Controls in PRINCE2 are a crucial part of the PRINCE2 framework and are covered in depth in our PRINCE2 training courses.
This component is about decision-making and exerting control over the project to ensure that the project remains viable against its Business Case, that the required products are produced to the expected level of quality and that these are being done within the constraints of cost and time specified in plans.
Controls operate at each level of management so that the next highest management level can monitor progress, compare what’s been achieved against plans, review plans and options, detect problems and identify risks, initiate corrective actions and authorize future work.
Controls in PRINCE2 are based upon the concept of the 3 step plan-monitor-control project management process. Plans are made to forecast the time, cost, resources and effort required to achieve objectives. Monitoring progress via the use of reports and measurements allows a Project Manager to exert control over the project by allowing the differences between the plan and actuality to be reduced.
Most controls in PRINCE2 are event-driven i.e. they occur in response to events, rather than being time-driven where control occurs on a regular basis.
This article was taken from the booklet Concise PRINCE2™ (PRINCE2 ™ is a Trade Mark of the Office of Government Commerce) which was offered to students as part of the PRINCE2 training course (version 2005) by Knowledge Train. This booklet has been based on OGC (PRINCE2™) material. Reproduced under licence from OGC.
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