PRINCE2 Foundation

Lesson 13Directing a Project Process

Based on AXELOS PRINCE2 material. Material is reproduced under licence from AXELOS Limited. All rights reserved.
PRINCE2 is a [registered] trade mark of AXELOS Limited, used under permission of AXELOS Limited. All rights reserved.
AXELOS is a [registered] trade mark of AXELOS Limited, used under permission of AXELOS Limited. All rights reserved.
The Swirl logo is a trade mark of AXELOS Limited, used under the permission of AXELOS Limited. All rights reserved. Copyright 2014, Simplilearn, All rights reserved.
1 Copyright 2014, Simplilearn, All rights reserved.
Objectives

After completing Identify who is responsible for the Directing a Project process
this lesson, you will
State the purpose and objective of Directing a Project process
be able to:
Identify and describe the activities in the Directing a Project process

2 Copyright 2014, Simplilearn, All rights reserved.

Directing a Project ProcessProject Board

According to PRINCE2 methodology, the Project Board is responsible for making all the decisions in
the project.

Depending on the size and complexity of the project, the Project Board can control the project
formally via written reports and a signed stage approval.

The Project Board can also exercise control informally by verbal communication of information and
decisions.

3 Copyright 2014, Simplilearn, All rights reserved.

Purpose of Directing a Project

The purpose of the Directing a Project process is to enable the

Project Board to be accountable for the projects success by
making key decisions and exercising overall control while
delegating day-to-day management of the project to the
Project Manager.[1]

4 Copyright 2014, Simplilearn, All rights reserved.

Objective of Directing a Project

The objective is to ensure that:

there is authority to initiate the project and deliver the
projects products;
management direction and control are provided throughout
the projects life, and the project remains viable throughout
its life;
corporate or programme management has an interface to the
project; and
the Benefits Review Plan is managed and reviewed.

5 Copyright 2014, Simplilearn, All rights reserved.

Directing a ProjectOverview

This image gives an overview of Directing a Project process.

Figure 13.1. Overview of Directing a Project. Copyright AXELOS Limited 2013. Material is
reproduced under licence from AXELOS. All rights reserved.
6 Copyright 2014, Simplilearn, All rights reserved.
Directing a ProjectActivities

Directing Project activities are Project Board oriented. It comprises the following activities:

Authorise initiation
Authorise the project
Authorise a Stage or Exception Plan
Give ad-hoc direction
Authorise the project closure

7 Copyright 2014, Simplilearn, All rights reserved.

Authorise Initiation

While authorising the initiation, the Project Board performs the following actions:
Reviews and approves the Project Brief and the Project Product Description
Confirms the customers quality expectations and the acceptance criteria
Verifies that the outline Business Case demonstrates a viable project
Reviews and approves the Stage Plan for the initiation stage
Obtains or commits the resources needed by the Stage Plan for the initiation stage
Informs all stakeholders and the host locations that the project is being initiated
Authorises the Project Manager to proceed with the initiation stage

8 Copyright 2014, Simplilearn, All rights reserved.

Authorise Initiation

The following is the activity summary of Authorise Initiation:

Figure 13.2. Authorise initiation: activity summary. Copyright AXELOS Limited 2013. Material
is reproduced under licence from AXELOS. All rights reserved.
9 Copyright 2014, Simplilearn, All rights reserved.
Authorise the Project

The second activity that is performed during Directing a Project is to authorise the project.
The Project Manager requests for authorisation to deliver the project.
The Project Board must confirm that an adequate and suitable Business Case exists and that it
demonstrates a viable project.
If the project is not authorised by the Project Board, it should be prematurely closed.
While authorising the project, the Project Board also confirms that the Quality, Risk,
Communication and Configuration Management Strategy are sufficient.
It also reviews and approves the Benefits Review Plan.

10 Copyright 2014, Simplilearn, All rights reserved.

Authorise the Project

The following is the activity summary of Authorize the Project:

Figure 13.3. Authorise the project: activity summary. Copyright AXELOS Limited 2013.
Material is reproduced under licence from AXELOS. All rights reserved.
11 Copyright 2014, Simplilearn, All rights reserved.
Authorise a Stage or Exception Plan

One of the important activities of Directing a Project process is to authorise a Stage or Exception Plan.
During the project, the tolerances may be forecast to exceed for different reasons, and an
exception is raised.
If an exception has occurred during the stage, the Project Board may request the Project Manager
to produce an Exception Plan for the Project Boards approval.
Deviations from the Project Plan may require corporate or programme management approval.
Deviation within Work Packages is managed by the Project Manager using the Controlling a Stage
process.
If the Exception Plan is approved by the Project Board, the Exception Plan will replace the plan that
is an exception and will become the new baselined plan.

12 Copyright 2014, Simplilearn, All rights reserved.

Authorise a Stage or Exception Plan

The following is the activity summary of Authorize a Stage or Exception Plan:

Figure 13.4. Authorise a Stage or Exception Plan: activity summary. Copyright AXELOS Limited
2013. Material is reproduced under licence from AXELOS. All rights reserved.
13 Copyright 2014, Simplilearn, All rights reserved.
Give Ad Hoc Direction

In response to an escalated issue, the Project Board seeks advice from corporate or programme
management, or takes decision regarding:

Problem/concern Asks Project Manager to prepare Exception Plan or provide guidance

Request for Approves, defers, rejects or asks for more information and checks whether
change exception report is required

Grants a concession; defers, rejects or asks for more information; checks

Off-specification
whether exception report is required

14 Copyright 2014, Simplilearn, All rights reserved.

Give Ad Hoc Direction

The following is the activity summary of Give Ad Hoc Direction:

Figure 13.5. Give ad hoc direction: activity summary. Copyright AXELOS Limited 2013.
Material is reproduced under licence from AXELOS. All rights reserved.
15 Copyright 2014, Simplilearn, All rights reserved.
Authorise a Project Closure

Authorized closure is the last activity undertaken by the Project Board and may require endorsement
from corporate or programme management.
Steps are taken to review the original and current versions of the Project Initiation Documentation
to understand the projects initial baseline and current strategies and controls.
The End Project Report is prepared by the Project Manager and reviewed by the Project Board.
The Project Board confirms who receives each follow-on action recommendation summarised in
the End Project Report, as well as the Lessons Report.
The Project Board reviews and gains approval for the updated Benefits Review Plan.
Before the formal closure of the project, the Project Manager sends a project closure notification
to the concerned stakeholders.

16 Copyright 2014, Simplilearn, All rights reserved.

Authorise a Project Closure

The following is the activity summary of Authorise a Project Closure:

Figure 13.6. Authorize project closure: activity summary. Copyright AXELOS Limited 2013.
Material is reproduced under licence from AXELOS. All rights reserved.
17 Copyright 2014, Simplilearn, All rights reserved.
Directing a Project ProcessExercise

The following questions are designed to test your comprehension of this process. Please solve them
as a group activity.

Q Which role is responsible for each of the activities of the Directing a Project process? Write
activities and roles responsible.

Q How are the seven themes applied within the Directing a Project process?

Q Which management products are created, developed, used and reviewed in Directing a
Project process?

18 Copyright 2014, Simplilearn, All rights reserved.

 Quiz

19 Copyright 2014, Simplilearn, All rights reserved.

 QUIZ
Which process enables the Project Board to exercise overall control of a project?
1

a. Controlling a Stage
b. Directing a Project
c. Starting up a Project
d. Initiating a Project

20 Copyright 2014, Simplilearn, All rights reserved.

 QUIZ
Which process enables the Project Board to exercise overall control of a project?
1

a. Controlling a Stage
b. Directing a Project
c. Starting up a Project
d. Initiating a Project

Answer: b.
Explanation: Project Board exercises control over the project using the Directing a Project
process.

21 Copyright 2014, Simplilearn, All rights reserved.

 QUIZ
Which is a purpose of the Directing a Project process?
2

a. Enable the Project Board to exercise overall control of a project

b. Prepare a solid foundation for the project
c. Establish the prerequisites for the initiation of a project
d. Assign Work Packages

22 Copyright 2014, Simplilearn, All rights reserved.

 QUIZ
Which is a purpose of the Directing a Project process?
2

a. Enable the Project Board to exercise overall control of a project

b. Prepare a solid foundation for the project
c. Establish the prerequisites for the initiation of a project
d. Assign Work Packages

Answer: a.
Explanation: The purpose of the Directing a Project process is to enable the Project Board
to be accountable for the projects success by making key decisions and exercising overall
control while delegating day-to-day management of the project to the Project Manager.

23 Copyright 2014, Simplilearn, All rights reserved.

 QUIZ
When does the Directing a Project process start?
3

a. After the project has been authorised

b. On completion of the Starting up a Project process
c. On completion of the Initiating a Project process
d. When the Starting up a Project process commences

24 Copyright 2014, Simplilearn, All rights reserved.

 QUIZ
When does the Directing a Project process start?
3

a. After the project has been authorised

b. On completion of the Starting up a Project process
c. On completion of the Initiating a Project process
d. When the Starting up a Project process commences

Answer: b.
Explanation: The Directing a Project process starts on completion of the Starting up a
Project process and is triggered by the request to initiate a project.

25 Copyright 2014, Simplilearn, All rights reserved.

 QUIZ The production cost forecast should be reviewed by the Project Board during the
4 Directing a Project process to determine whether the project should continue.

a. True
b. False

26 Copyright 2014, Simplilearn, All rights reserved.

 QUIZ The production cost forecast should be reviewed by the Project Board during the
4 Directing a Project process to determine whether the project should continue.

a. True
b. False

Answer: a.
Explanation: All Project Board decisions are made during the Directing a Project process. This
includes review of the production cost forecast by the Project Board.

27 Copyright 2014, Simplilearn, All rights reserved.

 QUIZ
What process is triggered by the Project Manager's request to initiate a project?
5

a. Starting up a Project
b. Initiating a Project
c. Directing a Project
d. Managing a Stage Boundary

28 Copyright 2014, Simplilearn, All rights reserved.

 QUIZ
What process is triggered by the Project Manager's request to initiate a project?
5

a. Starting up a Project
b. Initiating a Project
c. Directing a Project
d. Managing a Stage Boundary

Answer: c.
Explanation: When the Project Manager requests to initiate a project, it can be approved
only by the Project Board in line with the activities in the Directing a Project process.

29 Copyright 2014, Simplilearn, All rights reserved.

Summary

Here is a quick The purpose of the Directing a Project process is to enable the Project Board
recap of what we
to be accountable for the projects success.
have learnt in this
lesson: The Directing a Project process starts on completion of the Starting up a
Project process and is triggered by the request to initiate a project.
Directing a Project activities are Project Board-oriented.
The activities include authorise initiation, authorise the project, authorise a
Stage or Exception Plan, give ad-hoc direction and authorise the project
closure.

30 Copyright 2014, Simplilearn, All rights reserved.

 Thank You

Based on AXELOS PRINCE2 material. Material is reproduced under licence from AXELOS Limited. All rights reserved.
PRINCE2 is a [registered] trade mark of AXELOS Limited, used under permission of AXELOS Limited. All rights reserved.
AXELOS is a [registered] trade mark of AXELOS Limited, used under permission of AXELOS Limited. All rights reserved.
The Swirl logo is a trade mark of AXELOS Limited, used under the permission of AXELOS Limited. All rights reserved.
31 Copyright2014,
Copyright 2014, Simplilearn,
Simplilearn, All rights
All rights reserved.
reserved.
Reference

[1] Based on Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2, by AXELOS. Directing a Project, Purpose.

32 Copyright 2014, Simplilearn, All rights reserved.