Plans Practice

In PRINCE2 project management, dependencies between activities are classified based on their nature and flexibility.

The correct answer identifies this as a mandatory constraint. This is accurate because:

• The scenario explicitly states that "local regulations prohibit any ground disturbance before official permit approval is received"
• This is a legal requirement that creates an inherent, non-negotiable sequencing between the permit approval and site preparation activities
• Mandatory dependencies (also called hard logic or hard dependencies) are those imposed by the nature of the work itself or by legal/regulatory requirements
• There is no flexibility to alter this sequence - the project team must comply with the regulatory framework
• The constraint is built into the fundamental requirements of how the work must be executed

Why the other answers are incorrect:

The answer describing this as an external constraint focuses on the wrong aspect. While the government authority is indeed an external party, the question asks about the nature of the constraint between Activity B and Activity D. The key issue is not who controls the timeline, but rather the mandatory nature of the sequencing requirement itself. External constraints typically refer to factors outside the project's control that affect scheduling, but this misses the fundamental point that this is a legal mandate creating a hard dependency.

The answer suggesting this is a discretionary constraint is fundamentally wrong. Discretionary dependencies are choices made by the project team based on best practices or preferences - they could theoretically be changed. The scenario clearly states there is a legal prohibition against starting groundwork before permits are approved. This is not a choice or preference; starting foundations at own risk would be illegal and constitute regulatory non-compliance.

The answer describing this as a preferential constraint is also incorrect. Preferential constraints are based on team preferences or organizational practices that could be altered if circumstances required. However, this scenario involves a legal prohibition, not a preference. While following regulations does align with best practices, the driving force is legal compliance, not preference. The project team has no discretion to sequence these activities differently without violating the law.

The correct answer is Planning horizon.

In PRINCE2 7, the planning horizon is a fundamental concept that describes the extent into the future for which detailed planning is prepared. It recognizes that planning in detail too far ahead is often wasteful and impractical, as circumstances change and uncertainty increases over time.

The planning horizon concept supports the PRINCE2 principle of 'Manage by stages' and is closely related to rolling wave planning. Projects typically plan in detail only for the immediate future (such as the current stage), while maintaining higher-level plans for work further ahead. As the project progresses and moves through stages, more detailed planning is developed for upcoming work as it comes within the planning horizon.

This approach balances the need for sufficient detail to manage and control work effectively with the recognition that excessive detail in long-range planning can be wasteful and quickly becomes outdated.

Why the other answers are incorrect:

Planning baseline is not a PRINCE2 term. In project management generally, a baseline refers to an approved version of a plan used as a reference point for comparison, not the timeframe for detailed planning.

Planning threshold is not a recognized PRINCE2 term and does not describe the timeframe concept for detailed planning.

Planning window or planning scope are not the correct PRINCE2 terminology. While 'planning window' might seem similar conceptually, the official PRINCE2 term is 'planning horizon'. Planning scope refers to what is included in the plan's content, not the timeframe for detailed planning.

The correct answer is Initiation stage.

In PRINCE2 7, the initiation stage is the first management stage of a project. Its primary purpose is to establish a solid foundation for the project by creating detailed plans and documentation. During this stage, the Project Initiation Documentation (PID) is developed, which includes:

• Refined Business Case
• Detailed project plans
• Project controls and governance arrangements
• Risk management approach
• Quality management approach
• Communication management approach

The initiation stage follows the 'starting up a project' process and provides the Project Board with the information needed to decide whether to authorize the project to proceed.

Why the other answers are incorrect:

The term 'Preparation stage' is not a recognized stage in PRINCE2 methodology. While preparation activities do occur, they are part of the 'starting up a project' process, not a formal management stage.

The term 'Foundation stage' is not official PRINCE2 terminology. Although the initiation stage does establish foundations, this is not the correct PRINCE2 term.

The term 'Planning and establishment stage' is not a recognized PRINCE2 stage name. While planning and establishment activities do occur during initiation, this is not the correct terminology used in the PRINCE2 framework.