The Starting Up a Project process in PRINCE2 7 represents the initial pre-project phase that occurs before the project formally begins. This process serves as a crucial foundation-setting activity that ensures the organization has sufficient information to decide whether to initiate the project pro…The Starting Up a Project process in PRINCE2 7 represents the initial pre-project phase that occurs before the project formally begins. This process serves as a crucial foundation-setting activity that ensures the organization has sufficient information to decide whether to initiate the project properly.
The context of Starting Up a Project is positioned at the very beginning of the project lifecycle, triggered by a project mandate from corporate or programme management. This mandate provides the initial direction and authorization to explore whether a project is viable and worthwhile pursuing.
During this process, the Executive and Project Manager are appointed, establishing the core leadership structure. The project team assembles preliminary information to create essential documentation including the Project Brief, which outlines the project's purpose, scope, and high-level requirements. Additionally, the approach to project delivery is defined, determining how the project work will be executed.
The Starting Up a Project process also involves reviewing previous lessons from similar projects to incorporate valuable insights and avoid repeating past mistakes. This learning-oriented approach helps shape realistic expectations and planning approaches.
A key output is the initiation Stage Plan, which details the work required during the subsequent Initiating a Project stage. This ensures adequate planning exists for the more detailed project setup activities that follow.
The context emphasizes that Starting Up a Project is deliberately lightweight and short-duration. Its purpose is to gather just enough information for the Project Board to make an informed decision about whether to authorize the initiation stage. This prevents organizations from investing significant resources in projects that may not be viable.
Ultimately, the process concludes with a request to initiate the project, presenting the Project Board with compiled information to assess whether proceeding makes business sense. This gateway approach ensures appropriate governance and decision-making authority remains with senior management throughout the project lifecycle.
Starting Up a Project Context - Complete Guide
Why is Starting Up a Project Context Important?
The Starting Up a Project (SU) process is crucial because it acts as the gateway to any PRINCE2 project. It ensures that only viable projects proceed further, saving organizations from investing time and resources into projects that may not be worthwhile. This process establishes the foundation upon which the entire project will be built, making it essential for project success.
What is Starting Up a Project?
Starting Up a Project is a pre-project process that occurs before the project officially begins. It is triggered by a project mandate from corporate or programme management. The purpose is to answer the fundamental question: Do we have a viable and worthwhile project?
This process is designed to be lightweight and should not consume excessive resources. It gathers just enough information to enable the Project Board to make an informed decision about whether to initiate the project.
Key Objectives of Starting Up a Project:
• Ensure there is a business justification for the project • Appoint the Executive and Project Manager • Capture previous lessons that might benefit the project • Design and appoint the project management team • Prepare the outline Business Case • Select the project approach and assemble the Project Brief • Plan the Initiation Stage
How Starting Up a Project Works:
The process consists of several activities:
1. Appoint the Executive and the Project Manager - These are the first appointments made, with the Executive being accountable for business justification.
2. Capture Previous Lessons - Learning from similar past projects to improve current project planning.
3. Design and Appoint the Project Management Team - Creating the team structure appropriate for the project's needs.
4. Prepare the Outline Business Case - Documenting why the project should be undertaken.
5. Select the Project Approach and Assemble the Project Brief - Determining how the solution will be delivered and compiling key project information.
6. Plan the Initiation Stage - Creating a detailed plan for the next stage only.
Key Outputs:
• Project Brief • Outline Business Case • Project Product Description • Stage Plan for Initiation • Lessons Log (started) • Daily Log (started)
Exam Tips: Answering Questions on Starting Up a Project Context
Tip 1: Remember that SU is a PRE-project process, not part of the project itself. Questions may test whether you understand this distinction.
Tip 2: Know the triggers and outputs. The trigger is the project mandate, and key outputs include the Project Brief and Stage Plan for Initiation.
Tip 3: Understand that the Executive is appointed first, then the Project Manager. The Executive appoints the Project Manager.
Tip 4: The Business Case at this stage is an OUTLINE only - the full Business Case is developed during Initiation.
Tip 5: Be clear that SU ends with a request to initiate the project being sent to the Project Board for the Directing a Project process.
Tip 6: When questions mention saving resources or preventing poor investments early, think of SU as the process that enables this by filtering out non-viable projects.
Tip 7: Remember the principle of tailoring - SU can be scaled according to project size and complexity, but should never be skipped entirely.
Tip 8: Questions about who has responsibility during SU typically point to the Executive and Project Manager, as they are the only guaranteed appointments at this stage.