Introduction

• Defintion
• Structure and terminology
• What is a project?

Processes

• The processes
• Management levels
• Starting up a project SU
  • Fundamental principles
  • Appointing an Executive and Project Manager (SU1)
  • Designing a Project Management Team (SU1)
  • Appointing a Project Management Team (SU3)
  • Preparing a Project Brief (SU4)
  • Defining Project Approach (SU5)
  • Planning an Initiation Stage (SU6)
• Initiating a project IP
  • Fundamental principles
  • Planning Quality (IP1)
  • Planning a Project (IP2)
  • Refining a Business Case and Risks (IP3)
  • Setting up Project Controls (IP4)
  • Setting up Project Files (IP5)
  • Assembling a Project Initiation Document (IP6)
• Directing a project DP
  • Fundamental principles
  • Authorising Initiation (DP1)
  • Authorising a Project (DP2)
  • Authorising a Stage or Exception Plan (DP3)
  • Giving Ad Hoc Direction (DP4)
  • Confirming Project Closure (DP5)
• Controlling a stage CS
  • Fundamental principles
  • Authorising Work Package (CS1)
  • Assessing Progress (CS2)
  • Capturing Project Issues (CS3)
  • Examining Project Issues (CS4)
  • Reviewing Stage Status (CS5)
  • Reporting Highlights (CS6)
  • Taking Corrective Action (CS7)
  • Escalating Project Issues (CS8)
  • Receiving Completed Work Package (CS9)
• Managing product delivery MP
  • Fundamental principles
  • Accepting a Work Package (MP1)
  • Executing a Work Package (MP2)
  • Delivering a Work Package (MP3)
• Managing stage boundaries SB
  • Fundamental principles
  • Planning a Stage (SB1)
  • Updating a Project Plan (SB2)
  • Updating a Project Business Case (SB3)
  • Updating the Risk Log (SB4)
  • Reporting Stage End (SB5)
  • Producing an Exception Plan (SB6)
• Closing a project CP
  • Fundamental principles
  • Decommissioning a Project (CP1)
  • Identifying Follow-on Actions (CP2)
  • Evaluating a Project (CP3)
• Planning PL
  • Fundamental principles
  • Designing a Plan (PL1)
  • Defining and Analysing Products (PL2)
  • Identifying Activities and Dependencies (PL3)
  • Estimating (PL4)
  • Scheduling (PL5)
  • Analysing Risks (PL6)
  • Completing a Plan (PL7)

Components

• The components
• Business case
  • What is it?
  • Developing
• Organisation
  • Overview
  • The customer / supplier environment
  • Project Manager
• Plans
  • Benefits
  • Levels of plan
• Controls
  • Purpose
  • Project start-up
  • Tolerance
  • Product Descriptions
  • Exception Report
  • Controlled close
• Management of risk
  • What is it?
  • Risk analysis
  • Risk profile
  • Mapping the management of risk to the PRINCE2® processes
  • Interdependencies
• Quality in a project environment
  • What is quality?
• Configuration management
  • Purpose
  • Configuration control
• Change control
  • Purpose

Techniques

• General
• Product-based planning
  • General
  • Producing a Product Breakdown Structure
  • Writing a Product Description
  • Creating a Product Flow Diagram
• Change control
  • General
• Quality reviews
  • What is it?
  • Steps in a formal quality review procedure

Other

• Risk categories
• Health check
  • Health check – part 1
  • Health check – part 2

Appointing an Executive and Project Manager (SU1)

Fundamental principles

Any project must have a decision maker and someone to carry out the project planning.

Context

There must be a plan for the initiation work and the appointment of the Executive and the Project Management is a prerequisite.

Process description

The objectives are:

• Identify the Executive from the project’s stakeholders
• Identify the most appropriate Project Manager
• Confirm the above persons availability, their acceptance of the roles and their commitment to carry them out
• Appoint them to the roles

There must be a Project Mandate in existence first.
This indicates the size, type and complexity of the project.
It should show any political and business sensitivity.
It may include a draft Project Plan from earlier work.
The time frame will help in judging the availability of people for the key roles.

The steps needed will be:

• Ratify the key elements of the Project Mandate
• Establish any missing information
• Identify candidates for Executive and Project Manager
• Establish the responsibilities of each role
• Appoint Executive and Project Manager
• Confirm the appointments via agreement to job descriptions by corporate or programme management and appointees

Outlines, which can be tailored in discussions, for the Executive and Project Management roles are given in files ‘Executive.doc’ and ‘Project manager.doc’ in the product package.

Responsibilities

This lies with corporate or programme management.

Information needs

These are given in tabular form in the file ‘appointing an executive and a project manager.doc’ in the product package.

They are:

These are given in tabular form in the file ‘appointing an executive and a project manager.doc’ in the product package.

Key criteria

• Will the programme management fill any roles on the Project Board if the project is part of a programme?
• Will the Executive have the financial and functional authority to perform adequately?
• Has the availability of individuals been checked against the project time frame to maximise their presence on the project?
• Is it likely that any candidates for positions will change jobs during the project? If so have allowances been made?
• Do the appointees have the necessary skills and knowledge for the positions?

If the size of the project warrants it the job descriptions should be signed and copies held with their line management and in the project files.

If it is considered that formal job descriptions are not necessary, for example the project is too small, the persons should at least understand the responsibilities.

If the project is part of a programme they will appoint the Executive and may influence the appointment of the Project Manager. The Executive will appoint the rest of the Project Board.