PRINCE2 processes: Free ebook

IntroductionAgile project management

This guide to the PRINCE2 processesKey concepts: Iterative and incremental delivery is one in a series of four study guides designed to prepare students for attending a PRINCE2 Foundation courseTeam collaboration and cross-functional teams. The other three – PRINCE2 principlesContinuous improvement practices, PRINCE2 practicesFurther Resources, and PeopleFAQs – are available to download as ebooks.Definition of Agile

These articles have all been updated so they are based upon the Agile7 refers to a set of principles and practices that guide teams in developing software products through incremental delivery, adaptive planning, and continual improvement. Agile emphasises iterative development, close team collaboration, and frequent customer feedback to deliver high-quality solutions quickly and efficiently.^{thAgile methodology at a glance} edition of PRINCE2Aspect which was released in 2023. We recommend you read all four articles.Description

Read on to learn all about the Purposeseven PRINCE2 processesDeliver working software frequently, respond to change rapidly and prepare yourself for the Key valuesPRINCE2 Foundation examIndividuals and interactions, working software, customer collaboration, responding to change.Approach

In Iterative, adaptive, and incremental

Starting up a projectSatisfy the customer through early and continuous delivery of valuable software

PurposeWelcome changing requirements, even late in development

The purpose is to ensure the prerequisites for initiation are in place by answering the question: “is the project viable and worthwhile?”Deliver working software frequently, from a couple of weeks to a couple of months

ObjectivesCollaborate daily between business people and developers

• There is a business justification for initiating the project (documented in an outline Build business caseprojects). around motivated individuals and provide support
• All the necessary authorities exist for initiating the project.Convey information face-to-face whenever possible
• Sufficient information is available in the project brief to define and confirm the project scope.Working software is the primary measure of progress
• Alternative approaches have been evaluated and the best one agreed.Maintain a sustainable development pace
• Individuals are appointed to work in the initiation stage or perform significant Continuous attention to technical excellence and good designproject management rolesSimplicity – the art of maximising the work not done – is essential during the project.Self-organising teams produce the best architectures, requirements, and designs
• The work required for the initiation stage is planned and documented in a stage plan.Regularly reflect and adapt to improve effectiveness
• Time is not wasted initiating a project based on unsound assumptions.Historical origins and evolution of Agile

The process is concerned with preventing poorly conceived projects from ever being initiated as well as progressing viable projects for approval. The process aims to do the minimum necessary to decide whether it is worthwhile to initiate the project. This process provides just enough information (in the form of a The Agile approach originated in the late 1990s as software teams sought alternatives to rigid project management models like the project briefWaterfall) to enable the project board to take a decision to initiate the project. model. In 2001, seventeen thought leaders signed

Triggerthe Agile Manifesto

The trigger for the project is a , formalising Agile values and sparking the formation of the Agile Alliance. Since then, Agile has evolved beyond software development into project mandateproject management from the responsible authority that is commissioning the project (the business). It is expected that the , product development, and operations.project mandateBenefits of Agile provides the Flexibility:terms of reference Respond rapidly to changing customer needs and market conditions. for the project and sufficient information to at least identify the prospective executive of the project.Continuous improvement:

What happens? Regular retrospectives help teams adapt and improve their processes.

This process is a Customer satisfaction:pre-project Frequent delivery ensures customer requirements are met early and often. process and should be as short as possible – just long enough to provide sufficient information to the project board so it can authorise (or not) the initiation stage.Transparency:

In this process, the Iterative development and open communication foster stakeholder trust.project executiveReduced risk: appoints key members of the Incremental delivery allows for earlier issue detection and correction.project management teamEnhanced team collaboration: and creates an Cross-functional teams communicate daily to resolve challenges efficiently.outline business caseAgile vs waterfall model, which is used to understand how the project will contribute towards the business objectives and how the project will be funded. The project executive is responsible for securing the funding for the project.Aspect

OutputsAgile

The 2 main outputs of this process are a Waterfallproject briefProcess, which ensures that the project has an agreed and well-defined starting point, and an Iterative and incrementalinitiation stage planSequential and linear which covers the work required during the first management stage (the initiation stage). When writing the project briefFlexibility and Adaptive to changeinitiation stage planResistant to change after initial planning the

Agile methodologyTo ensure that:

• There is authority to initiate the project, deliver the project product, and close the project. is a set of practices and values that promote adaptive planning, evolutionary development, early delivery, and continual improvement. Agile methods empower teams to respond quickly to change and collaborate closely with stakeholders.

, issueBenefits of Agile methodologies andSimon Buehring 23 Feb 2026exception reports from the project manager and takes decisions about Discover the benefits of Agile methodologies and how they streamline project management. Scroll down for a detailed overview.project issues , risks, and

• project brief (project definition and project approach).
• Full business case – (derived from the outline version) containing details of timescales, costs, benefits and risks.
• What is Scrum certification? Guide to providers, costs, and benefits and role descriptions
• Management approachesSimon Buehring – procedures, techniques, and standards to be applied and the responsibilities for: 30 Apr 2026
• Simon Buehring – a summary of how PRINCE219 Feb 2026 is tailored for the project.

The project manager also sets up the project log containing lessons log, issue register, product register, quality register, risk register, and daily log. The project log will be updated regularly throughout the project and gives a snapshot of the status of risks, quality, products, issues, and lessons.Debate the use of Scrum within traditional Agile frameworks. Discover more about their compatibility by reading on.

Outputs

The project initiation documentation .

Controlling a stage

Purpose

To assign work to teams, monitor that work, manage issues, report progress to the project board, and take corrective actions to ensure the stage remains within the tolerances set by the project board.

ObjectivesThe 4 Kanban principles: A visual guide

and business case are NOT updated during this process. Instead, they are updated within the managing a stage boundary process at the end of the stage.

When taking corrective action , the project manager should update the product register records of the affected products to record whether any changes are required, or new products are required.

The project manager reviews the stage status at regular intervals and reviews the status of issues and risks. The impacts of any project issues and risks on the project plan and Give us a callbusiness case are evaluated. Before deciding on a course of action, each issue or risk is registered in the project log+44 (0)207 148 5985 and assessed for its impact.

NOTE: In complex projects where some planning work is delivered by using Or chat with us using the link at the bottom of the screen.work packagesContact us with questions about the courses on this page, or about which project management certification or training is best for you., the project manager could use the Finance FAQscontrolling a stageContact andCookies Privacymanaging product deliveryTerms processes during the initiation stage.Customer Support

Outputs

Work package descriptions[email protected] for the team manager(s). Join Our TeamHighlight reports , [email protected]exception reports Copyright © 2005-2026 Knowledge Train Limited. , Registered in UK: 5566983. issue reports Registered VAT: GB872413526., Knowledge Trainlessons reports® for the project board. is a registered trademark of Knowledge Train Limited.

Managing product delivery is a registered mark of the DevOps Institute. “PMI”, “PMBOK

Purpose®

To control the link between the Guide”, “PMP” and “CAPM” are registered marks of Project Management Institute, Inc. Knowledge Train Scrum Essentials™, Business Learning Library (BLL)™, Business Analysis Learning Library (BALL)™, Agile Learning Library (ALL)™, IT Learning Library (ITLL)™, and Compliance Learning Library (CLL)™ are trademarks of Knowledge Train Limited. All rights reserved.project managerKnowledge Train Ltd is an Introducer Appointed Representative of NewDay Cards Ltd for the Newpay finance product provided by NewDay Ltd. NewDay Cards Ltd acts as a credit broker, not a lender. We will introduce you exclusively to Newpay finance products provided by NewDay Limited under this Introducer Appointed Representative arrangement. Finance available from other lenders is not covered by this arrangement. NewDay Ltd and Newday Cards Ltd are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (ref nos 690292 and 682417 respectively). and a team manager by agreeing the requirements for acceptance, execution, reporting, and delivery of specialist products. The team manager coordinates an area of work to deliver one or more of the specialist products that form the project product.

Objectives

To ensure that:

• Work on products allocated to the team is authorized and agreed.
• Team managers and members are clear about what to produce, and the effort, cost, and timescales required.
• Planned products are delivered to quality expectations and within tolerances.Search
• Accurate progress information is provided to the project manager at an agreed frequency.

Trigger

This process is triggered by the project manager authorising a work package.

What happens?

This process is performed by team managers who can be internal or external to the business organization. The process is seen from the team manager’s perspective, whereas the controlling a stage process is seen from the project manager’s perspective. If the external suppliers do not use PRINCE2Request a quote, this provides a statement of the required working relationship between the team manager and the project manager.

Work should only be started once the project manager has authorised a work package . When a work package is accepted by a team manager, they also agree to the tolerances within it. The team manager makes a (optional) team plan , which the project manager and/or senior supplier authorises. Note: It may not be possible or appropriate for a project manager to authorise a Manage Consentteam plan for commercial reasons, in which case agreement about delivery dates and costs will suffice.To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.

Team managers provides the project manager with accurate progress information via checkpoint reports at the frequency agreed in the work package description. For projects using an iterative-incremental delivery method such as agile , the checkpoint report may be based on a ‘pull’ system, whereby the project manager looks at progress charts such as Kanban boards or burn-down charts being maintained by the team manager and development teams.Functional

Once a product has been shown to meet its quality specifications through the quality methods specified in the product description , the team manager obtains approval for completed products from the authorities identified in the product description.

NOTE: If a team manager forecasts a deviation beyond Functionalwork package tolerances an issue is raised to the project manager. The team manager undertakes a review of the risks against the team plan and advise the project manager of their impact. If the Always active work package description allows the team manager to directly log the risks, the team manager should update the project log . The team manager should then perform any corrective actions required by the project manager.

Outputs

Checkpoint reports for the project manager. The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.Specialist products to be used by the users within the business organization.

Managing a stage boundary

Purpose

To provide the project board with sufficient information to be able to:Preferences

• review the success of the current stage.
• approve the next stage plan.
• review the updated project planPreferences.

scertain the aggregated risk exposure for the project and identify the current key risks that affect the business case.Marketing

The benefits management approach is updated with the results from any benefits reviews undertaken during the stage.

A Marketinglessons report may also be created in this process. The project product description and quality management approach might need to be revised, based on quality activities during the stage just finishing.

Outputs

Next The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.stage plan (or Manage optionsexception planManage services). Manage {vendor_count} vendorsEnd stage reportRead more about these purposes which allows the project board to review progress. Updated versions of the business caseAccept, project planDeny, benefits management approachView preferences within the project initiation documentation.

Closing a projectSave preferences

Purpose