Lesson 09: Directing a Project Process

What can you say about the Directing a Project process? Can you explain who’s responsible for this process? What about the different decisions made in this process?

Based on AXELOS PRINCE2^® material. Reproduced under licence from AXELOS. All rights reserved.
Note: PRINCE2 2017 edition is now called PRINCE2 6th edition.

00:10 – Directing a Project Process
00:12 – This is where the Project Board work
00:14 – Actually, it’s where the Project Board make decisions
00:18 – We know now that the Project Board just make decisions; well, that’s mainly what they do
00:23 – And this allows them to control the project
00:27 – We say that the Project Board direct the project while the Project Manager manages the project
00:34 – The purpose of the Directing a Project process is to enable the Project Board to be accountable for the project’s success by making key decisions
00:45 – And have overall control by delegating day-to-day management of the project to the Project Manager
00:53 – So the Project Manager runs the project on their behalf
00:58 – So let’s take a look at the objectives and decisions that the Project Board will take during the project
01:07 – The first objective is to ensure that there is authority to initiate the project
01:12 – This is also the first decision to initiate the project
01:15 – So it’s taken at the end of the Starting Up a Project process and allows the next process to start, which is the IP process
01:24 – The second objective then is to ensure authority to deliver the project’s products
01:30 – So this allows the project to start delivering products
01:34 – And this decision is taken at the end of the Initiation Stage or IP process
01:42 – The next decisions are all to allow each delivery stage to start
01:48 – So the Project Board makes a decision for each delivery stage
01:52 – And that gives them lots of control
01:55 – And also they have to spend a minimum amount of time on the project because they’re just there to make decisions
02:03 – Another objective is to ensure that there is authority to close the project
02:08 – So this is the last decision that they take and they will send out the communication and set a date to close the project budget
02:15 – That’s part of that decision
02:17 – There are other objectives as well
02:19 – So for example, to ensure that there was an interface between the project and the next layer, so the CPC layer
02:28 – Also, to ensure that the management direction and control are provided throughout the project’s life
02:34 – So they can give advice to the Project Board
02:37 – The Project Board again do this with decisions and tolerances and reports
02:44 – Next objective, to ensure that the project remains viable
02:48 – So regularly checking the Business Case, which includes the expected benefits and major risks
02:55 – And the last objective is to ensure that the plans for realizing the post project benefits are managed and reviewed
03:05 – The Project Board will check this, will be done after the project by the CPC
03:12 – So they will check the expected benefits because the project by then will be shut down
03:18 – So that was it for the objectives
03:21 – Also note that the Project Board don’t have to spend much time
03:25 – And mainly only come together to review documents and make a decision
03:30 – Before going any further, let me give you some context for the Directing a Project process
03:35 – So the trigger for the first decision is made by the Project Manager at the end of the starting of a project process
03:44 – When they request to initiate a project
03:47 – The Project Board then makes a decision while the Project Manager runs the project for them
03:53 – And the Project Board provides guidance where necessary
03:57 – The Project Board uses tolerance, reports and decisions to control the project
04:02 – And they communicate with the layer above, keep them informed
04:07 – And if they learn something that might be useful to the project, then they can pass this on to the Project Manager as well
04:13 – They also check the project is still viable all the way during the project
04:19 – Now let’s look at the activities one by one
04:22 – So, like before you just have to understand them
04:25 – And we have already covered these actually in the course so far
04:30 – The first activity, and first decision, is authorize initiation
04:35 – The trigger for this first Project Board get together is the request from the Project Manager after the starting of a project process
04:44 – The Project Manager will provide them with the Project Brief
04:48 – The Project Board will then review the Project Brief and make their big decision
04:53 – Then they can send out a communication to say Project X has started.
04:59 – And their decision is called Authority to Initiate a Project
05:04 – Don’t worry about remembering the exact names, just understand them
05:09 – And now the IP activities can begin
05:11 – This is also called the Initiation Stage or what I call the Planning Stage
05:17 – Most of the work here is about requirements and planning
05:21 – And this is all facilitated by the Project Manager
05:24 – The second decision is Authorize a Project
05:27 – So the second time the Project Board come together
05:31 – The trigger for this second decision is the request from the Project Manager and this request is called Request to Deliver a Project
05:40 – Again the Project Board will send out a notification to chosen stakeholders that this project is now starting the delivery stages
05:49 – The Project Board will also make a decision to allow the next stage to start
05:53 – This will be the first delivery stage, meaning that products will get created and delivered to the users
06:01 – So the Project Board will authorize the Stage of Exception Plan
06:05 – And this will allow the first delivery stage to start
06:10 – PRINCE2 uses the controlling stage activities to help manage each stage
06:16 – The Project Manager would run the controlling stage process until all the products outlined in the Stage Plan have been done
06:25 – At the end of the stage, they will plan the next stage and this is done in the Stage Boundary Process
06:31 – Then the Project Manager will request the Project Board to allow them to continue to the next stage
06:38 – The Project Board will normally review the performance of the last stage and then review the next stage plan
06:45 – And then, if they agree, they will authorize the next stage to start
06:50 – So this cycle will continue for each delivery stage
06:56 – During this stage, the Project Board can also give advice to the Project Manager
07:01 – And this advice is called Giving Ad Hoc Direction, that’s the PRINCE2 name
07:07 – For example, if the Project Manager meets a big issue, for example, if stage tolerance is exceeded
07:13 – The Project Manager will create a report called the Exception Report
07:19 – The Project Board will consider this Exception Report and they can even decide to shut down the project
07:26 – This is called a Premature Close
07:29 – Or they can ask the Project Manager to update the Stage Plan to complete the current stage
07:34 – And we call this the Exception Plan, so they create a new plan to complete the current stage
07:41 – After the Exception Plan is completed, the Project Manager will again ask the Project Board to approve because remember they are going out of tolerance
07:51 – The Project Board would review the Exception Plan and if they approve, then the Project Manager will use this Exception Plan to continue the current stage
08:01 – And they can continue the stage as normal until all the stage products have been delivered
08:06 – Until the rest of the stage products have been delivered
08:10 – So that’s an overview of how the Project Board deal with big issues
08:14 – And as you can see, it gives them more control over the project
08:20 – The Project Manager can also ask the Project Board for advice
08:24 – And this can be done at a meeting, via an issue report or e-mail or even telephone call
08:30 – The Project Board can also seek advice from the layer above, the CPC layer
08:36 – And if necessary, they can pass along some information to the Project Manager if they think it is going to be helpful for them to manage the project
08:45 – So this gives an overview on how requests for advice and exceptions are handled
08:52 – Next now, how the project is closed
08:56 – So there are two ways to close a project, so we have the normal way and the early way
09:02 – The early way we call it the Premature Close
09:05 – So the Premature is the early one and this decision is by the Project Board
09:10 – And the natural way is if all the work has been done as normal and all the necessary products have been delivered
09:17 – So both ways trigger the Closing a Project process
09:23 – After the Closing a Project process activities, the Project Manager then can recommend to the Project Board to close the project
09:32 – So the Project Manager cannot close the project, this can only be done by the Project Board
09:38 – The Project Manager just prepares the project for closure
09:42 – So this is the last decision for the Project Board in a project
09:46 – They check that their products have been accepted by the users and perhaps ask for proof and they should ask for proof
09:54 – And then they send out a closure to communication again to all the chosen stakeholders
10:00 – So that’s it for all the decisions for the Project Board
10:03 – Now let’s take a quick look at the inputs and the outputs
10:08 – There are inputs for each decision and outputs, which are basically all the same
10:14 – So for example, the inputs to authorizing each stage, we will have the End Stage Report and the Next Stage Plan
10:24 – The inputs for closing of a project closure are all the documents created in the Closing a Project process and the PID
10:32 – So basically all the information that we have in the project
10:35 – And the outputs are always the same, we have authorizations, notifications and approved documents
10:43 – So remember again that the purpose of the Directing a Project process is to enable the Project Board to be accountable for the project by making key decisions
10:55 – And have overall control while delegating or giving day-to-day management of the project to the Project Manager.

OK, to be sure, try to name all decisions made in this process, and the way they are connected to the other processes.

Lesson 09: Directing a Project Process

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