Exam Day

Er...question 1 and I search high and low for organisational roles for Project Board. Woe is me. Question 2 felt more comfy, quality. Question 3 risk to which the collective NHS response was no way. I'm happy because I'm not happy, I hate it when I'm happy with an exam. Ring Sally get Shan's number, chasing docs that I'm trying to get out of DoH. Ring Shan, she's off and get her mobile number. Witter on, she cheers me up, as Sally did. Head to the Lass O'Gowrie. Pint, feel marginally better. Head to station, missed train. Pint in the Thirsty Scholar, feel better. Train and return to 'The Double Life of Dr Lopez'. Might not be many peoples cup of tea but Elizabethan London is familiar and comforting. Head to Hunt's Cross.

Any Bizarre Cycling Reference You Like

Ooops! Discover that I've renamed not entirely inaccurately the Daily Mail as the Daily Motion. Bike is bought for Callum. I'm sure not of manufacture and quality to meet the approval of Librarywebbie but then what do I know about bicycles. Not enough I'm sure given my shape. Bike and stuff meant a couple of hours spent at Speke Retail Park. Deep joy. Monst looking at clothes, Cal looking at toys and me avoiding Borders. Bike ride through treacly mud on return home, Cal don't hal pick his routes. Not impressed, he enjoyed it, my shoes got drowned.

Warrington Central (Yeah, Right!)

Hit the Belle and Seb, finish reading yesterday's homework reading. Product breakdown will occur on the way to the land of Manc. Frantic moments ticket hunting before leaving the house. Public Health would approve of the walk that resulted to the station. Brisk doesn't adequately describe my progress along the Loop Line, the Silver Birches fairly flew by and I was away from eau de dog crap before I knew it and flying up the poetry laden steps of Halewood Station. Train arrives and off we go. Expect this to arrive some time tomorrow.

It's a Lot Less Bovver with a Hover

Disaster on the devils haircut front. Our user hedgetrimmer of preference can't fit us in 'til 3 so plan B is the rugby league styled barbers we discarded from use when Cal used to wriggle, they seem to be shut and have gone to more traditional barber shop decor. So instead we head to a gaff the top end of Widnes nearer Cronton than anywhere else. Find ourselves dealt with by refugees from 'Prisoner Cell Block H' who ain't good at keeping Cal calm. Conversation between me and the cellies surrounds Van Gogh and the War of Jenkins Ear. Don't stop Cal wriggling and he has his first experience of clippers and don't like it. I suspect they'll remain on the reserve list at best.

It's All a Load of Bollocks

The feed from Indie MP3 - Keeping C86 Alive! brings me news of Popstar Feets a photblog of indie folks feet. As it suggests a return to shoegazing. I can't resist the visit and well I'm astounded what a freak idea. Still it's a day to be alarmed with the following headlines appearing in my aggregator 'Woman ripped off ex-lover's testicle' Liverpool Echo 12/01/05, 'Spurned woman tore off lover's testicle', The Telegraph 11/01/05 and finally 'Ripped off man's testicle after being refused sex', Bootle Times 13/01/05. Have we strayed into some long lost Tom Sharpe novel? My head is chock full with PRINCE, I woke up thinking about the horror that was yesterdays exam. Need to wipe that from my head. Need to carry on summarising the manual, if only for my own consumption but can do that in a more leisurely fashion now. Job for the day is to take Cal for a devil's haircut. Then pick Monst up and head for Halfords to get Cal a bike for his birthday which happens in 9 days time. Mail to Blog is still silly, like sending a postcard, you just don't have a clue when the bugger'll turn up.

Dignity Dissapears Up Its Own Existence

Lose all sense of dignity as I arrive Hunts Cross and run for a bus. Disgusted by the action I hold my head in shame.

Mail to Blog Who Knows When It'll Turn Up

Pint on way home. Thirsty Scholar supplies with a decent Juke Box too, the Smiths and the Chords entertain me. Stressed bout tomorrow's exam. Todays practice stuff was educational in the ways I can fuck up. Not a bad thing but don't make me cheery as Gooner logic kicks in. Fire alarm didn't help. Lots to reading lots to do. Family want to go for a pizza and I reckon it's a reasonable way to unwind before I wind myself up again. Plan is to chill to Death Cab for Cutie on the way home. Part of Monst's have a few CD's you want for Christmas policy. Cool but only just got round to a listen full through. Criminal to a decent band.

Exam Jangling II

Exam day again today. Stressed, don't feel confident. Feel stupid because it's open book. Much heavier than the multiple guess the other day and I don't get an instant pass/fail. Has to go off to be marked so it's a case of hoping I don't hear from the trainer at all again. If I do it means I've failed. Strange thing is although it's open book, it doesn't allow electronic devices. Weird, what's the difference? Not looking forward to this. However I would say the thing has been worthwhile. So keep your finger's crossed, send positive vibes etc.

Prince2 Homework - Chapter 16 Controls

Purpose of Control Control is all about the decision making process in PRINCE. It exists to ensure the project is:

Producing required products that meet pre-defined quality standards.

Is carried out on schedule in accordance with resource and cost plans.

Remains viable against business case. Controls ensure that for each level of the Project Management Team the next level up can:

Monitor progress.

Compare acheivement wth plan.

Review plans and options against future situations.

Detect problems.

Initiate corrective action.

Authorise further work. Must also cover capturing information on changes outside the project and taking neccessary actions. Controls Overview Many controls in PRINCE" are event driven including all decision-making ones. Examples are End of Stage, completion of the Project Initiation Document, the creation of an Exception Plan. Some time driven controls like reguar progress feedback. Project Level has overall control from the Project Board recieving information form the Project Manager and Project Assurance. They control if the project continues, stops or changes direction or scope. Applies concept of management by exception where the Project Board are concerned. kept informed by reports during the stage. Major controls they have are:

Project Initiation (Should project be undertaken?)

End Stage Assessment (Has stage been successful? Is prject still on course? Is business case still viabel? Are risks controlled? Should next stage be undertaken?)

Highlight Reports (regular progress report during stage).

Exception Reports (PB considers action to take when Excetion occurs and recieves early warning of deviation)

Exception Assessment (PB meet to review and approve Exception Plans).

Project closure (has project delivered all expected? Are any follow-on actions needed? What lessons have been learned?) Must also montor external environment and bring to attention of those concerned including the Project Manager changes that could impact the project. Project Manager controls day-to-day within a stage and can make adjustments within tolerances defined by the Project Board and they do not effect the Business Case. Work Package auhtorisation is the control the Project Manager uses to allocate work. Includes controls on uality, time, cost and identifies reporting and hand-over requirements. Planned acievement includes required quality of products. Aim to detect poblems early and rectify. Progress monitored against plans with control actions if adjustments required. Controlled Close ensures no drift on beyond life of project and ensure Project Manager satisfies the Project Board objetives in the PID have been met. Project start-up Important pre-requisite of project control. Project Start-up ensures:

Set up Project Management Team so that Project Board and Project Manager can make initial decisions about project.

Develop what may be rudimentary Project Mandate into Project Brief.

Plan the initiation stage. Likely to be sort stage but approval of Project Board is required before it can be done. Must therefore create plan for initiation stage that the Project Board can examine to understand commitment more clearly. This plan should include statement of any controls to be applied and reports Project Bard is to receive. As creation of Project Mandate is outside control of the project it gets fleshed out into Project Bief. Authorising Initiation DP1 After SU Starting a Project Project Board approves progress to initiation stage which officially starts the poject. May be done with or without formal meeting. Once authoriesed a copy of the Project Brief should be sent to all stakeholders including group responsible for operational support of final prduct. Project Initiation Ensures before significant resource is spent that everyting in the project is agreed:

Project ojectives?

What products will be delivered?

Reasons for proect?

Who the Customer is?

Who has which responsibilities and authority?

Project boundaries and interfaces to the outside world?

How objectives will be met?

What assumptions have or can be made?

What major risks exist that may prevent project from meeting objectives?

When major products will be delivered?

How much the project will cost?

How project will be controlled?

Division of project into stages?

How acceptabilty of products will be assessed? These are answers are addessed in the Project Initiation Document. Main product from this stage. Also produced is next stage plan so project can begin without delay if PID is accepted. PID is frozen once accepted. Now baseline document agianst which project can be measured. Allows checks that changes were undertaken in a controlled way. Parts of the PID though are active and volatile:

Project Plan.

Business Case.

Risk Log. Kept in management portion of filing system. Stage Selection Project Board approves break down of projects into stages. End of stage is manjo control point. Communication Plan Identifies who needs to give and receive information about project. Shows:

Who needs information.

What information they need.

When they need it.

Format it should be presented. Should include senior or programme management, stakeholders and other interested parties. Controlled Progress Needed to ensure project stays in linewith expectations defined by PID and Stage Plan. Tolerance Tolerance is permissible deviation from plan without taking deviation to the attention of the next higher authority. Tolerances are handed downwards and where exceeded exceptions handed upwards. Tolerances are: Time, Cost, Scope, Risk, Quality, Benefit. Contingency and change budgets exist to meet plans for linked risks and to prevent tolerence being used to cope with change. Product Descriptions Ensure people know:

Whay it is needed.

What it will look like.

Sources it will be derived from.

Quality specification to which it will be built. Product Description is a control document written as part of the planning process. Defines product and standards to ensure it is fit for purpose. Should be drafted when product identified in a Product Breakdown Structure during the planning process. Must be approved by the Project Board as part of the Project Assuarce role. Form part of Work Packages given to suppliers. Work Package Trigger from Project Manager to individual or group to undertake work during a stage. Undertaken in Authorising Work Package (CS1) and accepted by producer in Accepting a Work Package (MP1). Defines product and constraints such as time and cost. Quality Control PRINCE2 does not define all quality procedures and techniques but does include Quality Check a team method especially useful in checking the quality of documents. All quality checks should be recorded along with results in the quality log. More follows sleep pause in proceedings.....

Foundations Dug

Passed the multiple guess foundation yesterday, suprised myself at result. Pint on way to station in celebration, idly chat with a student studying English/German and Cultural Studies but don't like reading and had spent the afternoon trying to explain the offside rule to someone and confessed to finding Gary Neville attractive and a Evertonian doorman. Chat ranged from footie to poetry with the doorman and myself baffling the poor girl with John Cooper-Clarke and Martin Newell. Home and food, fell asleep, woke this morning, it all caught up on me. See another post has hit from Mail to Blog. Great free content while you kip. FoI gig gets busier....

If Music Be the Food of Love are You the Indigestion?

Trains and 'Trumpton Riots' make me giggle or maybe that's just the impression I should be in several places at the same time and its just Tuesday morning hysteria kicking in. Do my Monday Night Quiz on Tuesday morning, late homework the usual guilt and adrenalin rush kick in. Much of the time I wish I was as organised as Tracy and Sally it would save on that sort of thing but I know it's me. Just happy I have them working with me. Need to run a search at the Manc end I've promised someone yesterday. More sexual health. Need to ask someone to kick the server in the Smoke. Mail Mike and get him to chase ISOxford. Curse Old Trafford and Alex Ferguson as I pass the gaff, somehow '99% of Gargoyles Look Like Bob Todd' is a correct soundtrack. Dunno if this will arrive or when... Russian roulette by mail to blog.

Course blurb - lunchtime 1

Bump into Colin at Picadilly, confess to Ponce course, he warns me it's heavy. So far seems fine. Luckily my head isn't cluttered with any other terminology. Venue is a training sweat shop, lots on, food is there. Time flies though and so far my mind hasn't wandered (a miricle in its own right). Coffee taken. Enjoyed - debatable. Likewise lunch. Ice breaker, 2 guests for a dinner party, vote Tom Paine and Robyn Hitchcock, blank looks, no suprise there then. Many people don't fulfil breaker. Worked then? Half of Stockport Foundation NHS Trust seems to be here. Blair's big thing. Not certain I approve. Discuss on the back of a postcard. More of them will follow no doubt. Creeping privatisation of the NHS seems to be the pragmatic order of the day.

Exam Jangling

Do the Tuesday Night Quiz on Wednesday morning, why break with tradition. Unusually have breakfast at home. Why? Foundation exam day, multiple guess and I need to pass to get to Thursday's exam. Long time since I did one of these boys, indeed the last one was my MA exam in 1991. Even longer since I did multiple guess, it not featuring much on history or librarianship papers or even in the 'A' levels I did (Arts boy none of these new fangled science larks). I have vague memories of Bruce Grainger the man who failed to get me to understand chemistry at 'O' level wittering about blood sugar and exam success, so breakfast is shoved in just in case it helps. Up at 4 again. Feeling knackered. Suspect that Saturday will be a catch up on sleep day. Fuelling myself on coffee and LEMSIP at mo. Not good (although the coffee is). Big fear is oversleeping one morning. That keeps me waking up but also means getting to sleep is a chore. Aaaaargh! Start running search for Sally and decide I need more information. Apols Sally I need the angle to get in my thick skull. Can't work out if its the evidence base for change management or use of change to implement evidence based practice.

Prince2 Homework - Chapter 24 Quality Review Technique

What is Quality Review? Quality Review is a structure procedure to assess if product is 'fit for purpose' or conforms to requirements. Begins with identfication of stakeholders interested in product under review. Structured meeting reviews and comments on the product, agrees on required changes to product and actions to be undertaken. Product is formally signed off once it meets the quality criteria set and prdct is approved. Quality Review Benefits Benefits of Quality Review are:

Structured and organised approach to examination of product against pre-defined quality criteria.

Early identification of defects in products, platform for improvement which will reduce costs associated with product during final development and operation.

Objective measurement for progress management control is provided. Peer review gives Product Manager certainty about the status of a product.

Stakeholders work together to improve product quality which develops team approach to product.

Gives user buy in to product because theey've been involved in Quality Review. Context Can be invoked at any point in project. Subjective elements of quality are monitored and has close links with following processes:

Planning (PL) pre-planning and resources for Quality Review required at Stage Level.

Managing Product Delivery (MP) process of covering projects products so most Quality Reviews take place here.

Authorising Work Package (CS1) addressing hand over of responsibility for product production will require Quality Reviews.

Assessing Progress (CS2) deals with progress monitoring and reporting, receive details of completed reviews. Overview of the Quality Review Technique Objectives Objectives:

Assess conformity agianst set criteria.

Platform for product improvement.

Involve all interested in product in quality checking.

Spread ownership of product.

Obtain commitment from vested interests to product.

Mechanism for management monitoring and control. Responsibilities Four specific roles in Quality Review procedure:

Chairperson runs quality review. No requirement for this to be Executive from Project Board. Responsible for: a) Check product is ready for review. b) Ensure proper organisation of Quality Review. c) Gather in Question Lists and set Agenda. d) Chair Quality Review Meeting. e) Ensure Quality Review does not stray from main aim. f) Ensure that actions required an required results are agreed. g) With reviewers determine Quality Review result. h) Keep Project and/or Team Managers aware of status of all Quality Reviews. i) Provide final sign-off. j) Institute exception procedures via Project and/or Team Manager where problems with product can not be solved within short time frame.

Producer Creator of product (or rep of team), responsible for: a) Providing reviewers with relevant review products. b) Prepare for review meeting. c) Assess question lists prior to review meeting to assist chair in drawing up review meeting agenda. d) Answer questions in review meeting about poduct, agree errors and explain implication of errors. e) Agree action to resolve errors. f) Ensure agreed actions are carried out. g) Obtain sign off from reviewers for changes made to product. h) Obtain final sign-off from review chairperson when reviewers have approved all changes.

Reviewers Responsible for: a) Review of product b) Assess product against quality criteria specified in product description. c) Document questions on product against pre-set quality criteria. d) Ensure errors are fully understod by producer and resolved satisfactorily. e) Sign off follow on Actions where identified as checker.

Scribe Responsibilities are: a) Assist charperson review administrative details e.g arrangement of venue. b) Take notes of agreed actions during review meeting. c) Read back agreed actions a end of meeting and take note of who is to take corrective action and who is to check corrections. Other people also have Quality Review roles as part of their job: Project Manager a) Plan Quality Reviews in outline. b) Plan to overcome identified exception conditions resulting from Quality Review. c) Act as reviewer where appropriate. Team Manager a) Plan quality reviews in detail. b) Identify quality review resources required from team. c) Monitor quality review progress against plan. d) Report progress to Projct Manager. Project Assurance Roles a) Advise on suitable reviewers for each Quality Review. b) Check all involved are aware of role and responsibilities and have received adequate training. c) Ensure Quality Review procedure is being followed. d) Check reviwers properly selected and briefed for work. e) Check follow up actions are properly monitored. f) Log and report on use of corporate standards and advise on improvements and amendments. g) Act as reviewer where appropriate. Project Support Roles Often act as scribe and sort admin details for chair. Steps in formal Quality Review procedure Preparation which consists of:

confirmation product ready for review.

confimation of availability of nominated reviewers and agreement on dates for return of comments and review itself

distribution of copy of product to reviewers or mak available fo inspection

assessment of product against quality criteria

entry of questions or suspected errors on question list

annotation of minor errors on product

return annotated prduct and question list to producer

plan review meeting and agree agenda Review Meeting which consists of

discussion, clarification agreement on points raised by reviewers

agreement of follow-up acctons for each error

documentation of fllow-up responsibilities

summary of actions at end of meeting

agreement on quality review outcome and sign off if appropriate. Follow up which consists of

notification Project/Team Manager f quality review result

Plan of any remedial work required

Sign off following corrective remedial work Quality Review Planning Must be properly organised should involve project assurance function. Gives additional planning step of:

Identifying products subject to review.

Planning timescale for quality review.

Identifying reveiwers and adding to resource plans. Quality Review results Consensus agreement so if anyone refuses to sign off quality criteria not met. Result of review can be:

Product error free immediately approved.

Product can be approved once identified errors corrected and signed off.

Correction of errors radically alter product and fresh review required. Chair may postpons if:

Insufficient reviewers can attend to cover quality issues addressed by products quality criteria.

Reviewers attanding not qualified to comment on issues addressed

Clear reviewers not studied product in preparation

Obvious product not fit for review Key Criteria

Have products quality criteria been specified?

Has products description been passed to reviewers along with product?

Have reviewers fully checked product prior to meeting?

Have quesion lists been sent to producer or review chairperson prior to meeting?

Have reviewers concentrated on error detction not error fixing or redesign?

Have follow up actions been documented and allocated?

Have reviewers been asked which changes they wish to sign off?

Has agreement been reached on Quality Review?

Prince2 Homework - Chapter 15 Plans

Benefits of Plans Identify:

If targets are acheivable.

Resources needed to achieve targets within timeframe.

Activities to ensure quality can be built into products.

Problems and risks associated with trying to meet targest and stay within constraints. Other benefits:

Avoid muddle and ad hoc decisions.

Help management team to think ahead.

Yarstick against which progess can be measured.

Communication through distribution of plan to all concerned of what is done, allocation of responsibilities and how pogress will be monitored and controlled.

Gain commitment from contributors and recipients.

Provision of personal targets. Vital to success of the project and must contain sufficient information and detail to confirm targets are achievable. Essential to allocate time to planning activity in initiation stage. Must identify and agree scope of the project, plan in terms of management, resourcing, products, activities, quality and control. Allocate time to refine business case. Also allow time at end of each stage to plan next stage. No plan, no prediction of scope, quality, risk, timescale or cost. Wast time, resource and effort. What is a Plan? Document framed in accordance with predefined scheme or method, describing how, when an by whom a specific target or set of targets is to be achieved. Design of identified targets for products, timescales, costs and quality can be met. Backbone of management information system required fr any project. Must keep in line with Business Case at all times. Reqire approval and commitment from all relevant levels of the project management team e.g. Project Board and Project Manager for Project Plan or Project Manager and Team Manager for Team Plan. What are the elements of a Plan? In PRINCE2 should contain:

Products to be produced.

Activities needed to create those poducts.

Activities to validate quality of the products.

Resources and time needed for all activities and need for people with specific skills.

Dependencies between activities.

External dependencies for delivery of information, products or services.

When activities will occur.

Points at which progress will be monitored and controlled.

Agreed tolerances. Must be endorsed and approved by Project Board. Relates to latest version and plans are presented as management reports. May require summary plans for Board and detailed day-to-day plans. Statement of activities and breakdown of resource requirements must be backed up by text that explains to reader:

What plan covers.

Intended approach to implement plan.

Adhereence t plan to be monitored and controlled.

What management reports will be issued.

The qiality control methods and resources to be used.

Any assumptions upon which the plan is based on.

Prerequisites that must be in place on day one of the plan.

What risks there are that may prevent plan from being achieved and what measures should be taken to address them. PRINCE2 Approach Allows plans to be broken dowin into loer level plans containing more detail but share same structure an matched back to planned requirements including quality and benefits before approval. Levels of Plan Three levels:

Project Plan

Stage Plan - may be broken down into a number o team plans.

Team Plan Where Stage or Project Plan are forecast to exceed tolerences an Exception Plan will be required. Seldom desirable to plan entire project in detail from the start because:

Uncertainty about the detailed nature of later elements of work.

Changing and undertain enironment.

Risk factors tha could change the situation.

Difficulty in predicting the resource availability well into future.

Difficulty in predicting business conditions in the future. Detaied plans for forseeable future are however required for control. Project Plan Overview of total project. Part of PID. Only manadatory PRINCE" plan. Provides project costs for Business Case for Project Board to agree to and baseline to monitor actual costs and progress. Identifies key products, resource requirements and total costs. Identifies major control points such as stage boundaries. Project Quality Plan is documented seperately as part of PI> Once PID accepeted project is baselined. Subsequent vversions of Project Plan produced at end of stages reflct:

Progress already made

Agreed changes in circumstances

Revised cost and or duration of total project. Allows Project Board to monitor deviation. If exceeds agreed tolerances must be refferred upwards by Project Boar. Stage Plan Required for each stage. Produced at end of previous stage. Basis of Project Managers day-to-day control May need to be constructed form specalis development plans. More detaied than project plan. Reasess validity of assumptions and risk analyses. Confidence in stage plans because:

Planned close to time events will take place.

Shorter duration.

Developed with knowledge of performance of earlier stages. Team Plan Optional will be determined by size and complexity of job. Needed if several different skill teams. Parralell to stage plans. Should contain Quality Plan/ User and Supplier Proect Assurance will have input:

Identifying products of key interest to their role.

Specifying who should be quality checking producs.

Specifying points at hich quality checking should be done. Exception Plan Only use if tolerences exceeded to replace existing plan. At level of detail of plan it replaces. Needs appropriate approval, Stage Plan/Project Board, Project Plan/Programme Corporate Management.

The Fun Has Arrived

Monst is off tonight at the Emprie watching Jesus Christ Superstar with ex-colleague Sue. I avoid it and look after Cal. Thing is I miss a train the train I catch is late but earlier than the alternative I have planned, Cal gets dropped off with a neighbour and I swap a bottle of wine for him. I also arrive at the wrong station and have to play the bus game, they all go to Garston, Bootle or Speke when I want to go to Halewood. I curse because I know I'm late and I've inconvenienced Monst. Still that's what you get if you go to see a Lloyd-Webber, all the applicable letters are in coconut. I'm a bit less harsh on Tim Rice but he can thank Pat Rice for that. I'm not having a go at anyone who share's Pat surname because Pat is a fine fella. Notice Monday's trains post has arrived via mail to blog all very British Rail if your sufficiently old to remember them (for Elaine and anyone else who missed the experience they proided nationalised rail travel with a service certain to be late but they were friendly, all their sandwiches curled up at the ends an waved at you). Seems appropriate. A day then of synchronicity but that won't make sense until the Old Trafford post arrives. We apologise for any inconvenience the delay causes but if it confuses anyone it'll be me because this place saves me th effort of having to remember what I've done, when. Sally mails with a search for Sharon Smith I need to fit in somewhere tonight or in the morning. Dave mails he's getting a permanent badge but more importantly he's another blogging Fader with Hobotread which I visit, enjoy and add the feed to my aggreagator because I'm a lazy bastard. Music, football nice stuff. Then the SHA mail a new FoI request and it's a complete bastard. Mail Tracy to get her to kick off the process but I ain't gonna enjoy this one it's gonna wreck our collective heads I just know it. On the plus side it'll flesh out my monthly lessons learned report to Jim bigstyle. This is one where if I didn't have an expensive PRINCE course to complete I'd drop everything. However I am more than certain Tracy will cope in my absence because she always does and with some style. All this and it's nigh on 10and I haven't started my homework and I've an exam tomorrow. Bleah!

Trains

Day starts well the train I was due to catch is cancelled. A diesembodied voice tells me it is due to an engineering over run. I go to see if the next train is suffering too and what do you know the shutters are up so no questions can be answered. I notice that 90% of the trains are meant to be punctual does this figure include cancellations I wonder. Luckily I'm my usual stupidly early for everything self so can afford the time. Send a mail to Chrissie Cooke to solve the FoI enquiry. Send apologetic mail to Sally. Get ready to read Chapter 4.

Coffee, Search, Blog

Search to dodgy starbucks soundtrack and even worse intervention from content control. OK so the search was about adolescent sexual health but needed that like a hole in the head. Coffee was good mind. Posted what I could salvage of Chap 4 notes, not a case of deep joy things collapsed on me along the way, machines eh! Can't trust the little buggers. Mail to blog continue to fail to deliver, so expect a rush of freaky posts that relate to nothing today, yesterday or tomorrow.

Ongoing notes on Prince2 Manual Chapter 4 - Long story don't ask

Starting up a Project (SU) 4.1 Fundamental Principles

Must be a basic business requirement to trigger project. This must be viable.

Nothing can be done on project until responsibilities are defined and key roles filled.

Base information is needed for rational commissioning of a project.

Initiation Stage Plan must be submitted for approval before initiation stage is entered. 4.2 Context This is the first process in PRINCE and project begins once this process is conducted and the Project Board approve commencement of Project Initiation. Leads to Authorising Initiation (DP 1). Project Mandate triggers project usually out of corporate or programme management. May be verbal to complete Project Brief. Assumes information on reason for project already exists. 4.3 Process Description Production of 6 key elements key to process:

Design and appointment of project management team.

Ensuring information for project brief is available.

Establishing the project approach.

Establishing the customers quality expectations.

Setting up a Risk Log.

Creating the Initiation Stage Plan. Objective to enable a controlled start by ensuring:

Necessary Project Management Authorities.

Sufficient information is available to formalise terms of reference.

Appoint individuals to undertake project initiation and key Project Management roles.

Project Initiation is planned.

Organisation hosting project is informed of its existence and implications. Begins with external definition of problem or opportunity the project must satisfy the Project Mandate. Project Approach explaining way it is intended end products will be produced will help with Initiation Stage Plan. If part of a programme the programme will provide a Project Brief and Project Approach and appoint some or all of the Project Board. Much interplay between assembling project team, agreeing terms of reference and project approach. Target work location is informed and logistical support sorted. 4.3.1 Scalability Various approaches to this proces:

Stand alone project, all steps apply.

Part of programme then Project Brief or PID passed down, Project Board may be defined, Project Approach and Risk Log controlled at programme level. Just need to check if additional work required.

If small project requires less formal handling but should be completed. 4.4 Appointing a Project Board Executive and Project Manager 4.4.1 Fundemental Principles Need decision maker and someone to undertake the project. 4.4.2 Context Must plan initiation before initiation work begins requires appointment of executive and project manager. 4.4.3 Process Description Objectives of process are:

Identify Executive from stakeholders.

Identify most appropriate Project Manager.

Confirm selected peoples availability, acceptance and commitment.

Appoint people to respective roles. Requires Project Mandate. Must:

Ratify key elements of project mandate.

Establish missing information.

Identify candidates for Executive and Project Manager.

Establish responsibilities of each role.

Appoint Executive.

Appoint Project Manager.

Confirm appointments via agreement to job descriptions by corporate or programme management and appointees. Mandate should indicate type of project, its size and complexity, political and business sensitivity. This will help identify candidates for Project Manager role. May include draft Project Plan. 4.4.4 Responsibilities Corporate or programme management. 4.4.5 Information Needs

Project Mandate (Input/Update) Project Trigger

Agreed job descriptions for Executive and Project Manager (Output) Basis for sign up by both.

Appoint Executive and Project Manager (Output) 4.4.6 Key Criteria

If part of programme will programme management team fulfil any roles of project board?

Does proposed Executive have financial and functional authority neccesary?

Has availability of candidates been measured against forecast duration of project?

Are candidates likely to change job? If so has this been taken into consideration?

Do appointees have necessary skills and knowledge to undertake tasks? 4.5 Designing a Project Management Team 4.5.1 Fundemental Principles

Need right people with authority, reponsibility and knowledge to make timely decisions.

Need to reflect interests of all parties involved, business, user and supplier.

Requires range of resources and skills must be part of tem.

Consider all aspects required, fill all roles identifies in Organisation. 4.5.2 Context Review size and complexity and areas impacted by final outcome. Will overlap with appointing project team. 4.5.3 Process Description Objectives:

Design team appropriate to size of project.

Identify candidates to produce recommended project team.

Determine resposibilites and skills for each role.

Where part of programme Project Board may be appointed. Otherwise left to Executive. Organisation and Project Management Team Roles should be used as basis for process. Must:

Identify candidates for Project Board and create job descriptions.

Assess if Project Board members are likely to delegate assurance roles (allows Project Manager to advise on design of assurance roles).

Consider seperate Team Managers are required or Project Manager will fulfill this role.

Examine Project Manager role definition and need for support roles.

Assign candidate names for all roles. Define if shared, combined roles.

Identify who should approve roles. 4.5.4 Responsibilities Joint responsibility of Executive and Project Manager for design. 4.5.5 Information Needs

Agreed Executive and Project Manager Job Descriptions (Input) Specifies agreed responsibilities to avoid gaps/overlaps.

Project Mandate (Input)

Now the End is in Sight I'm so Tired, Laying Awake at Night so Wired

Sleep and I fight for a while. Wake at 4 which is positive in it means I can get some stuff done but a pain in terms of rest. Dash for train beckons so I can have time to do stuff at the Mancy end of the journey with decent coffee and joy in my heart...... Oh, I'm such a fucking cosmopolitan culchee me!

Prince2 Homework - Appendix B from Manual

Project Team Roles Project Board Approves major plans and authorises major deviations from agreed stage plans. Authority that signs off each stage and authorises next stage. Ensures required resources and arbitrates conflict or negotiates solutions between project and external bodies. Approves appointment and responsibilities of the Project Manager. Has following responsibilities that need tailoring project by project:

Approves start of project by accepting Project Brief.

Agrees with Project Manager their responsibilities and objectives.

Confirms with corporate or pogramme management of project tolerences.

Specification of external constraints on project such as quality assurance.

Approval of accurate and satisfactry Project Initiation Document including that it complies with customer standards and policies and associated contracts with suppliers.

Delegation of Project Assurance roles.

Commitment of project resources required by next stage plan. As project progresses:

Provision of guidance and direction to project ensuring stays within specified constraints.

Review completed stages and approve next stage plan.

Review and approve stage plans and any exception plans.

Ownership of identified risks as allocated at plan approval time - monitors risk and advises Project Manager of changes in status and actions to take to reduce risk.

Approval of changes.

Compliance with corporate or management directives. At the end of the project:

Assurance all produces have been delivered satisfactorily.

Assurance acceptance criteria have been met.

Approval of nd Project Report.

Approval of Lessons Learned Report and passage to appropriate standards group to ensure action.

Decisions on recommendations for folow on actions and passage of these to appropriate authorities.

Approval where apropriate of Post-Project Review Plan.

Project Closure Notificaton to corporate or progamme management. Project Board owns the process Directing a Project DP Ultimately responsible for assuarance that project remains on course to deliver desired outcome of required quality to meet business case defined in PID. Approves and funds changes. Executive Has ultimate responsibility for the project supported by Senior Uer and Senior Supplier. Role is to ensure focus on objectives and delivering product achieving projected benefits. Executive ensures value-for-money balancing demans of business, user and supplier.

Oversee development of Project Brief and Business Case

Ensures coherent project organisation and logical set of plans.

Authorises customer expenditure and set stage tolerances.

Monitor control the progress of project at strategic level, in particular reviewing the Business Case continually.

Ensure proposed changes of scope, cost, timescale checked against possile effects on Business Case.

Ensure risks are tracked and mitigated against.

Brief corporate or programme management on project progress.

Organise and chair Project Board meetings.

Recommend future actions on project to coroporate or programme management if project tolerence exceeded.

Approve end project Report and Lessons Learned Report ensure outstanding issues are documented and passed on to appropriate body.

Approve sending of project closure to programme or corporate management.

Ensure benefits are realised by holding post-project review and forward to review to appropriate stakeholders. Executive responsible for overall business assurance ensuring it stays on target to deliver benefits on schedule within tolerances for budget and schedule. Business assurance covers:

Validation and monitring of Business Case against external events and against project progress.

Keeping project in line with customer strategies.

Monitoring project finance on behalf of the customer.

Monitoring business risks to ensure that these are kept under control.

Monitor supplier and contractor payments.

Monitor changes to Project Plan for impact on Business Case or needs of Business.

Assessing impact of potential changes on Business Case or Project Plan.

Constraining user and supplier excesses.

Informing project of changes caused by programme of which it is part.

Monitoring stage and project progress against agreed tolerances. Executive is key decision maker with advice and commitment from others. Senior User Responsible for the specification of te needs of all those who will use the final product, for user liaison with the project team and monitoring the solution meets needs of the Business Case in terms of quality, functionality and ease of use. Represents users to whom product will deliver benefits. Commits user resources aainst requirements. May require more than one person to cover user interests. Shouldn't be too split it isn't effective. Specific Responsibilities are:

Ensure desired poject outcome is achieved.

Progress towad outcome required by users remains onsistent from user perspective.

Promote and maintain focus on desired project outcome.

Ensure user resources required by project are released.

Approve Product Descriptions for products that act as inputs or outputs from supplier function or that will directly affect them.

Ensure products are signed off once completed.

Prioritise and contribute user opinions on Project Board decisions on whether to implement recommended changes.

Resolve user requirements and prioity conflicts

Provide user view on Follow-on Action Reccomendations.

Brief and advise user management on all matters concerning project. Assurance responsibilities are:

Specification of users needs is accurate, complete and unambiguous.

Development of solution at all stages is monitored to meet users needs and progress towrds that.

Impact of potential changes is evaluated from user point of view.

Risks to users are constantly monitored.

Quality checking of product has appropriate user representation.

Quality control procedres are used correctly to ensure product meets user requirements.

User liaison is functioning effectively. May delegate authority for som assurance responsibilities. Senior Supplier Represents interests of those designing, developing, facilitating, procuring, implementing and possiby operating or maintaining products. accountable for quality of prducts delivered by the supplier. Must have authority to commit or aquire supplier resources In some environments customer may share design authority or have major say in it. May require more than one person to represent suppliers. Specific responsibilities:

Agree objectives for supplier activity.

Make sure progress towards outcomes is consistent from supplier point of view.

Promote and maintain focus on project outcome from supplier management perspective.

Ensure supplier resurces required for project are made available.

Approve Product Descriptions for supplier products

Contribute supplier opinions on Project Board decisions ot implement recommendations on proposed changes.

Resolve supplier requirements on priority conflicts.

Arbitrate on an resolve supplier priority or resource conflicts.

Brief non-technical management on supplier aspects of project. Responsible for specialist integrity of project. Assurance responsibilities are.

Advise on selection of development strategy, design and methods.

Ensure any supplier and operating standards defined by project are met and used to good effect.

Monitor potential change and impact on correctness, completeness and integrity of products against Product Description from supplier perspective.

Monitor risks in production aspects of project.

Ensure correct use of quality controm procedures so product adheres to requirements. May delegate some assurance responsibility. Project Manager Has authoity to run project on day-to-day basis on behalf of the Project Board within constraints laid down by the board. Prime responsbility to ensure project prduces required products o required standard of quality within specified constraints of time and cost. Responsible for producing result capable of achieving benefits defined in business case. Specific responsibilities:

Manage production of required prducts.

Direct and motivate project team.

Plan and monitor project.

Agree delegation and use of Project Assurance roles required by Project Board.

Produce PID.

Prepare Project, Stage and if neccesary Exception Plans in conjunction with Team Managers and appointed Projecte Assurance and agree them with Projct Board.

Manage risks, including development of contingency plans.

Liaise with programme management if project part of programme.

Liaise with programme management or related projects to ensure no overlooked or duplicated work.

Responsible for overall progress and use of resources and initiate corrective action if needed.

Responsible for change control and required configuration management.

Prepare and report to Project Board through Highlight Reports and End Stage Reports.

Liasie with Project Board or appointed Project Assurance on overall direction and integrity of project.

Agree technical and quality strategy with appropriate members of project board.

Prepare lessons learned Report.

Prepare any Follow on-Action Recommendations Report.

Prepare End Project Report.

Identify and obtain any support or advice required for managment, planning and control of project.

Be resopnsible for project admin.

Liaise with suppliers or account managers.

May also perform Team Manager and Project Support roles. Team Manager Prime responsbility t ensure prodution of products defined by Project Manager to appropriate quality in timescale and at cost acceptable to Project Board. Reports to and takes direction from Project Manager. Specific responsibilities.

Prepare plans for teams work and agree with Project Manager.

Recieve authorisation fro Project Manager to create products.

Manage the team.

Direct, motivate, plan and monitor teams work.

Take repsonsibility for progess of team's work and use of team resources and initieate corrective action within constraints aid down by Project Manager.

Advise Project Manager of deviations from plan, reccomend action, help prepare Exception plans.

Pass back to Project Manager products completed and approved in line with Work Package Plan.

Ensure project issues reported to person maintaining Issue Log.

Ensure evaluation of any Project Issues that arise in teams work and recommend actions to Project Manager.

Liaise with any Project Assurance roles.

Attend stage assessments as directed by Project Manager.

Arrange with lead team checkpoint meetings and produce Checpoint Reports aas agreed with Project Manager.

Ensure quality controls of team's work are planned and perfored correctly.

Ensure appropriate entries in Quality Log.

Maintain and ensure existence of team files.

Identify and advise roject Manager of risks associated with Work Package.

Ensure all identified risks are entered in risk log.

Manage specif risks as directed by Project Manager. Project Assurance Covers all interests in project, business, user, supplier. Must be independent of Project Manager, Project Board can not delegate responsibilities in this area to Project Manager. Specific responsibilities need to answer the question What is to be assured, may include:

Maintainence of thorough liaison throughout project netween supplier and customer.

User needs and expectations are met and managed.

Risks are controlled.

Adherence to business case.

Constant reassessment of value-for-money.

Fit with overall strategy of corporation or programme.

Right people are being involved.

Acceptable solution is being developed.

Project remains viable.

Scope of project is not 'creeping upwards' unnnoticed.

Focus on business need.

Internal and external communications are working.

Applicable standards are being used.

Legislative containts are observed.

Needs of specialist interests (eg. security) are being observed.

Adherence to quality assurance standards. Need to check all standards are met don't assume they will be.

Quick Post for Fun

In all the PONCE2 excitement I forgot Single Search Environment went live today on National Library for Health. Mail to Blog seems to be sluggish to say the least so post from lunchtime will appear whenever. My brain hurts and I need to do my PONCE2 homework..... Not inclined to but know I need to.

Bad Karma Beckons

Curses, don't get the news out of Furl and on to blog. Apologies Sally, my heads full of this PRINCE course and the pre-course reading I should have done on Saturday as well as today. Cold has got heavier. Need a bath before bed because I've spent the day sweating like a pig. Learn the truth about 'Porky Prime Cuts' as a result of radi as I type notes to sink this PRINCE stuff into my head. Beer, pills and bed beckon. Not as rock'n'roll as it sounds the pills are LEMSIP!

Prince2 Manual - Chapter 3

3.1 Management Levels 4 parallel management levels:

Coporate or programme management is ighest level, outside Project Management it sets the agenda.

Directing a Project highest level wthin project completed by Project Board. For key decision making and direction setting.

Managing a project- day-to-day planning and control level, largely handled by the project manager.

Managing product delivery, hadled by Team Managers. Interact:

Higher level processes control lower levels e.g. managing a project creates work package for managing product delivery.

Output at lower levels provides inputs that allow higher-level processes to function effectively.

Prince2 Manual - Chapter 2

2.1 What is a Project? A management environment created for the purpose of delivering one or more business products according to a specified business case or a temporary organisation needed to produce a unique and predefined outcome or result at a prespecified time using predefined resources. PRINCE2 Projects therefore have:

Finite and defined life cycle

Produce defined and measurable business products

A corresponding set of activities to achieve the business products

Defined amount of resources

Organised structure with defined responsibilities to manage the project. May be stand alone or part of a programme. When completed the project is disbanded. The life cycle which is the path and sequence through the various activities to produce the final product. Life span is used to describe the life of the product. 2.2 The scope of PRINCE2 Aspects of existing project management that are proven and excluded from PRINCE2 which may also be used include:

People management techniques

Generic planning techniques such as Gannt charts and critical path analysis.

Risk management techniques.

Corporate quality management and assurance mechanisms.

Budgetary control and earned value analysis techniques. Covers management of the project and resources involved in undertaking activities of the project. Assumes that project is run within a contract context but excludes specialist areas such as procurement and contracting. These will if required early on increase the importance of a complete and accurate Project Initiation Document (PID). Designed for use on any type of project in any environment but application will vary. Always focussed on delivering specific products to meet specified business case. Benefits are stated in the business case and may be:

Financial.

Strategic.

Legislative. Business case is constatnly reviews and progress measured against defined benefits. New benefits may be discovered along the way but deviations must be controlled through the Project Board. Stakeholders to be involved:

Customers

Users who will operate final product.

Suppliers giving specialist resource

Sub-contractors providing products or services to suppliers. Assumes customer will specify desired product and make use of final product and supplier who provide resources and skills to create product. Assumes these are two different parties. Customer participation is key. Configuration management is an essential part of project control focussed on controlling products delivered and knowing where they are at, at any point, their status, who is working on them and the latest version. Risk must be managed, PRINCE incorporate this process. Initiation covers planning and definition of project. May be part of a work programme. PRINCE aimed at middle between high level strategy and specialist techniques to deliver speialist services. Feasibility Studies - may be required under PRINCE2 best handled as seperate project. 2.4 Overview of PRINCE2 Process based approach to project management. 2.5 The processes 8 management processes, key issue is how extensively each of the following should be emplyed within a project: Starting a project - first process. Ensures prereuisites for starting are in place. Expects Project Mandate (high level reason for project and product required). Should be a short process built around the establishment of:

Design an appointment of project management team.

Project Brief.

Project Approach (how solution will be provided).

Cusomers quality expectations.

Risk log

Initiation stage plan. Directing a project - runs from end of Starting Up a Prject until projects closure. Aimed at the Project Board which manages by exception and monitors through report and controls through a number of decision points. Key processes are:

Initiation.

Stage boundaries (commitment of more resources after checking current results).

Ad hoc direction (progress monitoring, advice and guidance, reacting to threats to plans and benefits).

Project closure (confirming outcome and controlled close) Initiating a project - objectives are to:

Define how required product quality will be achieved

Plan and cost project.

Document and confirm acceptable Business case for project.

Ensure investment of time and effort is justified taking into account risks.

Enable and encourage project board to take ownership of project.

Provide baseline for decision making processes during project's life.

Agree to commitment of resource for next stage of project. Key element is the Project Initiation Document which defines the What, Why, Who, When and How of the project. Also creates blank:

Quality log.

Issue log.

Lessons learned log. Managing stage boundaries - Produces the information on which the Project Board will take key decisions on whether to continue with the project or not. Objectives are:

Assure project board that all products lanned in current Stage Plan have been completed as defined.

Provide the information to enable Project Board to assess continuing viability.

Provide Project Board with other information to aprove current stage's completion and authorise start of next stage together with designated tolerence level.

Record any measurements or lessons that can help later stages of project or other projects. Products of process are:

End stage report given by Project Manager to Project Board containing Stage achievements.

Current Stage Plan actuals, performance against Stage Plan.

Next Stage Plan or Exception Plan for which approval is sought.

Revised Project Plan

Updated Risk Log, used to assess continuing viability of project by the Project Board.

Revised Business Case.

Lessons Learned Log, updated with lessons from current stage.

Changes to structure or staffing of Project Management Team. Controlling a stage - Monitoring and control activities that are the day-to-day management of the project for the Project Manager as htey ensure things stay on course and react to unexpected events. Will be a cycle of:

Authorising work to be done.

Gathering progress information about work.

Watch for changes.

Review the situation.

Reporting.

Taking neccessary corrective action. Process covers these activities and ongoing work on rik and issue management. Cyclic production of the following products occurs:

Work packages.

Highlight Reports.

Project Issues (updated Issue Log).

Updated Risk Log.

Regularly updated Stage Plan. May also be need for an Exception Report. Managing product delivery - this process ensures that planned prodcts are created and elivered to the project by:

Team Manager negotiating Work Packages with the Project Manager.

Ensuring all work on products allocated to the team is authorised and agreed.

Ensuring that work conforms to requirements and interfacces agreed in Work Package.

Ensuring work is done.

Assessing work progress and forecasts regularly.

Ensuring products meet quality criteria.

Obtaining approval for completed products. Products created or updated include:

Team plans.

Quality logs - giving Project Manager view of the quality of work done.

Project Issues (updating Business Case)

Risk Log updates.

Checkpoint Reports, regular reports form Team Manager to the Project Manager. Closing a project - executes a controlld close to the project. Covers the Project Manager's work as wrap up at end or at premature closure. Most of the work is to prepare input into Project Board for confirmation prject may close. Objectives are therefore:

Check extent to which PID aims and objectives have been met.

Confirm customers acceptance of products.

Assess the extent to which expected products have been handed over and accepted by customer.

Confirm maintenance and operation arrangements are in place (including relevant training).

Make recommendations for future work (Fillow-on Action Recommendations)

Capture lessons resulting project and complete Lessons Learned Report.

Prepare End Project Report.

Prepare Post Project Review Plan.

Archive the Project files.

Notify host organisation od intention to disban project organisation an release the resources (nd project notification). Planning - repeatable process with important role in:

Planning an Initiation Stage.

Planning a Project.

Planning a Stage.

Updating a Project Plan.

Accepting a Work Package.

Producing an Exception Plan. Apart from plan, process produces:

Product checklist a table of products to be produced by work planned with space for planned and actual dates for delivery of draft quality checked and approved products.

Risk Log updated with risk situations arising out of planning activity. Business case - viable business case main control condition of a PRINCE2 Project. Verified by Project Board before the project begins and at every major decision stage. Project is stopped if viability dissapears Organisation - PRINCE2 provides structure for Project Management team and definition of repsonsibilites and relationships. These roles can be combined and shared depending on size of project. Plans - PRINCE2 offers series of plan levels tailored to size and project needs based on products not activities. Controls - PRINCE2 provides set of controls to facilitate key decision making information to pre-empt problems. Split into stages to define review and commitment points. Management of Risk - PRINCE2 defines key moements for review of risk and outlines anaysis and management of risk and tracks progress. Quality in a Project Environment - PRINCE2 recognisies the importance of quality and incorporates it in management. Begins with customer and by laying down standards and inspection methods and checks they are used. Configuration Management - Tracking components of final product and versions. PRINCE2 defines essential facilities and information requirements for configuration management method and linkage to other PRINCE2 techniques and components. Change Control - PRINCE2 emphasises need for change control enforced by change control technique and identification of processes that apply to change control. Techniques - left open to be used as appropriate but does detail:

Product based planning.

Change control.

Quality Review.

Prince2 Manual - Chapter 1

PRINCE (PRojects IN Controlled Environments) is a structured method for Project Management and provides the de facto standard for UK Government projects. 1.1 Why Use a Project Management Method? Reduce risk of project failure as a result of:

Lack of vaid business case

Insuffient attention to quality

Ill defined outcomes

Poor communication with stakeholders

Badly defined project management roles and responsibilities resulting in lack of direction and poor decision making

Costs and duration of project poorly estimated resulting in over runs and increased costs

Indaequate planning and co-ordination of resources

Insuffiecient measurables and lack of control over progress

Lack of quality control Gives firm framework of accountability and responsibility and is guided by the following principles:

Projects are finite with definite start and end date

All projects require management to be successful

Commitment follows clear need, clear objectives, clear outcomes and clear responsibilities to deliver this. 1.2 Benefits of using PRINCE2

Method is repeatable

Method is tachable

Builds on experience

Clarity about what to expect, where, how and when

Gives early warning of problems

Proactive but can cope with sudden unexpected events Projects may exist in isolation or in relation with each other. Provide organisation with:

Controlled management of change in terms of investment and ROI

Active involvement of users and stakeholdes ensures project will meet business, functional, environmentsal, service and management requirements.

Approach distinquishes Poject Management from product development and uses consistent methodology whatever the project. For managers controls use of resource and better risk management. Embodies proven best practice in project management. Delivers common project language. Formal recognition of responsibilities, why, when and for whom. Provides:

Controlled start, middle, end.

Regular progress review against Business Case and Plan.

Flexible decision points.

Management control of deviations from plan.

Involvement of management and stakeholders at right time in project.

Good communication channels between project management team and rest of organisation.

Agreed quality criteria at outset and continuous monitoring against quality throughout project. Project Managers are able to:

Establish terms of reference at the start of project.

Use defined structure for delegation, authority and communication

Divide project into manageable stages for accurate planning.

Ensure resource commitment from management is part of approval to proceed.

Provide regular but brief management reports.

Keep meetings with stakeholders to minimum but at vital points for project. Those directly involved in using projects or outcomes are able to:

Participate in all decision making.

Can be involved on day-to-day basis.

Participate in quality checks throughout project.

Ensure their requirements are met. Senior management use 'management by exception concept' and let project manager get on with it unless something is forecast to go wrong. Business Case - defines information justification for settingin up, continuing and terminating project by defining why it is undertaken. Can be updated at key points throughout project. Customer - commissioner of work who will bnefit from end results. Product - whatever the project creates or changes. Programme- collection of projects that together achieve beneficial change for organisation. Supplier - group providing specialist resources and skills, goods and services to create required project outcome for customers and users. User - person/group that will use end product. May be synonymous with customer.

Pre-Prince2 Course Reading

Key questions:

What are we trying to do?

When will we start?

What do we need?

Can we do it alone or do we need help?

How long will it take?

How much will it cost? Structured project management gives logical, organised famework following deined steps to identify answers to these questions. Prince2 states a project should have:

An organised and controlled start (plan and prepare properly before begining project)

An organised and controlled middle (once started keep it on track)

An organised and controlled end (once done, tidy up loose ends) Project manager responsible for the organising and controlling. Will select people to work on the project and be responsible for making sure the work is done on time and properly. Draws up the project plans that describe what the poject team will be doing and when they expect to finish. Customer/Executive is the person paying for the project. The person who will use the results or imapacted by the outcome is the user. These two may be synonymous in many projects. Person who provides expertise to do the actual work on the project is the supplier or specialist. All need to be co-ordinated so required outcomes are delivered on budget, on time and to the required quality. Each Prince2 project will have a Project Board made up of customer, user representative and specialist. Customer, Senior User and Senior Supplier respectively. Project Manager reports regularly to the project board. This board is responsible for providing necessary decisions for project to proceed or overcome difficulties. Project Assurance provides independent view of project progress and consists of business, user and specialist viewpoint. Ensures project is viable in terms of costs, beniefits, meeting user requirement and suitable solution is being delivered. Maybe undertaken by project board or seperate group. Aministrative work often completed by Project Managers to sort meetings etc and keep all on track. Method also explains how to manage risk (identify risks and positive or negative impact), quality and control change (preventing change taking project off in wrong direction as people change their minds). Prince2 delivers set of processes to work through to give framework to gather relevant information. Can't deliver project for you.

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