The 8 PRINCE2™ Processes - Multiple-choice questions

To conclude this section, please have a go at answering the following Foundation Examination multiple-choice questions about PRINCE® Processes. Note your answers to the following questions and then select the link to the answer page.

During which process is the Risk Log set up?

1. Planning
2. Starting up a Project 
3. Initiating a Project
4. Controlling a Stage

What is the key output from the process 'Initiating a Project'?

1. Project Mandate
2. Project Brief 
3. Project Approach
4. Project Initiation Document

Which process is responsible for ensuring that completed products meet their quality criteria?

1. Controlling a Stage
2. Managing Product Delivery
3. Managing Stage Boundaries

During which process is the Next Stage Plan drafted for the Project Board's approval?

1. Controlling a Stage
2. Managing Stage Boundaries
3. Managing Product Delivery

Which of the following is not an element of the PRINCE® Product-based Planning technique?

1. Gantt chart
2. Product Breakdown Structure
3. Product Description
4. Product Flow Diagram

How well did you do? Here are the answers.

(Gathering basic information)

This first process in PRINCE® is a pre-project process and should be fairly short. It checks that a project is worthwhile. The key input to this process is a Project Mandate that defines in business terms the reason for the project and the expected outcome.

The process produces 5 management products by:

1. Designing and appointing a Project Management Team.
2. Converting the Mandate into a Project Brief.
3. Creating a Risk Log.
4. Defining the Project Approach.
5. Planning the Project Initiation Stage.

You can see how this first short process has addressed the first 3 PRINCE2™ Components: namely, Business Case, Organisation, and Plans. So from the initial input of a Project Mandate, the Directing a Project process has enough information for deciding whether or not to go ahead with detailed planning (the work covered in the Project Initiation Stage).

(Getting agreement on what is required)

This process is about planning the project in detail. The key product output is the Project Initiation Document (PID). The process addresses the following issues:

1. A suitable Business Case exists to justify proceeding with the project.

2. Production of a Project Quality Plan.

3. Key resources (money, time and people) are made available.

4. The remaining PRINCE® Components: namely, Controls, Management of Risk, Quality, Configuration Management and Change Control, are thought through and documented.

5. Other outputs from this process include blank products in readiness for use: the Quality Log, the Issue Log, and the Lessons Learned Log.

The process produces one further product: a detailed Stage Plan for the first Stage of the project.

(Using common planning steps and techniques)

The Planning process begins as soon as the Project Mandate arrives and is followed whenever the Project and Team Managers need to do further planning. 

PRINCE® uses a product-based planning technique that can be applied to any type of project:

1. Defining the form and content of the final deliverable or outcome of the project - a Product Description for that final deliverable.
2. Establishing what products are needed by compiling a Product Breakdown Structure or 'shopping list'.
3. Defining a Product Description for each key product shown in the Product Breakdown Structure.
4. Determining the sequence in which each product should be produced - a Product Flow Diagram.

A Product Checklist is useful to enable the Project Manager to check any key delivery dates for the products.

Although the PRINCE2™ method is very much focused on products, it recognises that other types of planning techniques may be used by the Project Manager to address the detailed activity required to produce the products (e.g. Gantt charts, Activity networks, Critical Path Analysis, etc.).

You have looked at the 8 Components of your project control documentation, and the Project Initiation Document (PID). Now we will look at the processes that help to put your controls into practice.

There are 8 high-level processes, each made up of a collection of lower-level sub-processes. Any PRINCE® project will use each of these processes to some degree, so let's summarise each process. The 8 processes are:

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(Taking decisions at key points)

This process runs from the start of the project until its closure. It involves the Project Board monitoring via reports, controlling through a number of decision points, and advising the Project Manager of its requirements.

1. AUTHORISING INITIATION - Agreeing the project looks worthwhile.
2. AUTHORISING A PROJECT - Approval of the PID and first Stage Plan.
3. STAGE BOUNDARIES - Checking results so far to commit more resources.
4. AD HOC DIRECTION - Providing advice and guidance.
5. PROJECT CLOSURE - Confirming project outcome is as desired.

This process does not cover the day-to-day activities of the Project Manager.

(Daily management of the project)

After all of the initial planning has been completed and project approval obtained, this process runs continuously throughout each sequential management Stage of the project. It describes the monitoring and control functions of the Project Manager in the day-to-day management of the project.

	Authorising work. Monitoring progress. Assessing issues and change requests. Reporting. Taking corrective action.
	The process also covers the ongoing task of risk management and change control.
	The Project Board meets at the end of each management Stage to review the work of the Stage just completed and to authorise the plans for the next Stage.

(Product creation)

This process is closely linked to Controlling a Stage and is all about getting specialist products created, tested and handed over.

Team Managers are responsible for:

1. Agreeing the work to be done (Work Packages) with the Project Manager.
2. Ensuring that products conform to their Product Description.
3. Assessing progress and reporting to the Project Manager.
4. Ensuring that completed products meet their quality criteria.
5. Obtaining approval for completed products.

Various management and quality products are created or updated during this process: e.g. Team Plans, Checkpoint Reports, Quality Log, etc.

(Preparing for the next Stage)

This process provides the Project Board with key data to assist it at its decision points on whether to continue with the project or not.

The key objectives are:

In simple terms, the Project Manager should be thinking ahead about what needs to be done next so that the project progresses smoothly, avoiding temporary delays.

This process also gives the Project Manager the opportunity to update a number of management products with actuals: e.g. the Project Plan, Risk Log, Business Case and Lessons Learned Log, etc. Any changes in the Organisation can be addressed in this process.

(Ensuring the project has done the job)

The purpose of this process is to execute a controlled close to the project, either at the planned end or premature closure.

The key features are to:

1. Check the extent to which the objectives set in the PID have been met.
2. Confirm the Customer's acceptance of the specialist products.
3. Confirm that product maintenance arrangements are in place.
4. Make recommendations for follow-on actions.
5. Archive the project files.
6. Plan a Post-Project Review, if relevant.
7. Notify relevant personnel that the project has closed.

The 8 PRINCE2™ Processes - Multiple-choice questions

During which process is the Risk Log set up?

1. Planning
2. Starting up a Project 
3. Initiating a Project
4. Controlling a Stage

2. is correct. The purpose of the Risk Log is to record all risks, and since any Project Board decision must be taken in the knowledge of all identified risks, it is necessary to establish the Risk Log early on in the project.

What is the key output from the process 'Initiating a Project'?

1. Project Mandate
2. Project Brief 
3. Project Approach
4. Project Initiation Document

4. is correct. The Project Mandate, Project Brief and Project Approach  are established earlier in Starting up a Project, whereas the PID is the outcome of all planning of the project, and is used to direct and manage the project.

Which process is responsible for ensuring that completed products meet their quality criteria?

1. Controlling a Stage
2. Managing Product Delivery
3. Managing Stage Boundaries

2. is correct. Products are created during the Managing Product Delivery process. The Team Manager is responsible for ensuring that completed products meet quality criteria as part of the Work Package they agreed with the Project Manager, and before the completed  products are returned.

During which process is the Next Stage Plan drafted for the Project Board's approval?

1. Controlling a Stage
2. Managing Stage Boundaries
3. Managing Product Delivery

2. is correct. Controlling a Stage and Managing Product Delivery are about monitoring and controlling activities taking place to create the specialist products for the current Stage approved by the Project Board. The Next Stage Plan is drafted by the Project Manager towards the end of the current Stage boundary in order that it can be considered by the Project Board at the End Stage Assessment meeting.

Which of the following is not an element of the PRINCE® Product-based Planning technique?

1. Gantt chart
2. Product Breakdown Structure
3. Product Description
4. Product Flow Diagram

1. is correct. A Gantt chart schedules the activities to be undertaken against the timescale required for the project, whereas Product-based Planning focuses on products, not activities.

Now move on to the Summary.

We have seen how the PRINCE2™ Process model addresses the 8 control Components at an early stage during:

• Starting up a Project
• Initiating a Project
• Planning

And we have looked at the links between the Processes and their relationship to each other. We have also seen how the general structure of the PRINCE® method is designed to keep the project moving in a controlled manner, but with the provision to bring it to an orderly premature close if things go wrong.

BUT... the key is tailoring the Components and Processes to fit YOUR project.

We hope that you have found this Introduction to the PRINCE2™ method useful. If you have any questions you want to raise with us, or you want to find out more about using PRINCE2™ by attending one of our training courses or by using our consultants:

Click here for more information about our PRINCE® training courses, or call us on 0845 223 5464.

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If you want to find out how to start to use PRINCE2™, click here.