Prince2 study guide

Content: Contents Introduction xxv Assessment Test l Chapter 1: Overview of PRINCE2 1 Project Work 3 What Is a Project? 3 What Is Business as Usual? 5 What Is Project Management? 5 Measuring the Performance of a Project 7 Introducing PRINCE2 9 The Structure of PRINCE2 9 Other Parts of PRINCE2 12 What PRINCE2 Does Not Cover 16 Benefits of Using PRINCE2 16 PRINCE2 Principles 17 Continued Business Justification 17 Learn from Experience 18 Defined Roles and Responsibilities 18 Manage by Stages 19 Manage by Exception 19 Focus on Products 21 Tailor to Suit the Project 21 Tailoring PRINCE2 to Different Project Types and Environments 22 What Is Tailoring? 22 What Cannot Be Tailored? 22 Why Tailor PRINCE2? 23 What Can Be Tailored? 24 Simple Projects 25 Programme Environments 25 Commercial Customer and Supplier Environments 26 Agile Environments 26 An End-to-End Walk-Through of PRINCE2 28 Pre-Project Activities 30 Activities at the Beginning of the Project 33 Activities in the Middle of the Project 35 Activities at the End of the Project 38 Summary 40 Foundation Exam Essentials 41 Practitioner Exam Essentials 42 Review Questions 43 Foundation Exam Questions 43 Practitioner Exam Questions 45 Chapter 2 Starting a Project Successfully with PRINCE2 47 Beginning a PRINCE2 Project 49 The Starting Up a Project Process 50 Starting Up a Project Process Activities 52 Key Facts for Starting Up a Project 58 Tailoring the Starting Up a Project Process 59 The Directing a Project Process - Part I 60 Authorize Initiation 61 The Initiating a Project Process 62 Initiating a Project Activities 63 Key Facts for Initiating a Project 70 Tailoring the Initiating a Project Process 72 The Directing a Project Process - Part II 73 Authorize the Project 74 Authorize a Stage 74 Themes to Start a Project Successfully 74 Business Case Theme 75 Organization Theme 75 Quality Theme 76 Plans Theme 76 Risk Theme 77 Change Theme 77 Progress Theme 77 Using the PRINCE2 Principles to Start a Project Successfully 78 Summary 78 Foundation Exam Essentials 79 Practitioner Exam Essentials 80 Review Questions 84 Foundation Exam Questions 84 Practitioner Exam Questions 86 Chapter 3 Organization Theme 89 Common Project Organizational Challenges 91 The Three Project Interests 92 The Business Interest 93 The User Interest 93 The Supplier Interest 94 Achieving Consensus Between the Project Interests 94 The Four Levels of Management 94 Corporate, Programme Management, or the Customer 95 Directing 96 Managing 97 Delivering 98 The Project Management Team 98 The Project Board 98 Change Authority 103 The Project Manager 104 Project Support 104 Team Manager 105 Other Stakeholders 106 Communication Management Approach 107 Contents 107 The Life of the Communication Management Approach 110 Other Management Products Used by the Organization Theme 110 The Project Brief's Use in the Organization Theme 110 The Project Initiation Documentation's Use in the Organization Theme 110 Organization Theme Responsibilities 111 Tailoring the Organization Theme 111 Minimum Requirements 111 Scaling the Organization Theme 112 Commercial Customer/Supplier Environment 113 Projects Within Programmes 115 Projects Within an Organizational Environment 118 Agile Environments 118 Linking the Organization Theme with the PRINCE2 Principles 121 Summary 121 Foundation Exam Essentials 122 Practitioner Exam Objectives 124 Review Questions 125 Foundation Exam Questions 125 Practitioner Exam Questions 127 Chapter 4 Business Case Theme 131 What Is the Business Case Theme? 132 Outputs, Outcomes, and Benefits 133 Business Cases Where Money Isn't the Motivation 135 Using the Business Case Theme 135 Developing the Business Case 136 Maintaining the Business Case 137 Verifying the Business Case 137 Confirming the Benefits 138 The Business Case Management Product 139 The Purpose 139 The Contents of the Business Case 140 The Benefits Management Approach 144 Business Case Responsibilities 146 Corporate, Programme Management, or the Customer 146 Executive 146 Senior User 146 Project Manager 147 Other Roles 147 Tailoring the Business Case Theme 147 Minimum Requirements 147 Tailoring the Management Products 148 Regulatory Compliance 148 Projects Within Programmes 148 Commercial Customer and/or Supplier Environments 148 Agile Environments 149 Linking the Business Case Theme with the PRINCE2 Principles 150 Summary 150 Foundation Exam Essentials 151 Practitioner Exam Essentials 152 Review Questions 154 Foundation Exam Questions 154 Practitioner Exam Questions 156 Chapter 5 Plans Theme 159 Levels of Plans 161 The Project Plan 162 The Stage Plan 163 The Team Plans 164 The Exception Plan 164 The Plan Management Product 168 Plan Description 170 Plan Prerequisite 170 External Dependencies 171 Planning Assumptions 171 Delivery Approaches 171 Lessons Incorporated 171 Monitoring and Control 172 Budgets 172 Tolerances 173 Product Descriptions 173 Schedule 173 Structuring the Project into Management Stages 174 The PRINCE2 Approach to Plans 180 Designing a Plan 181 Defining and Analyzing the Products 182 Identifying Activities and Dependencies 182 Preparing Estimates 183 Preparing a Schedule 183 Analyzing Risks to a Plan 183 Documenting a Plan 183 Defining and Analyzing the Products 184 Writing the Project Product Description 184 Creating a Product Breakdown Structure 185 Writing Product Descriptions 188 Creating a Product Flow Diagram 188 Benefits of the Product-Based Planning Approach 189 Planning Responsibilities 190 Tailoring the Plans Theme 190 Minimum Requirements 190 Tailoring the Management Products 191 Projects Within Programmes 191 Commercial Customer/Supplier Environments 192 Agile Environments 192 Linking the Plans Theme with the PRINCE2 Principles 193 Summary 193 Foundation Exam Essentials 194 Practitioner Exam Essentials 195 Review Questions 197 Foundation Exam Questions 197 Practitioner Exam Questions 199 Chapter 6 Quality Theme 203 What Is Quality? 205 What Is Scope? 206 What Is Quality Management? 206 Quality Assurance and Project Assurance 207 Quality Planning 209 The Project Product Description 209 Product Descriptions 213 Quality Control 217 Using the Quality Register 218 Types of Quality Methods 221 Application of the Quality Theme in a Project 222 Step 1: Before the Project 223 Step 2: Initiation Stage 224 Step 3: Product-Based Planning 224 Step 4: Planning the Quality Checks 225 Step 5: Building, Checking, and Approving the Products 225 Step 6: Accepting the Products 225 The Quality Management Approach 226 Introduction 227 Quality Management Procedure 227 Tools and Techniques 228 Records 228 Reporting 228 Timing of Quality Management Activities 228 Roles and Responsibilities 229 The Quality Review Technique 229 Roles Involved with the Quality Theme 230 Tailoring the Quality Theme 231 Minimum Requirements 231 Commercial Customer and Supplier Environment 232 Aligning the Quality Approach with Organizational or Programme Approaches 232 Agile Environments 232 Linking the Quality Theme with the Principles 233 Summary 234 Foundation Exam Essentials 235 Practitioner Exam Essentials 236 Review Questions 239 Foundation Exam Questions 239 Practitioner Exam Questions 241 Chapter 7 Risk Theme 245 Why Are Projects So Risky? 246 The PRINCE2 Approach to Risk 247 How Does PRINCE2 Use the Word Risk? 247 Planning How to Manage Risk on the Project 248 An Example of a Risk Management Approach 248 Using the Risk Management Approach 249 The Risk Management Procedure 255 Identify 257 Assess 259 Plan 261 Implement 264 Communicate 266 Roles Involved with the Risk Theme 267 Tailoring the Risk Theme 268 Minimum Requirements 268 Scaling the Risk Theme 269 Commercial Customer/Supplier Environment 269 Aligning the Risk Approach with Organizational or Programme Approaches 269 Adapting the Risk Approach to Different Delivery Approaches 270 Linking the Risk Theme with the Principles 271 Summary 271 Foundation Exam Essentials 272 Practitioner Exam Essentials 274 Review Questions 275 Foundation Exam Questions 275 Practitioner Exam Questions 277 Chapter 8 Change Theme 281 Change Theme Terminology 282 Baselines 282 Releases 283 Configuration Items 283 Types of Issues 283 Request for Change 284 Off-Specification 284 Problem/Concern 285 Change Authority 286 Change Budget 288 Issue and Change Control Procedure 288 Capturing Issues 289 Assessing Issues 291 Proposing Corrective Actions 291 Deciding on Corrective Actions 292 Implementing Corrective Actions 293 Tracking and Controlling Configuration Items 293 Tracking Configuration Items 293 Controlling Baselines 296 Change Control Approach 297 Roles Involved with the Change Theme 298 Tailoring the Change Theme 299 Minimum Requirements 299 Aligning the Change Approach with Organizational or Programme Approaches 299 Agile Environments 300 Linking the Change Theme with the Principles 300 Summary 301 Foundation Exam Essentials 302 Review Questions 305 Foundation Exam Questions 305 Practitioner Exam Questions 307 Chapter 9 Progress Theme 311 Purpose of the Progress Theme 312 Tolerances and Exceptions 313 Levels of Tolerance 314 Types of Tolerance 318 PRINCE2 Controls 322 Project Board Controls 322 Project Manager Controls 324 Event-Driven vs. Time-Driven Controls 327 Controlling the Capturing and Reporting of Lessons 328 Roles Involved with the Progress Theme 329 Tailoring the Progress Theme 330 Minimum Requirements 330 Tailoring the Management Products 330 Projects within Programmes 332 Agile Environments 332 Linking the Progress Theme with the PRINCE2 Principles 334 Summary 334 Foundation Exam Essentials 335 Practitioner Exam Essentials 337 Review Questions 339 Foundation Exam Questions 339 Practitioner Exam Questions 341 Chapter 10 Managing the Middle of a Project Successfully with PRINCE2 345 Overview of the Middle of a PRINCE2 Project 348 The Controlling a Stage and Managing Product Delivery Processes 349 Controlling the Delivery of the Specialist Work 351 Reporting on the Progress of a Stage 358 Dealing with Issues and Risks During a Stage 359 Deciding What to Do Next in a Stage 361 Key Facts for Controlling a Stage and Managing Product Delivery 362 Tailoring the Controlling a Stage and Managing Product Delivery Processes 364 The Managing a Stage Boundary Process 366 Plan the Next Management Stage 367 Produce an Exception Plan 368 Update the Project Plan 369 Update the Business Case 370 Report Stage End 370 After Managing a Stage Boundary 371 Key Facts for Managing a Stage Boundary 372 Tailoring the Managing a Stage Boundary Process 373 The Directing a Project Process 374 Authorize a Stage or Exception Plan 374 Give Ad Hoc Direction 375 Themes Used to Manage the Middle of the Project 375 Business Case Theme 375 Organization Theme 376 Quality Theme 376 Plans Theme 377 Risk Theme 377 Change Theme 378 Progress Theme 378 Using the PRINCE2 Principles to Successfully Manage the Middle of a Project 379 Summary 380 Foundation Exam Essentials 380 Practitioner Exam Essentials 382 Review Questions 386 Foundation Exam Questions 386 Practitioner Questions 388 Chapter 11 Managing the End of a Project Successfully with PRINCE2 391 Overview of the End of a PRINCE2 Project 393 The Closing a Project Process 395 Prepare Planned Closure 397 Prepare Premature Closure 397 Hand Over Products 397 Evaluate the Project 398 Recommend Project Closure 399 Key Facts for Closing a Project 399 Tailoring the Closing a Project Process 400 The Directing a Project Process 401 Authorize Project Closure 402 Key Facts for Directing a Project 402 Tailoring the Directing a Project Process 403 Using the PRINCE2 Themes to Close the Project 404 Business Case Theme 404 Organization Theme 404 Quality Theme 404 Plans Theme 405 Risk Theme 405 Change Theme 405 Progress Theme 405 Using the PRINCE2 Principles to Close the Project 405 Summary 406 Foundation Exam Essentials 406 Practitioner Exam Essentials 407 Review Questions 409 Foundation Exam Questions 409 Practitioner Exam Questions 411 Chapter 12 Passing the Accreditation Exams 415 Preparing for the Exams 416 Preparing for the Foundation Exam 416 Preparing for the Practitioner Exam 421 Taking the Exams 422 General Tips for Taking the Exams 422 Taking the Foundation Exam 425 Taking the Practitioner Exam 426 Appendix A Answers to Review Questions 433 Chapter 1: Overview of PRINCE2 434 Foundation Exam Answers 434 Practitioner Exam Questions 435 Chapter 2: Starting a Project Successfully with PRINCE2 435 Foundation Exam Answers 435 Practitioner Exam Answers 437 Chapter 3: Organization Theme 438 Foundation Exam Answers 438 Practitioner Exam Answers 439 Chapter 4: Business Case Theme 441 Foundation Exam Questions 441 Practitioner Exam Questions 442 Chapter 5: Plans Theme 443 Foundation Exam Questions 443 Practitioner Exam Questions 444 Chapter 6: Quality Theme 445 Foundation Exam Questions 445 Practitioner Exam Questions 446 Chapter 7: Risk Theme 447 Foundation Exam Questions 447 Practitioner Exam Questions 448 Chapter 8: Change Theme 450 Foundation Exam Questions 450 Practitioner Exam Questions 451 Chapter 9: Progress Theme 452 Foundation Exam Questions 452 Practitioner Exam Questions 454 Chapter 10: Managing the Middle of a Project Successfully with PRINCE2 455 Foundation Exam Questions 455 Practitioner Questions 457 Chapter 11: Managing the End of a Project Successfully with PRINCE2 458 Foundation Exam Questions 458 Practitioner Exam Questions 459 Appendix B Practitioner Exam Scenario 461 Scenario-Website Project 462 Additional Information 463 Appendix C Management Products in PRINCE2 465 Appendix D Bonus PRINCE2 Foundation Exam 473 Foundation Questions 474 Answers to Bonus PRINCE2 Foundation Exam 486 Appendix E Bonus PRINCE2 Practitioner Exam 493 Project Scenario and Additional Information 495 Project Scenario 495 Additional Information 495 Questions 496 Principles 496 Business Case 498 Organization 499 Quality 501 Plans 502 Risk 503 Change 504 Progress 505 Starting Up a Project 506 Directing a Project 506 Initiating a Project 507 Controlling a Stage 508 Managing Product Delivery 509 Managing a Stage Boundary 510 Closing a Project 511 Answers to Practitioner Exam Questions 512 Answers to Principles 512 Answers to Business Case 513 Answers to Organization 514 Answer to Quality 515 Answers to Plans 516 Answers to Risk 516 Answers to Change 517 Answer to Progress 518 Answers to Starting Up a Project 518 Answers to Directing a Project 519 Answers to Initiating a Project 519 Answers to Controlling a Stage 520 Answers to Managing Product Delivery 520 Answers to Managing a Stage Boundary 520 Answers to Closing a Project 521 Index 523