PRINCE2 Authorizing Initiation

PRINCE2 Authorizing Initiation

The first end stage assessment in any PRINCE2 project takes place at the end of the Initiation Stage, and the Project Board use the Authorizing Initiation activity within the Directing a Project process to do this.

However, there is a parallel activity that also needs to take place if this project is to proceed any further, and that is to prepare a Stage Plan for the next stage.  The Managing a Stage Boundary (SB) process is used for this purpose, and will use the product based planning technique.  As this is the end of the initiation stage then the End Stage Report will also need to be created along with an optional Lessons Report.

Authorizing the PID will occur within the Authorize the Project activity and authorizing the next Stage Plan will occur at the Authorize a Stage or Exception Plan activity.  Both of these are activities within the Directing a Project process, and will normally take place at the same meeting which is the end stage assessment.

At this end stage assessment, as is typical, the project board has the option to approve the next Stage Plan, prematurely close the project, or request that the project manager reworks some aspect of the documentation. 

Assuming all is well, the Project Board will set stage tolerance for the next stage, advise the project manager of the frequency and detail to be included in the regular Highlight Reports and approve the next Stage Plan.  This will now trigger the project manager to give out the first Work Package within this newly approved stage.

It is highly likely that the number and detail of Work Packages within a stage and any associated Team Plans have already been thought through during the planning of the relevant stage.  But whether they have or not, the PRINCE2 method defines that the specialist team should not start work on any product creation until a Work Package containing such work has been authorized by the project manager and accepted by either the team manager or the team members themselves.

The Team Manager role may optionally be given to an appropriate individual within the specialist team (if the specialist team is a third party, then it may well be that their project manager takes on the role of Team Manager – but remember, there can only be one Project Manager).  The team manager may optionally produce a Team Plan which would show that one or many Work Packages can be delivered within the constraints laid down. 

Every Work Package must contain at least one Product Description.  The project manager may optionally set tolerances at the work package level.

Once the Work Package has been agreed and accepted then work can start on the creation of the specialist products contained within the Work Package.  At any given point during a stage there may be one or several Work Packages, possibly given to different teams, being worked on at the same time.  Alternatively Work Packages may be given out one after another.  This is clearly a very flexible system and the manner and formality will depend on the nature of the specialist work within the stage.

So let's summarize Authorizing Initiation:

 

 
The initiation stage is where the Project Initiation Documentation is assembled and created as well as planning and preparing for the next (second) stage. This may well represent a significant spend and resources as well as significant costs.  It is therefore important that these activities should be planned, monitored and controlled.
 
The activity ‘ authorize initiation’, is used by the project board to ensure that such investment is worthwhile.  The project manager gives a request to initiate a project, and the project board must now make a decision whether or not to allow the project to proceed.  
 
This decision can be made at a formal meeting, but as long as all of the project board members are in agreement, then the executive can advise the project manager to proceed with the initiation stage.
 
It is important that customer, user, and supply side of the project are involved in reviewing all draft documents as well as being involved in any discussions and contributing to the document creation where appropriate.  
 
Where suppliers have yet to be appointed, it may be a good idea to have an individual represents them, such as a purchasing manager (who would possibly be involved in negotiating and setting up any third party contracts).
 
The project board is also responsible for providing project assurance and they may delegate this to other individuals, and it is these individuals that may undertake to carry out the reviewing and assessing the project brief and initiation stage plan.
 
The actions that needs to take place in the activity’ authorise initiation’ are:
 
  • Review the project brief including the project definition and project approach.
     
  • Confirming the appointment of the project management team and ensuring that all members have agreed their roles.
     
  • Review the Project Product Description and confirm that the customer’s quality expectations and acceptance criteria are satisfactory
     
  • Ensure that the outline Business Case determines that the project is viable and worthwhile
     
  • Review the plan for the initiation stage and ensure that the resources, risks, timeframe, tolerances, and reporting and control mechanisms are acceptable
 
All of the above needs to be approved by the project board, and stakeholders informed that the project is being initiated.  The final action of the project board in this activity, is to authorise the project manager to proceed with the initiation stage.
 
For more information on PRINCE2 -  GO HERE

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