In the context of the PRINCE2 7 'Progress' practice, the End Stage Report is a vital management product produced by the Project Manager at the end of every management stage, except the final one. Its primary purpose is to provide the Project Board with sufficient information to review the results o…In the context of the PRINCE2 7 'Progress' practice, the End Stage Report is a vital management product produced by the Project Manager at the end of every management stage, except the final one. Its primary purpose is to provide the Project Board with sufficient information to review the results of the completed stage and authorize the plan for the next stage. It serves as a mandatory 'go/no-go' control point, ensuring the project does not proceed without explicit approval.
The report acts as a retrospective review, comparing the actual performance of the stage against the original Stage Plan regarding time, cost, quality, scope, benefits, and risk. It summarizes the delivery of management and specialist products, highlighting any quality issues or off-specifications. Crucially, it assesses the overall health of the project by referencing the updated Project Plan and Business Case, determining if the project remains desirable, viable, and achievable.
From a Practitioner perspective, compiling the End Stage Report involves aggregating data from the Daily Log, Issue Register, Risk Register, and Quality Register. The Project Manager must analyze the impact of the stage's events on the overall project constraints and tolerances. The report also captures specific lessons learned during the stage to improve future performance. Ultimately, the End Stage Report is the mechanism that triggers the Project Board's decision-making process in 'Directing a Project,' preventing scope creep and ensuring resources are only committed to a viable project for the subsequent stage.
Mastering the End Stage Report in PRINCE2 Practitioner V7
What is the End Stage Report? The End Stage Report is the Project Manager's primary mechanism for reporting the results of a management stage to the Project Board. It acts as a bridge between the stage just finished and the stage about to begin. It summarizes performance against the Stage Plan and provides the essential metrics required for the Project Board to decide whether to authorize the next stage or stop the project.
Why is it Important? The End Stage Report is vital for the principle of Manage by Stages. It serves as a gateway review point. Its importance lies in: 1. Continued Business Justification: It provides the data needed to update the Business Case, ensuring the project is still viable. 2. Control: It prevents 'scope creep' by requiring formal authorization before resources are committed to the next stage. 3. Learning: It captures lessons learned during the stage to improve future performance.
How it Works The report is produced by the Project Manager during the Managing a Stage Boundary process. It is derived from the registers (Risk, Issue, Quality) and the actual data compared against the Stage Plan. It is then presented to the Project Board during the Directing a Project process.
Key contents usually include: - Performance against the stage tolerances (Time, Cost, Scope, Quality, Risk, Benefits, Sustainability). - Quality Management activities (summary of approvals). - Review of the Business Case. - Review of Project Team performance. - Assessment of the ongoing risks.
How to Answer Questions regarding End Stage Report In the Practitioner exam, questions often present a scenario and ask you to evaluate the content of a report or the actions surrounding it.
1. Analyze the Context: Is the project actually at a stage boundary? If the project is closing, it should be an End Project Report. If the project is mid-stage, it should be a Highlight Report.
2. Critique the Data: Exam questions may show you a draft report. Check for specific deviations. For example, if the scenario states the stage was late, the End Stage Report must explicitly state the variance (e.g., 'Planned finish: 1st May, Actual finish: 10th May'). If it ignores the delay, the report is deficient.
3. Check for the Next Stage Plan: The End Stage Report is rarely submitted alone. It usually accompanies the Next Stage Plan. If a question asks what is missing from a submission to the Board, look for the plan for the upcoming work.
Exam Tips: Answering Questions on End Stage Report Tip 1: The 'Exceptions' Trap If a stage goes beyond tolerance, an End Stage Report is not the immediate trigger. An Exception Report is created first. However, if the stage finishes normally, the End Stage Report is used. Read the scenario carefully: did they finish the work, or did they hit a crisis mid-stage?
Tip 2: Sustainability in V7 PRINCE2 V7 emphasizes sustainability. When evaluating an End Stage Report in the exam, look for comments on sustainability targets. If the scenario mentions environmental constraints and the report ignores them, the report is incomplete.
Tip 3: Product Transfer Ensure the report confirms that products have been handed over and accepted. If the products are 'finished' but not 'approved/accepted,' the stage is not complete, and the report should reflect that risk.
Tip 4: Business Case Updates A correct answer often involves checking the Business Case. The Project Board cannot approve the next stage based only on past performance; they need to know if the future of the project is still viable based on the End Stage Report's data.