Theme: progress

Question 1

what is the purpose of the progress theme

Answer 1

• to establish mechanisms to monitor and compare actual achievements against those planned
• provide a forecast for the project objectives and the project’s continued viability
• control any unacceptable deviations

Question 2

what are the 2 types of controls throughout a project to assess the progress

Answer 2

• Time-Driven such as checkpoint and highlight reports which are issued at a defined frequency
• Event driven which represent a specific event occurring such as the completion of a stage or the authorization of a work package

Question 3

how do the project board work by “management by exception”

Answer 3

because they are kept informed about the project through highlight reports and only have progress meetings if there will be deviation from the tolerance levels

Question 4

what are the main controls for the project board to assess progress

Answer 4

• Authorization throughout the project
• highlight reports
• Exception reports
• issue reports
• Exception assessment (when they decide what action to take due to deviation from tolerances)

Question 5

what are the main controls for the project manager to assess progress

Answer 5

• Authorizations (Authorize work packages including setting work package tolerances)
• Progress updates
• Exceptions and changes: Use of the daily log, issue register, product status account, quality register and risk register during the stage
• the lessons report (made through logging lessons)

Question 6

How does Prince2 allow the project to progress smoothly without frequent and unnecessary communication between the different levels within the project team

Answer 6

by defining tolerances for time, cost, quality, risk, benefit and scope.

Question 7

who sets the overall requirements and tolerance levels for the project

Answer 7

Corporate or Programme management

*Note: if the project is likely to exceed the agreed project tolerances, the project board must inform Corporate or Programme management *

Question 8

who allocates the tolerances for each management stage

Answer 8

The project board do this and inform the project manager of what the tolerances are

Note: The Project Board can review progress and decide whether to continue, change or stop the project

Question 9

how does the project manager inform the project board of deviations that exceed tolerances

Answer 9

They inform the project board through exception reports

Question 10

what does a team manager have control of

Answer 10

has control of a work package, within the work package tolerances agreed with the Project Manager.

If tolerances are likely to be exceeded, the team manager will raise it as an issue to the project manager

Question 11

what is the Prince2 minimum to assess the progress of a project

Answer 11

• Define its approach to controlling progress in the project initiation documentation (PID)
• Be managed in stages
• Set tolerances and be managed by exception against these tolerances
• Review the business justification when exceptions are raised
• Learn lessons to improve performance

Question 12

what are the 3 ways control in a project is provided by to monitor progress

Answer 12

• Delegating authority downwards through the team structure
• Dividing the project into management stages and having in place
• Time-driven and event-driven progress reporting and reviews, and raising exceptions.