The Plans Practice in PRINCE2 7 serves a fundamental purpose of enabling effective project delivery through structured planning activities. Its primary aim is to facilitate communication and control by establishing a framework that defines how the project will achieve its objectives, including the …The Plans Practice in PRINCE2 7 serves a fundamental purpose of enabling effective project delivery through structured planning activities. Its primary aim is to facilitate communication and control by establishing a framework that defines how the project will achieve its objectives, including the products to be delivered, the activities required, the resources needed, and the timeframes involved.
The purpose encompasses several critical functions. First, it provides a mechanism for decision-making by presenting stakeholders with clear information about what the project will deliver, when deliverables will be completed, and at what cost. This transparency allows the Project Board and other decision-makers to authorize work and allocate resources appropriately.
Second, the Plans Practice establishes baselines against which progress can be measured. These baselines serve as reference points for monitoring and controlling the project, enabling project managers to identify deviations early and take corrective action when necessary.
Third, it supports the management by stages principle by ensuring that detailed planning occurs at appropriate levels. PRINCE2 recognizes three levels of plans: Project Plan, Stage Plan, and Team Plan. Each level provides the right amount of detail for different management needs, ensuring that senior management receives summary information while team members have sufficient detail to execute their work.
Fourth, the practice ensures that planning is product-focused, meaning plans are developed based on clearly defined products and their quality requirements. This approach helps prevent scope creep and ensures all stakeholders share a common understanding of what will be delivered.
Finally, the Plans Practice integrates with other practices, particularly Risk and Business Case, ensuring that plans remain realistic, achievable, and aligned with project justification. Through effective planning, organizations can optimize resource utilization, manage expectations, and increase the likelihood of successful project outcomes.
Plans Practice Purpose - Complete Guide for PRINCE2 Foundation V7
Introduction to Plans Practice Purpose
The Plans practice is one of the seven practices in PRINCE2 V7, and understanding its purpose is fundamental to passing your Foundation exam. This guide will help you master this topic comprehensively.
What is the Plans Practice?
The Plans practice provides a framework for designing, developing, and maintaining the various levels of plans needed to manage a project successfully. It ensures that all stakeholders have a clear understanding of what needs to be achieved, when, how, and by whom.
The Purpose of the Plans Practice
The purpose of the Plans practice is to facilitate communication and control by defining the means of delivering the products. This involves:
• Establishing what products are required • Determining the activities and resources needed • Scheduling when activities will occur • Identifying dependencies between activities • Enabling progress to be measured against the plan
Why is the Plans Practice Important?
Plans are essential because they:
• Enable Communication: Plans communicate to stakeholders what is expected, when deliverables will be ready, and what resources are needed
• Support Decision Making: They provide the baseline against which progress and deviations can be measured
• Facilitate Control: Plans allow project managers to identify issues early and take corrective action
• Manage Expectations: Clear plans help align stakeholder expectations with realistic outcomes
• Coordinate Activities: Plans ensure that work is sequenced appropriately and dependencies are managed
How the Plans Practice Works
PRINCE2 uses a hierarchy of plans operating at different levels:
1. Project Plan: Provides a high-level view of the entire project, used by the Project Board for overall control
2. Stage Plans: Detailed plans for each management stage, used by the Project Manager for day-to-day control
3. Team Plans: Optional plans created by Team Managers to manage the execution of work packages
4. Exception Plans: Created when a stage or project is forecast to exceed tolerances, replacing the current plan
The Planning Process
Creating a plan involves several steps:
1. Design the plan format and presentation 2. Define and analyze the products 3. Identify activities and dependencies 4. Prepare estimates 5. Prepare the schedule 6. Document the plan 7. Analyze risks
Key Concepts to Remember
• Plans are living documents that may need updating • Product-based planning is the recommended technique • Plans should include quality activities, not just delivery activities • Each plan should have defined tolerances • Plans support the manage by exception principle
Exam Tips: Answering Questions on Plans Practice Purpose
Tip 1: Remember that the primary purpose is about communication and control. If an answer option mentions both of these elements, it is likely correct.
Tip 2: Understand the relationship between plans and the manage by exception principle. Plans establish baselines and tolerances that enable exception management.
Tip 3: Know which plan belongs to which level. Project Plans are for the Project Board, Stage Plans are for the Project Manager, and Team Plans are for Team Managers.
Tip 4: When asked about the purpose of plans, focus on answers that emphasize defining the means of delivery rather than the actual execution of work.
Tip 5: Questions may test whether you understand that plans are not just schedules. They include resources, costs, quality approaches, and risk responses.
Tip 6: Look for answers that connect plans to enabling measurement of progress. This is a core function of the Plans practice.
Tip 7: Be careful with questions about exception plans. These replace the current plan, they do not supplement it.
Common Exam Question Types
• Identifying the correct purpose statement for the Plans practice • Matching plan types to management levels • Understanding when exception plans are created • Recognizing the outputs of the planning process • Connecting plans to PRINCE2 principles
Summary
The Plans practice purpose centers on facilitating communication and control through well-defined plans at multiple levels. Understanding this purpose, combined with knowledge of the plan hierarchy and planning steps, will help you answer exam questions confidently.