stages to plan for. It uses the controlling stage process and
managing product delivery process, but finishes with closing a project process. The directive project
process is being used throughout the project by the project board to maintain control of the project by
making all the key decisions. When the project board authorize project closure after the closing of
project process, the project products are handed over to the customer and the project management
team is disbanded.
However, there is one more phase in the project life cycle journey. This is the post project phase. And
it is here that most of the benefits of the project will be realized. This is not considered a project
management stage because the project is closed. There are no PRINCE2® processes or activities for
the post project phase and no project management team. However, the customer should use the
benefits management approach that they would give in a project closure to measure the benefits via a
post project review.
The start of a project process is performed during the pre-project phase. During this phase, whether
the project is viable and worth doing is determined. At the initiation stage, the project scope is
determined and forms the basis of the project plan. This is part of the initiating a project process. This
stage also involves activities related to the managing a stage managing process. The controlling
stage, managing product delivery, and managing stage managing processes are performed during
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the delivery stages. During the delivery stage, the project manager is given authority to control the
project, assign work, manage product deliverables and determine whether or not the project will
continue. It’s important to note that there can be as few or as many delivery stages as the project
logically requires. And the controlling stage, managing product delivery and closing a project
processes are performed at the final stage. Once all the project deliverables are approved, the project
is closed. And project decommissioning activities take place.
The goal, of course, of any project is to realize the benefits of the project. This doesn't typically
happened during the active project life cycle. Instead, project benefits are typically realized after the
project is complete. During the post-project phase, a post project benefits review can help determine
that the planned project benefits have been actualized and which have not. It also helps you identify
any unexpected benefits of the project were any of these benefits not accounted for. It also allows you
to identify any useful lessons learned that you can apply to future projects. The post-project phase
does not have an associated PRINCE2® process because it is not managed within the PRINCE2®
methodology. The project management team is disbanded once the project board authorized project
closure. The project, however, does pass on the follow on action recommendations and the benefits
management approach to the user or customer project closure so they can manage this phase.
© 2018 Skillsoft Ireland Limited
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Skillsoft Course Transcript https://cdnlibrary.skillport.com/courseware/Content/cca/apj_29_a01_bs_...

Overview of the PRINCE2® Methodology

2. Benefits of Project Management

3. Aspects of Project Performance

4. The PRINCE2® Methodology

10. PRINCE2® Management Stages

An additional benefit of PRINCE2® is that it enables explicit recognition of project responsibilities. It

The initiation phase is treated as a management stage by PRINCE2®. It is controlled using an

© 2018 Skillsoft Ireland Limited

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