The PRINCE2 7 principle of 'Defined Roles and Responsibilities' establishes a clear organizational structure to ensure that the right people are involved in the right decisions. Projects are temporary organizations that often cross functional boundaries; without clearly defined roles, projects risk…The PRINCE2 7 principle of 'Defined Roles and Responsibilities' establishes a clear organizational structure to ensure that the right people are involved in the right decisions. Projects are temporary organizations that often cross functional boundaries; without clearly defined roles, projects risk confusion, duplication of effort, and a lack of accountability.
To apply this principle effectively, a project must engage three primary stakeholder interests: the Business (ensuring value for money), the User (specifying requirements and realizing benefits), and the Supplier (providing resources and expertise). These interests are represented on the Project Board by the Executive, Senior User, and Senior Supplier, respectively. The Project Board is accountable for the project's success, while the Project Manager is responsible for day-to-day management.
In a Practitioner context, applying this principle requires more than simply creating an organization chart. It involves ensuring that all individuals understand their specific responsibilities, reporting lines, and authority levels. It also requires verifying that those appointed have the capacity, authority, and credibility to fulfill their duties. PRINCE2 mandates that the management hierarchy is distinct from the delivery layer (Team Managers) and independent assurance (Project Assurance).
Furthermore, this principle supports tailoring. While the roles and responsibilities must be assigned, one person may hold multiple roles, or one role may be shared, depending on the project's scale and complexity. However, specific constraints apply, such as preventing the Project Manager from assuming Project Assurance or Project Board roles to avoid conflicts of interest. Ultimately, this principle ensures that the project team is unified, decision-making is efficient, and accountability is unambiguous.
Guide to Defined Roles and Responsibilities in PRINCE2 Practitioner v7
What is the Principle? The principle of Defined Roles and Responsibilities establishes that a PRINCE2 project must have an explicit project management team structure consisting of defined and agreed roles for people. It requires that the project engages the business, user, and supplier stakeholder interests effectively.
Why is it Important? Projects are cross-functional and often involve people from different departments or organizations. Without defined roles, projects face chaos. This principle is vital because: 1. It prevents duplication of effort. 2. It ensures no tasks fall through the cracks. 3. It establishes a single point of accountability (The Executive). 4. It ensures the three primary interests (Business, User, and Supplier) are represented in decision-making.
How it Works To apply this principle, the project structure must separate the Directing, Managing, and Delivering levels. It works by assigning individuals to specific roles based on the following rules: • Business Interest: Ensures the project provides value for money (represented by the Executive). • User Interest: Ensures the output will work in the operational environment (represented by the Senior User). • Supplier Interest: Ensures the output can be delivered with available resources (represented by the Senior Supplier).
How to Answer Practitioner Exam Questions In the PRINCE2 Practitioner exam, questions regarding this principle are scenario-based. You will rarely be asked for a definition. Instead, you will be asked to critique a decision or an appointment.
Exam Tips: Answering Questions on Defined Roles and Responsibilities Use the following checklist when analyzing a scenario question: • Check for the "BUS": Does the Project Board have representation for Business, User, and Supplier? If a Senior User is missing, the principle is breached because the user's needs might be ignored. • Identify Conflicts of Interest: Look for illegal role combinations. The most common exam trap is a scenario where the Project Manager and the Executive are the same person. This is a violation of the principle because the person checking the project (Executive) cannot be the person running it (PM). Similarly, Project Assurance must be independent of the Project Manager. • Decision Making Authority: If a scenario describes the Project Manager making decisions that exceed their tolerances without referring to the Project Board, the lines of responsibility are broken. • The Single Point of Truth: Ensure there is only one Executive. A committee cannot share the Executive role because it dilutes accountability.