In PRINCE2 7, the Organizing practice establishes a fundamental connection with the seven principles that govern effective project management. This relationship ensures that organizational structures support and enable principle-based project delivery.
The Organizing practice defines roles, respon…In PRINCE2 7, the Organizing practice establishes a fundamental connection with the seven principles that govern effective project management. This relationship ensures that organizational structures support and enable principle-based project delivery.
The Organizing practice defines roles, responsibilities, and accountabilities within the project management team. It creates a structure that facilitates the application of PRINCE2 principles throughout the project lifecycle.
Regarding Continued Business Justification, the organization structure ensures that appropriate stakeholders maintain oversight of the Business Case. The Project Board, comprising the Executive, Senior User, and Senior Supplier, continuously validates that the project remains viable and worthwhile.
For Learn from Experience, the organizational structure designates responsibilities for capturing lessons. Team members at all levels contribute to organizational learning, with the Project Manager coordinating lesson identification and the Project Board ensuring lessons inform future decisions.
The Define Roles, Responsibilities and Relationships principle is inherently embedded within organizing. Clear accountability lines prevent confusion and ensure everyone understands their contribution to project success.
Manage by Stages requires an organization capable of making stage-end decisions. The Project Board must be structured to authorize stage progression based on performance and forecasts.
Manage by Exception relies on organizational clarity. Tolerance levels flow through the organizational hierarchy, with each management level understanding when to escalate issues and when to resolve them autonomously.
Focus on Products requires the organization to include people with appropriate skills to define, create, and approve project products. Quality responsibilities must be clearly assigned.
Finally, Tailor to the Environment means the organizational structure itself must be adapted. Smaller projects might combine roles, while complex endeavors require more elaborate structures with additional assurance functions.
This symbiotic relationship ensures that organizational design supports principled project delivery while principles guide how the organization functions effectively.
Organizing and Principles Relationship in PRINCE2 Foundation v7
Why is the Organizing and Principles Relationship Important?
Understanding how the Organizing practice connects to PRINCE2 principles is fundamental to passing your Foundation exam. The Organizing practice does not exist in isolation – it is deeply rooted in and supports the seven PRINCE2 principles. Examiners frequently test whether candidates can identify these connections, making this topic essential for exam success.
What is the Organizing and Principles Relationship?
The Organizing practice establishes the project management team structure, defines roles, and ensures accountability throughout the project. This practice has strong relationships with several PRINCE2 principles:
1. Defined Roles and Responsibilities: This is the most obvious connection. The Organizing practice is the practical implementation of this principle. It ensures every team member knows their authority, responsibilities, and what they are accountable for.
2. Manage by Exception: The Organizing practice supports this principle by establishing clear tolerances and escalation paths. Each role in the project hierarchy has defined authority limits, enabling management by exception to function effectively.
3. Tailoring: The project organization must be tailored to suit the project's size, complexity, and environment. A small project may combine roles, while a large project requires more elaborate structures.
4. Business Justification: The Project Board structure, defined through Organizing, ensures continued business justification is monitored by having senior user, senior supplier, and executive representation.
How Does This Relationship Work in Practice?
The Organizing practice creates a framework where: - The Executive represents business interests and owns the Business Case - Senior Users represent those who will use project outputs - Senior Suppliers provide resources and expertise - The Project Manager manages day-to-day activities within tolerances - Team Managers deliver work packages - Project Assurance monitors project health
This structure ensures principles are embedded in how the project operates rather than being theoretical concepts.
Exam Tips: Answering Questions on Organizing and Principles Relationship
Tip 1: When you see questions about accountability or authority, think about both the Organizing practice AND the Defined Roles and Responsibilities principle. They are intrinsically linked.
Tip 2: Questions about escalation or tolerance levels connect Organizing to Manage by Exception. Remember that roles define who can make which decisions.
Tip 3: If a scenario describes a very small or very large project, consider how Organizing relates to the Tailoring principle. Role combination or expansion is a key concept.
Tip 4: Look for keywords in questions such as 'accountability,' 'authority,' 'escalation,' 'tolerance,' and 'role combination' – these signal Organizing and principles connections.
Tip 5: Remember that the three Project Board roles (Executive, Senior User, Senior Supplier) exist to ensure business, user, and supplier interests are represented, supporting the Business Justification principle.
Tip 6: Practice identifying which principle each aspect of the organization structure supports. This analytical skill is valuable for scenario-based questions.
Common Exam Question Types: - Identifying which principle supports a specific organizational decision - Selecting the correct role responsible for certain actions - Recognizing appropriate tailoring of the organization structure - Understanding how tolerances and escalation support management by exception