Module 8 - Plans

Question 1

What is the purpose of the Plans practice?

Answer 1

To facilitate communication and control by defining the products and means to deliver them.
E.g. the who, what, when, where why and how

Question 2

What are the four types of plans in PRINCE2?

Answer 2

• Project plan
• Stage plans
• Team plans
• Exception plans

Question 3

What is a planning horizon?

Answer 3

The time period which it is possible to plan with reasonable confidence

Question 4

What is a project plan?

Answer 4

High-level plan created in the initiation process of a project. Is high-level and describes when, how and at what cost the project products will be delivered. Describes number of stages, stage boundaries and work packages with product delivery activities

Question 5

What is a stage plan?

Answer 5

Detailed plan used as basis for PM control throughout a stage. One is prepared for each stage. More detail than project plan (day-to-day).

Question 6

What is a team plan?

Answer 6

Plan for organizing and controlling work of a team executing a work package. Are optional in PRINCE2.

Question 7

What is an exception plan?

Answer 7

Created after the PM raises and exception report to the project board, when a tolerance has been exceeded.

Question 8

How does ‘manage by stages relate’ to the planning practice?

Answer 8

PRINCE2 structures a project on a stage-by-stage basis. Project stages are determined by balancing:
- delivery method
- sequence of delivery
- types of people and resources
- number/timing of key decision points
- risk
- how far ahead can be planned for

Question 9

What helps determines the length of a stage?

Answer 9

• complexity
• risk
• planning horizon
• decision points
• alignment with project activities

Question 10

How do stages and work packages work in the plan?

Answer 10

• stages don’t overlap
  – work packages can overlap/run at the same time (gant chart)
• work packages shouldn’t span over multiple stages

Question 11

What tolerances help he project team to manage constraints at each level of the plan?

Answer 11

• benefits
• costs
• time
• quality
• scope
• sustainability
• risk

Question 12

How does the principle ‘focus on products’ relate to the planning practice?

Answer 12

PRINCE2 is focused on products not activity. After products are identified the activities required to produce the products can be planned.

Question 13

What are the steps to follow to make a plan?

Answer 13

• define and analyse products
• organise work packages
• prep estimates
• prep schedule
• prep budget
• document plan