Project Board and Project Manager PRINCE2 Controls

 

There are FOUR levels of management within PRINCE2, and the principle of management by exception uses six types of tolerance against which a project can be controlled. The allocation of these tolerances is applied as needed to these four management levels as follows:

 

Corporate or programme management sits outside the project but sets the overall requirements and tolerance levels for the project. The three levels of management within the project will manage and implement within these tolerances and escalate any forecast breaches of project tolerance

 

The Project Board has control at a project level, as long as forecasts remain within project tolerance, and will allocate tolerances for each management stage to the Project Manager. The Project Board has the ability to review progress and decide whether to continue, change or stop the project. 

 

During execution of the project, if any forecasts indicate that the project is likely to exceed the agreed project tolerances, then the deviation should be referred upwards to corporate or programme management by the Project Board in the form of an Exception Report  to get a decision on corrective action

 

The Project Manager has day-to-day control for a management stage within the tolerance limits laid down by the Project Board. During execution of a Stage Plan, if any forecasts indicate that the stage is likely to exceed the agreed stage tolerances, then the deviation should be referred to the Project Board by the Project Manager in order to get a decision on what to do next.

 

The Team Manager has control for a Work Package, but only within the Work Package tolerances agreed with the Project Manager. During execution of the Work Package, if any forecasts indicate that it is likely that the agreed tolerances will be exceeded, then the deviation should be referred to the Project Manager by the Team Manager in order to get a decision on corrective action.

 

 

These  include:

 

Authorizations. The Project Board uses the Directing a Project process to authorize initiation, authorize the project, authorize each stage and, finally, authorize project closure:

 

After the pre-project process Starting up a Project, the Project Board authorizes progress to the initiation stage, this is the official ’start’ of the project

 

After the Initiating a Project process, the Project Board reviews the information from the Project Initiation Documentation and, if satisfied that there is sufficient reason to go ahead with the project, can approve the Project Initiation Documentation and authorize the project itself.

 

After the Managing a Stage Boundary process, the Project Board reviews either a Stage Plan or Exception Plan, and can either approve the plan, with its relevant tolerances for the next management stage, or, if there is insufficient justification to continue with the project, trigger premature closure of the project

 

After the Closing a Project process, the Project Board reviews the End Project Report and, if satisfied that the project is complete or has nothing more to offer, can authorize its closure and inform corporate or programme management.

 

Progress updates throughout the project include  Highlight Reports and End Stage Reports

 

Exception Reports and Issue Reports. When the Project Board has agreed stage tolerances with the Project Manager, it is kept informed of progress by means of Highlight Reports. 

There is no need for regular progress meetings during this stage, although personnel with Project Assurance responsibilities will require regular contact with the Project Manager and team members.

 

 

The main controls available to the Project Manager include:

 

Authorizations. Project Manager authorizations occur during the process Controlling a Stage. The Project Manager will be responsible for agreeing and authorizing Work Packages and Work Package tolerances

 

Progress updates for the project manager include Checkpoint Reports produced by Team Managers or team members

 

Exceptions and changes Use of project registers and logs to review progress and identify issues and risks that may need to be resolved.

 

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