PRINCE2 Review the stage status activity

The ‘review the stage status” activity.

 

At a simple level, the project manager's job is to give out work, check its status, forecast the future, and if required, take corrective action.

 

There is therefore a balance between planning ahead and reacting to events.

 

Since the project manager is managing against the stage plan it will be necessary to compare what has actually happened with what was expected to happen and as a result of that what might happen next.

 

Review the stage status activity is there to maintain an accurate and current picture of the stage progress on the work being carried out, and the resources used to carry out that work.

 

The project manager will use Checkpoint Reports as the main source on progress data but will also check for quality issues shown in the Quality Register and the status of risks and issues.

 

Any new or revised risks and current issues should have their impact assessed against the Business Case, Stage Plan or the Project Plan.

 

Any corrective actions which the project manager instigates should have their status checked to ensure the corrective actions are getting the required results.  Another important aspect is to check the utilisation of resources.  For current work underway, the resources should be checked for their knowledge and skills and experience, and for non-human resources, that they are appropriate and adequate.  The project manager will want to review the stage plan for planned future resources and ensure that these resources are available.

 

The Benefits Review Plan should be used to check whether any benefit reviews are due and if so, execute them as required.  Apart from authorising Work Packages, the project manager must give the project board regular Highlight Reports, and if necessary escalate issues and risks if tolerances are threatened via and Exception Report.

 

The project board should be used to seek advice if necessary or issue them with an issue report if required.

 

If any of the products are to be transferred to the customer then the project manager would request a product status accounts to ensure that the products have been approved and the operation and maintenance staff are ready to take responsibility for these products.

 

As the end of the stage approaches the project manager will want to use the Managing a Stage Boundary process to prepare for an end-stage assessment, or in the case of this being the last stage use the Closing a Project process to prepare for a controlled shutdown.

 

For more information CLICK HERE