Project Management PRINCE2 and Other Methodologies Syllabus

PRINCE2 and Other Methodologies syllabus — full chapter and topic list

Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics. This is the whole examinable outline for PRINCE2 and Other Methodologies in Project Management, not a summary of it.

1. 1

   PRINCE2 Principles

   4 topics

   • Continued Business Justification
   • Learn from Experience
   • Manage by Stages and Exception
   • Focus on Products and Tailoring
2. 2

   PRINCE2 Themes

   4 topics

   • Business Case and Organization
   • Quality and Plans
   • Risk and Change
   • Progress
3. 3

   PRINCE2 Processes

   4 topics

   • Starting Up and Directing a Project
   • Initiating and Controlling a Stage
   • Managing Product Delivery
   • Closing a Project
4. 4

   Comparing Methodologies

   4 topics

   • PMBOK vs. PRINCE2 vs. Agile
   • Critical Chain Project Management
   • Six Sigma and DMAIC
   • Choosing and Tailoring an Approach

PRINCE2 and Other Methodologies flashcards for Project Management

21 of 73 cards from the PRINCE2 and Other Methodologies deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. What are the seven PRINCE2 principles?

   1) Continued Business Justification, 2) Learn from Experience, 3) Defined Roles and Responsibilities, 4) Manage by Stages, 5) Manage by Exception, 6) Focus on Products, 7) Tailor to Suit the Project.

2. What does the PRINCE2 principle 'Continued Business Justification' require?

   A project must have a justifiable business reason (a valid Business Case) to start, and that justification must remain valid throughout; if it ceases to be viable, desirable, or achievable, the project should be stopped.

3. Under 'Continued Business Justification', what three attributes must remain true for a project to continue?

   It must remain viable (worthwhile), desirable (benefits outweigh risks/costs), and achievable (able to deliver the products).

4. What does the PRINCE2 principle 'Learn from Experience' mean in practice?

   Project teams learn from previous projects; lessons are sought at the start, recorded and reviewed throughout, and passed on at closure via a Lessons Log and Lessons Report.

5. In PRINCE2, what is the difference between the Lessons Log and the Lessons Report?

   The Lessons Log is a repository of lessons recorded/reviewed throughout the project; the Lessons Report is a formal output (often at stage or project end) used to pass useful lessons to the organization or other projects.

6. What is the PRINCE2 principle 'Manage by Stages'?

   The project is planned, monitored, and controlled in a series of management stages, with a go/no-go decision (and next Stage Plan) reviewed at the end of each stage. A PRINCE2 project has at least two stages: the initiation stage and one delivery stage.

7. What is the minimum number of management stages in a PRINCE2 project, and what are they?

   At least two: the initiation stage (Initiating a Project) plus at least one further delivery/management stage.

8. Define the PRINCE2 principle 'Manage by Exception'.

   Defined tolerances are set for each project objective to establish limits of delegated authority; management only escalates to the next level when those tolerances are forecast to be exceeded (an exception), enabling efficient management.

9. What are the six aspects (tolerance areas) of project performance managed by exception in PRINCE2?

   Time, Cost, Quality, Scope, Risk, and Benefits.

10. What does the PRINCE2 principle 'Focus on Products' mean?

    A PRINCE2 project focuses on the definition and delivery of products, particularly their quality requirements; agreed Product Descriptions clarify what is to be delivered before work is planned or done.

11. What is the PRINCE2 principle 'Tailor to Suit the Project'?

    PRINCE2 is tailored to suit the project's environment, size, complexity, importance, team capability, and risk—adapting the method (processes, themes, roles, management products) rather than adopting it blindly.

12. What are the four integrated elements (structure) of the PRINCE2 method?

    Principles, Themes, Processes, and the project environment (tailoring PRINCE2 to the project context).

13. How many PRINCE2 themes are there and what are they?

    Seven themes: Business Case, Organization, Quality, Plans, Risk, Change, and Progress.

14. 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.

15. In PRINCE2, what is the difference between an output, an outcome, and a benefit?

    An output is a specialist product delivered; an outcome is the result of the change derived from using the outputs; a benefit is the measurable improvement resulting from an outcome perceived as an advantage by stakeholders.

16. What document defines how and when benefits will be measured in PRINCE2?

    The Benefits Management Approach (formerly Benefits Review Plan).

17. What is the purpose of the Organization theme in PRINCE2?

    To define and establish the project's structure of accountability and responsibilities—the who (the temporary project management team with defined roles).

18. What are the four levels of the PRINCE2 project management structure?

    1) Corporate/programme management (or the customer), 2) Directing (Project Board), 3) Managing (Project Manager), 4) Delivering (Team Manager/team members).

19. Who sits on the PRINCE2 Project Board and what are the three roles?

    The Executive (business viewpoint, ultimately accountable), the Senior User (user viewpoint), and the Senior Supplier (supplier/technical viewpoint).

20. In PRINCE2, who is ultimately accountable for the success of the project and owns the Business Case?

    The Executive (chair of the Project Board), who is appointed by corporate/programme management and is supported by the Senior User and Senior Supplier.

21. What are the four categories of stakeholder interest represented on a PRINCE2 Project Board?

    Business, User, and Supplier interests—balanced by the Executive (business), Senior User (user), and Senior Supplier (supplier).

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