Module 13: Progress
Syllabus
13. Understand the PRINCE2 prac ces and how they are applied throughout the project
13.1 Progress prac ce
i. Explain the purpose of the ‘progress’ prac ce
ii. Describe the key rela onships between the ‘progress’ prac ce and the
principles
iii. Explain the purpose of the key management products required to
support the ‘progress’ prac ce: checkpoint report; highlight report; end
stage report; lessons report; excep on report; project log; daily log; PID;
data management
iv. Define key concepts related to the ‘progress’ prac ce: forecast;
tolerance; excep on; event-driven and me-driven controls.
v. Describe the guidance for effec ve management of progress: tolerances
for progress control; types of control; reviewing progress and lessons;
repor ng progress and lessons; forecas ng; escala ng; use of data and
systems in progress management.
vi. Describe the PRINCE2 technique for the ‘progress’ prac ce
Lessons Learned
- Explore and understand the purpose of the progress prac ce
- Know and understand key concepts rela ng to progress
- Know and understand the documents used for progress control
- Understand the PRINCE2 technique for progress management
Purpose of the progress prac ce
The purpose of the progress prac ce is to:
- Establish mechanisms to monitor and compare actual achievements against those
planned
- Provide a forecast for the project’s objec ves and con nued viability
o Manage by excep on is par cularly important to the progress prac ce
o An excep on is a situa on where a devia on is beyond agreed tolerance levels
- Control any unacceptable devia ons
o Tolerances are the permissible devia on above and below a plan’s target for cost and
me without escala ng the devia on to the next level of management
o May also be tolerances for quality, scope, benefits, and risk.
, Defini ons (Key concepts)
- Forecast
o A predic on made by studying historical data and past pa erns
- Excep on
o A situa on where it can be forecast that there will be a devia on beyond the
tolerance levels agreed between the project manager and the project board
- Progress
o The measure of the achievement of the objec ves of a plan
These key concepts are central to progress management:
- Progress control involves measuring actual progress against the performance targets of
benefits, me, cost, quality, scope, sustainability, and risk
o This informa on is used to make decisions (e.g., to approve a stage or work package,
to escalate devia ons, or to prematurely close the project, and to take ac ons as
required)
- Progress can be monitored at work package, stage, and project level
Effec ve progress management
•Apply further •Understand
actions situation
•Continual •What/how to
improvement respond
Act Plan
Chec
Do
k
•Validate results •Perform specific
•Identify further steps
actions
The progress management prac ce is based on an overarching plan-do-check-act cycle:
- Effec ve progress management includes:
o Defining management levels and tolerances for progress control
o Applying two types of control (event-driven and me-driven)
o Reviewing progress and lessons
o Repor ng progress and lessons
o Forecas ng remaining work
o Escala ng using data
Syllabus
13. Understand the PRINCE2 prac ces and how they are applied throughout the project
13.1 Progress prac ce
i. Explain the purpose of the ‘progress’ prac ce
ii. Describe the key rela onships between the ‘progress’ prac ce and the
principles
iii. Explain the purpose of the key management products required to
support the ‘progress’ prac ce: checkpoint report; highlight report; end
stage report; lessons report; excep on report; project log; daily log; PID;
data management
iv. Define key concepts related to the ‘progress’ prac ce: forecast;
tolerance; excep on; event-driven and me-driven controls.
v. Describe the guidance for effec ve management of progress: tolerances
for progress control; types of control; reviewing progress and lessons;
repor ng progress and lessons; forecas ng; escala ng; use of data and
systems in progress management.
vi. Describe the PRINCE2 technique for the ‘progress’ prac ce
Lessons Learned
- Explore and understand the purpose of the progress prac ce
- Know and understand key concepts rela ng to progress
- Know and understand the documents used for progress control
- Understand the PRINCE2 technique for progress management
Purpose of the progress prac ce
The purpose of the progress prac ce is to:
- Establish mechanisms to monitor and compare actual achievements against those
planned
- Provide a forecast for the project’s objec ves and con nued viability
o Manage by excep on is par cularly important to the progress prac ce
o An excep on is a situa on where a devia on is beyond agreed tolerance levels
- Control any unacceptable devia ons
o Tolerances are the permissible devia on above and below a plan’s target for cost and
me without escala ng the devia on to the next level of management
o May also be tolerances for quality, scope, benefits, and risk.
, Defini ons (Key concepts)
- Forecast
o A predic on made by studying historical data and past pa erns
- Excep on
o A situa on where it can be forecast that there will be a devia on beyond the
tolerance levels agreed between the project manager and the project board
- Progress
o The measure of the achievement of the objec ves of a plan
These key concepts are central to progress management:
- Progress control involves measuring actual progress against the performance targets of
benefits, me, cost, quality, scope, sustainability, and risk
o This informa on is used to make decisions (e.g., to approve a stage or work package,
to escalate devia ons, or to prematurely close the project, and to take ac ons as
required)
- Progress can be monitored at work package, stage, and project level
Effec ve progress management
•Apply further •Understand
actions situation
•Continual •What/how to
improvement respond
Act Plan
Chec
Do
k
•Validate results •Perform specific
•Identify further steps
actions
The progress management prac ce is based on an overarching plan-do-check-act cycle:
- Effec ve progress management includes:
o Defining management levels and tolerances for progress control
o Applying two types of control (event-driven and me-driven)
o Reviewing progress and lessons
o Repor ng progress and lessons
o Forecas ng remaining work
o Escala ng using data
