The PRINCE2 Controls component describes the controls available for the Project Board and forms part of the PRINCE2 training courses offered by Knowledge Train.
PRINCE2 describes a number of controls which are available to the Project Board. These controls enable the Project Board to take decisions regarding the initial and continuing viability of the project.
Their first decision is to authorise the Initiation Stage of the project. By doing so, the Project Board are agreeing that the project is sensible and commits resources and expenditure just to the Initiation Stage.
The next decision comes at the end of the Initiation Stage and this is to authorise the project by considering whether the project is viable and the Business Case is acceptable. The Business Case forms a part of the Project Initiation Document (PID) and if the project is given the go-ahead by the Project Board, they approve the PID. The Project Board decides whether to recommit to the project at the end of every subsequent stage if the project remains viable and the Business Case is still acceptable. They do this by approving the next Stage Plan and End Stage Report and thereby commit resources and expenditure to the next stage
The Project Board monitors progress within the stage by considering regular Highlight Reports which are written by the Project Manager and so there is no need for regular meetings between themselves and the Project Manager.
At any time during the project, the Project Board can decide to terminate the project if the Business Case becomes unacceptable. This situation may come about because of changes in the project environment or because it is no longer worthwhile to continue because the benefits have been reduced, for example because cost or time forecasts have been exceeded.
At the end of the project, the Project Board take the decision to formally close down the project once they are satisfied that acceptance has been obtained from users/customers/support and maintenance teams, and that the final products have been handed over.
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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