Project Management Professional / PRINCE2 The Practice Themes (Part 1): Business Case, Organization and Quality Syllabus

The Practice Themes (Part 1): Business Case, Organization and Quality syllabus — full chapter and topic list

Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics. This is the whole examinable outline for The Practice Themes (Part 1): Business Case, Organization and Quality in Project Management Professional / PRINCE2, not a summary of it.

1. 1

   Business Case Theme

   4 topics

   • Purpose and concepts of the Business Case theme
     • Establishing whether the project is desirable, viable and achievable
     • Outputs, outcomes, benefits and dis-benefits defined and distinguished
   • Developing and maintaining the Business Case
     • Outline Business Case at Starting Up; detailed at Initiating
     • Verifying and maintaining viability across stages
     • Confirming benefits during and after the project
   • The Benefits Management Approach
     • Defining how and when benefits are measured
     • Baseline measurements and post-project benefit reviews
   • Business Case responsibilities
     • Executive ownership of the Business Case
     • Senior User accountability for benefits realisation
2. 2

   Organization Theme

   5 topics

   • The four levels of management
     • Corporate/commissioning, directing, managing and delivering
     • How the levels map onto Project Board, Project Manager and Team Manager
   • The Project Board and its three interests
     • Executive (business), Senior User (user), Senior Supplier (supplier)
     • Project Board duties: accountability, decision-making, authorisation
   • Project Manager, Team Manager and Project Support
     • Day-to-day management by the Project Manager
     • Team Manager delivering products via Work Packages
     • Project Support and configuration/administration services
   • Project Assurance and Change Authority
     • Independent assurance of business, user and supplier interests
     • Delegation of change decisions to a Change Authority
   • Communication Management Approach
     • Identifying stakeholders and their information needs
     • Methods, frequency and timing of communications
3. 3

   Quality Theme

   4 topics

   • Quality concepts and definitions
     • Quality, scope, quality management and quality control
     • Quality assurance versus Project Assurance
   • The quality audit trail
     • Customer's quality expectations and acceptance criteria
     • Quality Management Approach and Quality Register
     • Product Descriptions with quality criteria, tolerances and methods
   • Quality planning and quality control
     • Quality planning activities during initiation and stages
     • Quality methods: in-process and appraisal
   • The quality review technique
     • Roles: chair, presenter, reviewer, administrator
     • Review steps and outcomes (complete, conditionally complete, not complete)

The Practice Themes (Part 1): Business Case, Organization and Quality flashcards for Project Management Professional / PRINCE2

21 of 51 cards from the The Practice Themes (Part 1): Business Case, Organization and Quality deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. What is the purpose of the Business Case theme in PRINCE2?

   To establish mechanisms to judge whether the project is (and remains) desirable, viable and achievable as a means to support decision-making in its continued investment.

2. In PRINCE2, what is a Business Case?

   The justification for an organizational activity (project) which typically contains timescales, costs, expected benefits and risks, and against which continuing viability is tested.

3. Define a 'benefit' in PRINCE2 terms.

   The measurable improvement resulting from an outcome perceived as an advantage by one or more stakeholders.

4. Define an 'outcome' versus an 'output' in PRINCE2.

   An output is a specialist product the project delivers; an outcome is the result of the change derived from using those outputs. Benefits are the measurable improvements from outcomes.

5. What is a 'dis-benefit' in PRINCE2?

   A measurable decline resulting from an outcome perceived as negative by one or more stakeholders, which reduces some or all of the project's expected benefits.

6. What three questions must a viable Business Case continually answer about the project?

   Is it desirable (cost/risk vs benefits balance), viable (can it deliver the products), and achievable (can the products deliver the benefits)?

7. What is the difference between an 'output', an 'outcome' and a 'benefit' in the PRINCE2 benefits chain?

   Project delivers outputs → outputs enable outcomes (the change) → outcomes realize benefits (measurable improvements). Outputs are deliverables, outcomes are effects of using them, benefits are the value gained.

8. Who is accountable for the Business Case throughout a PRINCE2 project?

   The Executive — they own the Business Case and are responsible for ensuring the project remains desirable, viable and achievable.

9. What is a verified Business Case versus a confirmed Business Case?

   A verified Business Case has been assessed and approved as accurate/realistic; a confirmed Business Case has been updated to reflect outcomes and assessed against actual benefits realized.

10. During which process is the (outline) Business Case first developed in PRINCE2?

    During Starting up a Project the Executive creates the outline Business Case; it is refined into a detailed Business Case during Initiating a Project.

11. When is the Business Case reviewed and updated during the project lifecycle?

    It is developed in pre-project/initiation, verified before initiation completes, and reviewed/updated at each stage boundary (Managing a Stage Boundary), confirmed at project end and reviewed post-project for benefits.

12. What is the Benefits Management Approach in PRINCE2?

    A management product defining the actions, timescales, responsibilities and measures used to confirm that the project's benefits are realized — many measured after the project closes.

13. Who is responsible for preparing the Benefits Management Approach, and who approves it?

    The Project Manager prepares it; the Executive is responsible for it. After closure it is often executed by corporate, programme management or the customer, with the Executive securing measurement of benefits.

14. Why are many benefits in PRINCE2 measured after the project has closed?

    Because benefits arise from outcomes once outputs are in operational use, which usually occurs after the project ends — hence the Benefits Management Approach extends beyond closure.

15. What baseline must be established to later measure whether benefits have been realized?

    The current/pre-project performance measurement baseline, so improvements (benefits) can be quantified against the starting position.

16. List the Business Case responsibilities of the Executive.

    Oversee development of a viable Business Case; ensure the project aligns with corporate strategy; ensure continued business justification; secure funding; own the Benefits Management Approach.

17. What are the Business Case responsibilities of the Senior User(s)?

    Specify the benefits and be held to account for demonstrating that the forecast benefits are realized; ensure desired outcomes are specified.

18. What are the Business Case responsibilities of the Senior Supplier?

    Confirm that the products required can be delivered within the expected costs and are viable, and that the cost estimates are realistic and achievable.

19. What are the Project Manager's Business Case responsibilities?

    Prepare the Business Case on behalf of the Executive, prepare the Benefits Management Approach, and conduct impact analysis of issues/risks on the Business Case.

20. What are the four levels of management/organization in PRINCE2?

    Corporate, programme management or the customer (sits outside the project); Directing (Project Board); Managing (Project Manager); and Delivering (Team Manager).

21. Which of the four levels of management sits OUTSIDE the project management team?

    Corporate, programme management or the customer — they commission the project, set requirements and constraints, and appoint the Executive.

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