Directing Projects with PRINCE2

Key sections

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PRINCE2 2009 - Directing Projects with PRINCE2 part 47

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Authorize a Stage or Exception Plan

Assess project viability

The reviews of the End Stage Report (or Exception Report) and the proposed Stage Plan (or Exception Plan) serve to bring Project Board members fully up to date with the detailed status of the project and the plans for the short term.

Now is the time to step back from the detail and consider the wider project viability.

Areas of shared focus

How does progress compare with the original Project Plan? Are the costs and timescales still broadly in line?
Is there any significant change in the perception of the business risks involved?
Are the project benefits still likely to be realized? What are the benefits to date, if any? Are there any additional potential benefits? Does the project’s Benefits Review Plan need to be changed?

The Executive’s focus

Is the Business Case still viable? Have the external business/social/legislative/technology environments changed? Have the corporate/programme priorities changed? Do we still want to do this?
Is the project organization working well as a team? Should there be changes in the structure or personnel?
Are the project controls appropriate? Are they too bureaucratic - slowing us down without adding value? Or too lax - not really providing adequate control?

The Senior User’s focus

Will the project still provide the capability we require to deliver the business benefits?
Will we be ready to deliver the benefits as planned?
Are the plans for user involvement in the project still practicable and realistic?
Are the arrangements for providing user assurance still adequate?
Will users/customers continue to be able to meet their obligations?
Could the project be impacted by market/regulatory/legislative etc. changes or by parallel change initiatives within the parts of the business affected?
Is there still a realistic perception of the user-related risks and are they being managed effectively?

The Senior Supplier’s focus

Is the project approach still appropriate from the specialist technical viewpoint? Are there viable, practical changes we could make to improve the project performance or results?
Will the project be impacted by any changes of corporate/programme strategy, standards, technology advances or parallel change programmes/projects?
Is the specialist technical resourcing for the project still going to be available?
Are we still sure that we have the right competencies?
Are the arrangements for providing specialist technical assurance still adequate?
Will contractors/third-party suppliers continue to meet Project Plan dependencies and targets?
Is there still a realistic perception of the specialist technical risks, and are they being managed effectively?

All references above are in Directing Successful Projects with PRINCE2® unless stated otherwise.

PRINCE2® is a Registered Trade Mark of the Office of Government Commerce in the United Kingdom and other countries.

Non - PRINCE2 information

Purchase the full productThis product contains EVERYTHING in the publications:

Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2 - 2005 edition
Managing successful Projects with PRINCE2 – 2009 edition
Directing Projects with PRINCE2.

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NON - PRINCE2 project management

Introduction

What is a project? [see What is a project?]
What is project management? [see What is project management?]
Project management system [see What does a project management system consist of?]
Project visualisation [see Project visualisation]
Work breakdown [see Why breakdown a project?]
Concept [see Concept or idea]
Feasibility [see Feasibility study]
Initiation [see Initiation]
Specification [see Specification]
Project management design [see Design]
Project management build [see Build]
Project management implementation [see Implementation]
Project management operation and review [see Operation and review]
The Project Notebook [see The Project Notebook]

General

Control [see Control – part 1]
Dependencies [see Detailed planning – part 10] and [Detailed planning – part 11]
Plans [see Types of plans]
Writing reports [see Writing reports – part 1]

PRINCE2 2005

Introduction

Definition [see Introduction part 1]
Terminology [see Introduction part 2]
What is a project? Scope [see Introduction part 3]
The processes [see Introduction part 4]
Introduction to processes [see Introduction to processes]
59The components [see The components]

Analysing Risks [see Planning (PL) - part 7]
Authorising a Stage or Exception Plan [see Directing a Project (DP) - part 4]
Business Case [see Business Case - part 1]
Controls [see Controls - part 1]
End Stage Report [see Controls - part 5]
Exception Report [see Controls - part 5]
Identifying Activities and Dependencies [see Planning (PL) - part 4]
Organization [see Organization - part 1]
Planning [see Planning (PL) - part 1]
Plans - benefits [see Plans - part 1]
Producing an Exception Plan [see Managing Stage Boundaries (SB) - part 7]
Risk [see Management of Risk - part 1]
Setting up Project Controls [see Initiating a Project (IP) - part 5]
Updating a Project Plan [see Managing Stage Boundaries (SB) - part 3]

PRINCE2 2009

Organization [see Organization - Purpose]
Manage by exception [see Principles - Manage by exception]

Plans

Risk

Assess [see Risk - Risk management procedure - Assess]
Communicate [see Risk - Risk management procedure - Communicate]
Identify – part 1 [see Risk - Risk management procedure - Identify – part 1]
Implement [see Risk - Risk management procedure - Implement]
Plan [see Risk - Risk management procedure - Plan]
Risk management in projects [see Risk - Risk management in projects]
Risk management procedure [see Risk - Risk management procedure]
Risk Management Strategy [see Risk - Risk Management Strategy]
Risk Register [see Risk - Risk Register]
What is a risk? [see Risk - Risk defined - What is a risk?]
What is at risk? [see Risk - Risk defined - What is at risk?]
What is risk management? [see Risk - Risk defined - What is risk management?]

Change

Stage

Time management

Introduction

Resources [see Resources]
Workaholic [see Workaholic]
What is time management? [see What is time management? Problem Time solving]
What is time management? [see What is time management? General]

Key time destroyers

Key Time Destroyers [see Key Time Destroyers]
Action chasing [see Action chasing]
Being disorganised [see Being disorganised]
Cant say 'No' [see Cant say 'No']
Crisis management [see Crisis management]
Desktop management [see Desktop management]
Friends [see Friends]
Large reports [see Large reports]
Low energy levels [see Low energy levels]
Meetings 1 [see Meetings 1]
Meetings 2 [see Meetings 2]
Multiple tasks [see Multiple tasks]
Others errors [see Others errors]
Other's jobs [see Other's jobs]
Paperwork [see Paperwork]
Perfection [see Perfection]
Poor communication [see Poor communication]
Poor control and reporting [see Poor control and reporting]
Poor delegation [see Poor delegation]
Poor information [see Poor information]
Poor leadership [see Poor leadership]
Poor planning [see Poor planning]
Poor preparation [see Poor preparation]
Poor self discipline [see Poor self discipline]
Putting things off [see Putting things off]
Resource issues [see Resource issues]
Responsibility, accountability and authority [see Responsibility, accountability and authority]
Socialising [see Socialising]
Staff issues [see Staff issues]
The boss [see The boss]
The telephone 1 [see The telephone 1]
The telephone 2 [see The telephone 2]
Travel time [see Travel time]
Unfinished tasks [see Unfinished tasks]
Unwanted callers [see Unwanted callers]
Work overload [see Work overload]
Your own errors [see Your own errors]

Planning

Assessment and planning [see Assessment and planning]
Implementing [see Implementing]
Prioritising [see Prioritising]
Scheduling [see Scheduling]
Review [see Review]

Risk management

Introduction

What is risk? [see What is risk?]
6 questions to define the project [see 6 questions to define the project]
The key areas of concern [see The key areas of concern]
What should risk analysis provide? [see What should risk analysis provide?]
3 Ways to view risk management [see 3 Ways to view risk management]
General comments on risk assessment [see General comments on risk assessment]
Accountability [see Accountability]
General comments on planning [see General comments on planning]
What are the core process steps to assess a risk? [see What are the core process steps to assess a risk?]
Simple process outline [see Simple process outline]
What are the basic overall process steps? [see What are the basic overall process steps?]
Stakeholders [see Stakeholders]
Success measures [see Success measures]
Why carry out Risk Assessment? [see Why carry out Risk Assessment?]

Leadership

Introduction

Definition of leadership [see Definition of leadership]
Leadership and effectiveness [see Leadership and effectiveness]
Leadership qualities [see Leadership qualities]
Leadership functions [see Leadership functions]

Change

Progress [see Progress]
Problems of change [see Problems of change]
Freeze to freedom [see Freeze to freedom]

General

Structure [see Structure]
Life transitions [see Life transitions]
Balance [see Balance]
Open questions [see Open questions]
CEO [see CEO]
Chairman [see Chairman]
Mergers and acquisitions [see Mergers and acquisitions]
Leaders and managers [see Leaders and managers]
Useful word derivation [see Useful word derivation]
Summary [see Summary]

other sites of interest in the series

this is not the official brand site for PRINCE2® — OGC official brand sites are

PRINCE2® is a registered trade mark of the Cabinet Office.

Material on this site covers the PRINCE2® process as referred to in the OGC publication:

‘Managing successful Projects with PRINCE2 – 2009 edition’ and ‘Directing Projects with PRINCE2’.

PRINCE2 2009 - Directing Projects with PRINCE2 part 47

Authorize a Stage or Exception Plan

Assess project viability

Non - PRINCE2 information

Purchase the full productThis product contains EVERYTHING in the publications: Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2 - 2005 edition Managing successful Projects with PRINCE2 – 2009 edition Directing Projects with PRINCE2. And much more besides - at a fraction of the cost.

NON - PRINCE2 project management

PRINCE2 2005

PRINCE2 2009

Time management

Risk management

Leadership

Purchase the full productThis product contains EVERYTHING in the publications:

Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2 - 2005 edition
Managing successful Projects with PRINCE2 – 2009 edition
Directing Projects with PRINCE2.

And much more besides - at a fraction of the cost.