In the context of the PRINCE2 7 Plans practice, a Team Plan is an optional level of planning used to govern the execution of one or more Work Packages. While Project Plans and Stage Plans are mandatory management products owned by the Project Manager to direct and manage the project, the Team Plan …In the context of the PRINCE2 7 Plans practice, a Team Plan is an optional level of planning used to govern the execution of one or more Work Packages. While Project Plans and Stage Plans are mandatory management products owned by the Project Manager to direct and manage the project, the Team Plan is created and managed by the Team Manager (or the delivery team) to facilitate the actual delivery of specialist products.
The primary purpose of a Team Plan is to provide the granular detail regarding activities, resource requirements, and schedules necessary to complete the assigned Work Package within agreed tolerances. It acts as a bridge between the high-level management control of the Project Manager and the technical execution by the delivery team. Because the Project Manager manages by exception and focuses on the delivery of products via Work Packages, they do not require visibility of the minute details contained within a Team Plan, provided the Work Package constraints are met.
PRINCE2 7 highlights significant flexibility regarding the format of a Team Plan. It does not need to follow the formal structure of a Project or Stage Plan. In agile environments, for example, a Team Plan might simply take the form of a sprint backlog or a Kanban board showing tasks in 'To Do,' 'Doing,' and 'Done' columns. In traditional environments, it might be a detailed Gantt chart. Crucially, the Team Plan allows the Team Manager to monitor progress and resource utilization effectively without overburdening the Project Manager with micromanagement, ensuring that the products are delivered to the requisite quality standards and within the agreed timeline.
Mastering the Team Plan in PRINCE2 Practitioner v7
What is a Team Plan? In PRINCE2, a Team Plan is an optional plan produced by the Team Manager to facilitate the execution of one or more Work Packages. While the Project Manager focuses on the Stage Plan (controlling the stage), the Team Plan provides the granular detail required to manage the actual creation of specialist products. It covers the timeframe, resources, and technical activities required for the team to deliver the agreed Work Package.
Why is it Important? The Team Plan serves as the bridge between project direction and technical execution. Its primary value lies in: 1. Empowerment: It allows the team to plan their work based on their technical expertise, rather than having a schedule imposed by a Project Manager who may lack specific technical knowledge. 2. Control: It provides a baseline against which the Team Manager monitors progress and reports back to the Project Manager via Checkpoint Reports. 3. Realism: Detailed planning at the team level often uncovers logistical risks or resource clashes that high-level Stage Plans miss.
How it Works The creation and management of a Team Plan occur primarily within the Managing Product Delivery process. The workflow typically follows these steps: 1. The Project Manager issues a Work Package to the Team Manager. 2. The Team Manager creates a Team Plan to determine if the Work Package is achievable within the defined tolerances. 3. Once the Work Package is accepted, the Team Plan acts as the schedule for the team. 4. Progress is monitored against this plan and reported upward to the PM.
Note: The format is flexible. In an Agile environment, a Team Plan might simply be a Sprint Backlog or a Kanban board. In a construction project, it might be a detailed schedule of works.
How to Answer Questions on Team Plan When facing Practitioner scenario questions: 1. Identify the Role: Ensure the question refers to the Team Manager. If the Project Manager is creating the detailed schedule for the team, this might be a misapplication of PRINCE2 (unless the PM is also acting as the Team Manager for that Work Package). 2. Supplier Context: If the team is an external supplier, their 'Team Plan' might be a commercial contract schedule or their own internal project plan. 3. Alignment: Check if the Team Plan breaches the tolerances of the Work Package. If the Team Plan predicts a delay beyond the Work Package tolerances, an Issue must be raised.
Exam Tips: Answering Questions on Team Plan Tip 1: Hierarchy Matters. Always remember the planning hierarchy: Project Plan (Direction) → Stage Plan (Management) → Team Plan (Delivery). Questions often try to confuse the content of a Stage Plan with a Team Plan. If the detail is about product creation steps, it belongs in the Team Plan.
Tip 2: Ownership. The Team Plan is created and owned by the Team Manager. The Project Manager does not create it, although they may review it to ensure it aligns with the Stage Plan.
Tip 3: The 'Optional' Trap. A common trick question involves the minimum requirements. PRINCE2 requires a Project Plan and Stage Plans. It does not mandate a separate physical Team Plan document if the Work Package content is sufficient to control the work.