The Project Brief is a fundamental document in PRINCE2 7 that serves as the foundation for initiating a project and developing the Business Case. It is created during the Starting up a Project process and provides essential information needed to determine whether the project is viable and worth pur…The Project Brief is a fundamental document in PRINCE2 7 that serves as the foundation for initiating a project and developing the Business Case. It is created during the Starting up a Project process and provides essential information needed to determine whether the project is viable and worth pursuing.
The Project Brief captures the preliminary understanding of what the project aims to achieve and why it should be undertaken. It contains key elements including the project definition, which outlines the objectives, scope, deliverables, and constraints. It also includes an outline Business Case that presents the initial justification for the project, covering expected benefits, costs, risks, and timescales.
Additionally, the Project Brief incorporates the project approach, describing how the work will be delivered, and identifies the customer's quality expectations along with acceptance criteria. It also defines the project management team structure for the initiation stage.
The document serves multiple purposes within the PRINCE2 framework. First, it enables the Project Board to make an informed decision about whether to authorize the initiation stage. Second, it provides the project manager with sufficient information to create the detailed Project Initiation Documentation (PID). Third, it establishes a shared understanding among stakeholders about what the project involves.
The Project Brief evolves from the project mandate, which is the initial trigger for the project. The mandate is often incomplete or vague, so the Starting up a Project process refines and expands this information into the more comprehensive Project Brief.
In terms of the Business Case practice, the outline Business Case within the Project Brief is later developed into a detailed Business Case during initiation. This ensures that investment decisions are based on progressively refined information, supporting PRINCE2's principle of continued business justification throughout the project lifecycle.
Project Brief - Business Case Practice Guide
What is a Project Brief?
The Project Brief is a key management product in PRINCE2 that provides a firm foundation for initiating the project. It is created during the Starting up a Project process and is used to gain approval to initiate the project from the Project Board.
The Project Brief captures the essential information needed to decide whether the project is worthwhile and viable. It evolves from the Project Mandate (the trigger for the project) and provides enough detail to allow an informed decision about whether to proceed with project initiation.
Why is the Project Brief Important?
The Project Brief serves several critical purposes:
• Foundation for Decision Making: It gives the Project Board sufficient information to authorize initiation • Defines Project Scope: It establishes what the project will and will not include • Captures Project Context: It documents the business reasons and expected outcomes • Communication Tool: It ensures all stakeholders have a shared understanding of the project • Basis for the PID: It provides the foundation for developing the Project Initiation Documentation
Contents of the Project Brief
The Project Brief typically includes:
• Project Definition: Background, objectives, scope, deliverables, exclusions, constraints, and assumptions • Outline Business Case: Reasons for the project and expected benefits • Project Product Description: What the final product will look like and acceptance criteria • Project Approach: How the work will be delivered • Project Management Team Structure: Key roles and responsibilities • Role Descriptions: For the project management team • References: To any related documents or information
How the Project Brief Works in Practice
1. The Project Mandate triggers the project 2. During Starting up a Project, the Project Manager develops the Project Brief 3. The Executive and Project Manager refine the information 4. The Project Brief is presented to the Project Board 5. The Project Board uses it to make the decision to authorize initiation 6. Once initiation is authorized, the Project Brief forms the basis for the PID
Relationship to the Business Case
The Project Brief contains an Outline Business Case which provides the initial justification for the project. This is not the full Business Case but provides enough information to determine if the project is worth pursuing. The full Business Case is developed during the Initiation Stage based on this outline.
Exam Tips: Answering Questions on Project Brief
• Remember the Process: The Project Brief is created in Starting up a Project, not Initiating a Project • Know the Trigger: The Project Mandate triggers the creation of the Project Brief • Understand the Purpose: It provides enough information to authorize initiation, not project execution • Distinguish from PID: The Project Brief is a precursor to the PID, not a replacement for it • Outline vs Full: Remember that the Project Brief contains an outline Business Case, not the full version • Approval Authority: The Project Board authorizes initiation based on the Project Brief • Key Contents: Be familiar with what is included: project definition, outline business case, project product description, and project approach • Evolution: Understand that project information evolves from Mandate to Brief to PID
Common Exam Question Types
• Questions asking when the Project Brief is created • Questions about what the Project Brief contains • Questions about the purpose of the Project Brief • Questions distinguishing between the Project Brief and PID • Questions about who approves projects based on the Project Brief