Progress Control in PRINCE2 is a systematic approach to monitoring and managing the advancement of a project against its planned objectives and expected benefits. It involves establishing mechanisms to track the performance of the project, making timely decisions, and implementing corrective action…Progress Control in PRINCE2 is a systematic approach to monitoring and managing the advancement of a project against its planned objectives and expected benefits. It involves establishing mechanisms to track the performance of the project, making timely decisions, and implementing corrective actions when necessary. Progress Control is embedded within the Progress Theme, which provides a comprehensive framework for evaluating project status from initiation to closure. The primary purpose of Progress Control is to ensure that projects remain aligned with business objectives and deliver the anticipated benefits. It includes regular review mechanisms at various management levels - from the Project Board's strategic oversight down to the Team Manager's day-to-day supervision. Progress Control utilizes a range of tools and techniques, including progress reports, highlight reports, checkpoint reports, and end stage reports. These reporting tools enable stakeholders to assess whether a project is proceeding according to plan, within tolerance levels, and if it remains viable in terms of business justification. Progress Control also involves the practical application of tolerances, which define the permissible deviation from a plan that a management level can accommodate without escalating to the next level. This concept reinforces the management by exception principle in PRINCE2, allowing different management levels to focus on their core responsibilities while ensuring that significant deviations are promptly addressed. Effective Progress Control provides transparency, promotes accountability, facilitates timely decision-making, and ensures that resources are utilized efficiently throughout the project lifecycle.
Progress Control in PRINCE2: A Comprehensive Guide
Why Progress Control is Important
Progress Control is a vital component of the Progress Theme in PRINCE2 because it ensures projects stay on track and deliver as planned. Effective progress control allows project managers to:
• Compare actual progress against planned targets • Identify deviations from the plan early • Take corrective action when necessary • Provide accurate reporting to stakeholders • Make informed decisions about project continuation
What is Progress Control?
Progress Control is the set of activities within the Progress Theme that focuses on monitoring and comparing actual performance against planned performance. It involves:
• Reviewing the status of products, work packages, and stages • Assessing progress against tolerances (time, cost, quality, scope, benefits, and risk) • Evaluating the impact of actual or potential deviations • Implementing corrective actions to keep the project on track • Reporting progress to the appropriate management levels
How Progress Control Works in PRINCE2
PRINCE2 implements progress control through various mechanisms:
1. Tolerance Management • Each management level sets tolerances for the level below • Project Board sets stage tolerances for the Project Manager • Project Manager sets work package tolerances for Team Managers • Exceptions are reported when tolerances are forecast to be exceeded
2. Progress Reporting • Checkpoint Reports: Team members report to Team Managers • Highlight Reports: Project Manager reports to Project Board • End Stage Reports: Formal reporting at stage boundaries • Exception Reports: Created when tolerances are forecast to be exceeded
3. Issue and Change Control • Capturing and logging issues • Examining issues and their impact on progress • Proposing actions to address issues
4. Management Stages • Breaking the project into manageable segments • Providing control points for the Project Board • Allowing for periodic progress assessment
5. Event-driven and Time-driven Controls • Event-driven: Responding to specific triggers (e.g., exceptions) • Time-driven: Regular reporting (e.g., weekly Highlight Reports)
Exam Tips: Answering Questions on Progress Control
1. Understand the Escalation Path • Remember that Team Managers report to the Project Manager • Project Manager reports to the Project Board • Each level has specific responsibilities for progress control
2. Know Your Reports • Memorize the purpose of each report type (Checkpoint, Highlight, End Stage, Exception) • Understand when each report is used and who creates/receives it
3. Focus on Tolerances • Be clear about how tolerances work across management levels • Recognize when exceptions should be raised • Understand that tolerances cover six aspects: time, cost, quality, scope, benefits, and risk
4. Connect to Management Stages • Remember that progress is formally assessed at stage boundaries • Understand how the Project Board uses stage boundaries as control points
5. Relate to Other Themes • Progress connects closely with Plans (providing the baseline) • Risk management impacts progress assessment • Change control affects progress through managing issues
6. Practical Application Questions • For scenario-based questions, apply PRINCE2 principles rather than relying on general project management knowledge • Look for keywords like "tolerance", "exception", "highlight report" that point to progress control concepts
7. Common Exam Traps • Pay attention to who is responsible for different control activities • Watch for questions mixing up event-driven and time-driven controls • Be careful about questions that test whether you understand reporting frequencies
Remember that Progress Control is about taking the right information to the right management level at the right time to make effective decisions about project progress.