The Senior User is a critical role within the PRINCE2 7 project management framework, representing the interests of those who will use the project's products or be affected by its outcomes. This role sits within the project board and carries significant responsibility for ensuring the project deliv…The Senior User is a critical role within the PRINCE2 7 project management framework, representing the interests of those who will use the project's products or be affected by its outcomes. This role sits within the project board and carries significant responsibility for ensuring the project delivers value to the user community.
The Senior User is accountable for specifying the needs of the users and ensuring that the project's products meet these requirements. They serve as the voice of the user community throughout the project lifecycle, communicating user expectations and confirming that deliverables are fit for purpose.
Key responsibilities of the Senior User include:
1. Defining and verifying user requirements and expectations, ensuring these are clearly communicated to the project team.
2. Confirming that the project's products are acceptable and will deliver the expected benefits to users.
3. Providing user resources for the project when needed, such as subject matter experts or testers who can validate products from a user perspective.
4. Resolving user requirements conflicts and priorities when different user groups have competing needs.
5. Maintaining the commitment of user stakeholders throughout the project.
6. Approving the project at key decision points from a user perspective.
7. Ensuring benefits are realized after project completion by championing the adoption of project outputs.
The Senior User works collaboratively with the Executive and Senior Supplier on the project board to make decisions about the project's direction. While the Executive focuses on business justification and the Senior Supplier on technical delivery, the Senior User ensures the solution remains aligned with user needs.
In larger projects, multiple Senior Users may be appointed to represent different user groups or business areas. This role is essential for maintaining user engagement and ensuring the project delivers products that users will actually adopt and benefit from.
Senior User Role in PRINCE2 Foundation v7
What is the Senior User Role?
The Senior User is a key member of the Project Board in PRINCE2. This role represents the interests of those who will use the project's products or who will be affected by the project's outcomes. The Senior User is accountable for ensuring that user requirements are specified correctly and that the solution meets those needs.
Why is the Senior User Role Important?
The Senior User role is critical because:
• It ensures that the project delivers products that are fit for purpose and meet actual business needs • It provides a voice for end users at the highest decision-making level • It bridges the gap between those commissioning the project and those who will ultimately use its outputs • It helps secure user commitment and buy-in throughout the project lifecycle • It ensures benefits are realized after project completion
Key Responsibilities of the Senior User
The Senior User is responsible for:
• Specifying user requirements - Ensuring needs are clearly defined and communicated • Liaison with users - Maintaining communication between the project and user community • Benefits realization - Ensuring expected benefits are actually achieved • User resources - Committing user resources to the project when needed • Quality expectations - Defining quality criteria from a user perspective • Acceptance - Confirming that products are acceptable to users • Post-project benefits - Taking ownership of benefits reviews after project closure
How the Senior User Role Works
The Senior User sits on the Project Board alongside the Executive and Senior Supplier. They participate in key project decisions and authorize stage boundaries. During the project, they:
• Review and approve relevant project documents • Provide input on changes affecting users • Resolve escalated issues related to user requirements • Ensure user acceptance activities are completed • Monitor that the project remains aligned with user expectations
There can be more than one Senior User if multiple user groups have distinct interests in the project.
Exam Tips: Answering Questions on Senior User Role
Tip 1: Focus on the word 'User' When you see questions about who represents users or user interests, the answer typically involves the Senior User.
Tip 2: Remember Benefits Ownership The Senior User is responsible for benefits realization and post-project benefits reviews. This is a frequently tested concept.
Tip 3: Distinguish from Other Roles Do not confuse the Senior User with: • The Executive (who owns the Business Case) • The Senior Supplier (who provides resources and expertise) • Project Assurance (who monitors on behalf of stakeholders)
Tip 4: User Resources Questions about who commits user resources to the project point to the Senior User.
Tip 5: Multiple Senior Users Remember that multiple Senior Users can exist when different user groups have varying interests.
Tip 6: Quality from User Perspective When questions ask about defining quality expectations from the user viewpoint, think Senior User.
Tip 7: Acceptance Authority The Senior User confirms that deliverables are acceptable to the user community.
Common Exam Question Types
• Who is responsible for specifying user requirements? (Senior User) • Who ensures benefits are realized? (Senior User) • Who represents user interests on the Project Board? (Senior User) • Who commits user resources to the project? (Senior User) • Who owns post-project benefits reviews? (Senior User)