In PRINCE2 7 Practitioner, the Progress theme is pivotal for ensuring that a project remains on track and aligns with its defined objectives. Progress encompasses the mechanisms and processes used to monitor, control, and report the ongoing status of a project. This theme ensures that the project p…In PRINCE2 7 Practitioner, the Progress theme is pivotal for ensuring that a project remains on track and aligns with its defined objectives. Progress encompasses the mechanisms and processes used to monitor, control, and report the ongoing status of a project. This theme ensures that the project progresses as planned, addressing any deviations promptly to maintain its viability and alignment with business goalsKey components of the Progress theme include the establishment of clear tolerances for time, cost, quality, scope, benefits, and risk. These tolerances act as thresholds that, when exceeded, trigger predefined escalation procedures. By setting these limits at the outset, the project team can manage deviations without requiring constant oversight, thus promoting efficient governancePRINCE2 emphasizes regular monitoring through the use of checkpoints and stage boundaries. Checkpoints are scheduled decision points that allow for review and assessment of project performance against the plan. At each stage boundary, a comprehensive evaluation occurs to determine whether to proceed, adjust, or terminate the project based on current progress and future projections. This staged approach facilitates effective control and adaptability, enabling the project to respond to changes and unforeseen challenges dynamicallyReporting mechanisms are integral to Progress, providing stakeholders with transparent and timely information about the project's status. These reports include regular progress updates, exception reports for issues exceeding tolerances, and highlight reports for significant milestones or risks. Clear communication ensures that all parties are informed and can make informed decisions, fostering accountability and trustAdditionally, the Progress theme incorporates tools such as the PRINCE2 Progress Principle, which advocates for balancing control with autonomy. By empowering project managers to make decisions within established tolerances, PRINCE2 promotes proactive management and reduces bottlenecksIn summary, Progress in PRINCE2 7 Practitioner is a comprehensive framework that ensures projects are continually monitored, controlled, and steered towards successful completion. It provides structured oversight while allowing flexibility to adapt to changing circumstances, thereby enhancing the likelihood of delivering projects that meet their intended benefits within the allocated constraints.
PRINCE2 Progress Practice Guide
Understanding and Applying the PRINCE2 Progress Practice
The PRINCE2 Progress Practice is a central element of the PRINCE2 methodology that focuses on tracking, measuring, and controlling project activities to ensure successful delivery of project objectives.
Why is Progress Practice Important?
Progress Practice is crucial because it:
• Provides visibility of actual progress against planned expectations • Helps identify deviations from the plan early • Enables informed decision-making • Facilitates appropriate escalation of issues and risks • Maintains control of each management stage and the project as a whole • Builds confidence among stakeholders through regular reporting
What is the Progress Practice in PRINCE2?
The Progress Practice involves establishing mechanisms to:
• Monitor and compare actual achievements against those planned • Forecast project performance • Control unacceptable deviations • Evaluate and respond to issues and risks • Ensure the project remains viable against its approved business case
Progress is not just about tracking time and costs but encompasses all aspects of project performance including quality, scope, benefits, and risk.
How Progress Practice Works in PRINCE2
1. Progress Levels PRINCE2 monitors progress at three levels: • Project level: Overall project progress review by the Project Board • Stage level: Detailed tracking by the Project Manager • Team level: Day-to-day monitoring of work packages
2. Progress Controls Key controls include: • Management stages (breaking the project into manageable sections) • Tolerances (allowable deviation from plans before escalation) • Regular checkpoint reporting • Highlight reports to the Project Board • Exception reporting when tolerances are forecast to be exceeded • End stage assessments • Issue and risk management
3. Progress Cycle The PRINCE2 progress cycle follows these steps: • Set baseline (approved plans) • Monitor (gather information on actual progress) • Compare (measure progress against plan) • Report (communicate status to stakeholders) • Take corrective action (if needed) • Capture lessons
1. Understand the Terminology • Be clear on terms like tolerances, exceptions, checkpoints, highlight reports, etc. • Know the difference between a progress report and a highlight report
2. Connect Progress to Other Practices • Progress links closely with Plans, Risk, Change, and Organization practices • Understand how progress monitoring influences business case viability
3. Focus on Roles and Responsibilities • Know who is responsible for progress monitoring at each level • Understand when and how the Project Manager escalates to the Project Board • Be clear on the Project Assurance role in monitoring progress
4. Common Question Themes • Interpreting progress data and making appropriate recommendations • Selecting appropriate progress controls for different situations • Determining when and how to escalate issues • Applying tolerances correctly • Managing by exception principles
5. Application Tips • Apply progress controls proportionately to the project's scale and risk • Remember that forecasting is as important as tracking current status • Consider all aspects of progress (time, cost, quality, scope, risk, benefits) • Focus on providing actionable information, not just data
6. Question Approach • Read scenarios carefully for clues about project context and current status • Look for information about tolerances and actual/forecast figures • Consider the management level involved in the question (team, stage, project) • Remember that correct escalation paths are often key to correct answers
When taking your PRINCE2 Practitioner exam, remember that questions about Progress Practice will test your ability to apply these concepts in specific scenarios rather than just recall information. Focus on the practical application of progress monitoring and control within the PRINCE2 framework.