The PRINCE2 Themes

The PRINCE2 Themes

Themes could be seen as standard approaches within the sphere of project management and describe aspects that must be addressed continually.  These seven themes are integrated because they are specially designed to link together in an effective manner.  These themes give detailed guidance and are applied to each of the seven PRINCE2 processes that describe the chronological flow of the project.

All seven of the PRINCE2 themes must be applied to any given project, but they should be tailored according to the scale, nature and complexity of the individual project.  The themes have been designed to be tailored ‘up’ or ‘down’, that it’s for complex and highly risk projects the themes may and detailed documentation and increase process discipline.  The reverse is true for simple and low risk projects.

Each PRINCE2 theme is structured in a standard way:

·         The purpose of the theme and why it is important to successfully deliver the project
 

·         The theme definition terms and definitions
 

·         The specific treatment of the particular aspect of project management to the theme for the PRINCE2 processes to be fully effective
 

·         The specific responsibilities for each key theme in terms of PRINCE2 roles

There is a list of the seven themes with a brief description of each:

1.       The business case theme.  This answers the ‘WHY’ of a project.  The trigger for any project is an idea that could ensure the realization of business benefits or potential value for the organization concerned.  The purpose of the business case theme is to establish mechanisms to judge whether the project is (and remains) desirable, viable and achievable as a means to support decision-making in its (continued) investment.

It is a PRINCE2 principal of a project must have continued business justification, as without it no project should start.  If business justification is valid at the start of the project, but disappears once it is underway, the project should be stopped or changed.

2.       The organization theme.  This answers ‘WHO’ of a project.  Projects are cross functional so the normal line functions structures are not suitable, and it is therefore needed to describe the roles and responsibilities in the temporary PRINCE2 project management team so that the project can be managed effectively.  The purpose of the organization theme is to define and established the projects structure of accountability and responsibilities.

PRINCE2 is based on a customer/supplier environment, assuming that there will be a customer who specifies the desired result and will also probably pay for the project, under supplier will provide the resources and skills required to deliver the project and hence the result.  One of the principles of PRINCE2 is that all projects must have a defined organisational structure with roles and responsibilities. PRINCE2 does not defined management jobs to be allocated to people on a 1 to 1 basis, rather, it defines roles, each of which is defined by or associated set of responsibilities.  These roles maybe shared or combined.
 

3.       The quality theme.  This answers the ‘WHAT’ of a project.  This deals with two aspects, one is how the initial outline idea is developed so that everyone understands the quality of tributes of the projects to be delivered, and then goes on to explain how project management when ensure that these requirements are ultimately delivered.

The purpose of the quality theme is to define and implement the means by which the project will create and verify products that are fit for purpose.  It goes on to define the organization PRINCE2 approach that ensures that the projects products meet business expectations and all slightly enable the desired benefits to be realized.
 

4.The Plans theme.  This answers the ‘HOW’, ‘HOW MUCH’, and the ‘WHEN’ of a project. There are three levels of plans within a PRINCE2 project, the project plan, the stage plan, and the optional team plan.  This theme describes the steps required to develop such plans along with the PRINCE2 techniques that need to be applied.

The purpose of the plans theme is to facilitate communication and control by defining the means of developing the products.  Without a plan there is no control, and hence this theme describes what is required, how it will be achieved and by whom, when events will happen, and whether the targets for time, cost, quality, scope, risks and benefits are achievable.

5.The risk theme.  This answers the ‘WHAT IF’ of a project.  Projects are more risky than business as usual or operational activities.  This theme covers how project management will manage such uncertainties.  The purpose of the risk theme is to identify, assess and control uncertainty and, as a result, improve the ability of the project to succeed.

Because projects enable change and change introduces uncertainty, then risk is inevitable, and every project should establish and maintain a cost effective risk management procedure.  This will enable better decision-making by understanding each risk, its course, it’s likely that all probability, its impact, timing, and the choice of responses.

6.       The change theme.  This answers the at ‘WHAT’S THE IMPACT’ of a project.  This describes how project management processes and acted upon issues which have a potential impact on any of the baseline aspects of a given project.  Issues may be general problems or concerns, as well as requests for change or off specifications.

The purpose of the change theme is to identify, assess and control any potential and approved changes to the project baseline.  Since change is inevitable during a project, then each project needs a systematic approach towards the identification, assessment and control of issues that may result in change. 

The aim of the issue and change control procedures is not to prevent changes, but to ensure that every changes agreed by the relevant authority before it takes place.  The use of configuration management which records baselines for the projects products works hand in glove with the change theme.
 

7.       The progress theme.  This answers the  ‘WHERE ARE WE NOW?’, ‘WHERE ARE WE GOING’, and ‘SHOULD WE CARRY ON?’  Aspects of a project.  This address is the ongoing viability of the plans and explains the decision-making process for all proving plans are in the first place, monitoring of actual performance, and the desolation process if events do not go according to plan.

The purpose of the progress theme is to put mechanisms in place to both monitor and compare the actual achievements against those that were planned, and to provide a forecast for the project objectives along with its continued business viability, and control any unacceptable deviations.