PRINCE2F People: organizations, teams, and leadership — Timed 25 Questions

Question 1

A project team is distributed across three time zones, causing communication delays. The project manager wants to apply the 'manage by stages' principle effectively. What should the project manager do first?

25 minute time limit — choose an answer to begin.

Accepted Answer

Plan the next management stage with clear communication milestones that account for time zone differences. The 'manage by stages' principle requires that the project manager plans only one stage at a time in sufficient detail, while the next stage is planned just before it begins. In a distributed team with time zone delays, the first step is to plan the next management stage with clear communication milestones that explicitly account for time zone differences, ensuring that stage boundaries and decision points are synchronized despite the delays.

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Increase the number of management stages to allow more frequent checkpoints

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Update the communication management approach to include asynchronous updates

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Implement daily stand-up meetings at a time that is convenient for the majority

Question 2

A project manager notices that team members are frequently bypassing the project's defined escalation paths and going directly to senior stakeholders with issues. This is causing confusion and undermining the project's governance. Which PRINCE2 principle is being violated?

Accepted Answer

Manage by stages. 'Manage by stages,' because the PRINCE2 principle of managing by stages requires that each stage be planned, monitored, and controlled with defined escalation paths for issues. When team members bypass these paths and go directly to senior stakeholders, they undermine the stage-by-stage control and governance, violating the principle that decisions and escalations should follow the established stage boundaries and management levels.

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Defined roles and responsibilities

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Learn from experience

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Continued business justification

Question 3

In a PRINCE2 project, the project board is concerned that the project manager is not effectively communicating with key stakeholders. The project manager recently presented a detailed risk report to the board, but several board members were unaware of the critical risks identified. Which communication management activity should the project manager have performed to ensure the board was properly informed?

Accepted Answer

Agreed on the communication management strategy with the board. The PRINCE2 communication management strategy defines how, when, and to whom information should be communicated. The project manager should have agreed on this strategy with the board upfront, ensuring that critical risks are reported in a format and frequency that meets the board's needs. Without this agreement, the board was not properly informed despite the detailed risk report being presented.

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Included the critical risks in the project plan

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Prepared a highlight report instead of a detailed risk report

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Updated the risk register and sent it to the board

Question 4

Match each PRINCE2 role to its responsibility.

Accepted Answer

Executive: Responsible for the business case and ensuring the project delivers value.. The Executive owns the business case, the Senior User represents users, the Senior Supplier provides resources, and the Project Manager runs day-to-day operations. Common confusions include swapping the Executive's accountability with the Project Manager's authority, or mixing the Senior User's focus on requirements with the Senior Supplier's resource provision.

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Executive: Manages the project on behalf of the Project Board.

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Senior User: Ensures the project has sufficient resources.

Question 5

Which role is responsible for maintaining the Business Case throughout the project?

Accepted Answer

Executive (Senior Responsible Owner). In PRINCE2, the Executive is the single individual accountable for the project's business justification and is specifically responsible for maintaining the Business Case throughout the project. This includes ensuring the Business Case is updated at each stage boundary and remains viable. The Executive owns the Business Case and is supported by the Senior User and Senior Supplier in providing information, but the ultimate responsibility lies with the Executive.

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Project Manager

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Senior User

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Project Assurance

Question 6

A project is forecast to exceed its stage cost tolerance. What should the Project Manager do?

Accepted Answer

Raise an Exception Report to the Project Board and await direction. PRINCE2 dictates that when a project manager forecasts a deviation beyond the stage's cost tolerance, they must raise an Exception Report to the Project Board. The Project Board then decides on corrective action, such as approving a revised plan or closing the project. This ensures governance and control over the project's financial limits.

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Increase the stage budget and continue with the current plan

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Continue with the plan and report the overrun in the next Highlight Report

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Close the project immediately as the Business Case is no longer viable

Question 7

Who is responsible for ensuring that Project Assurance is performed?

Accepted Answer

Project Board. In PRINCE2, the Project Board is accountable for ensuring that Project Assurance is performed. Project Assurance is an independent monitoring and oversight function that provides confidence to the Project Board that the project is being managed effectively. The Project Board may delegate the assurance tasks, but overall responsibility remains with them.

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Project Manager

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Senior Supplier

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Team Manager

Question 8

In PRINCE2, what is the recommended leadership style for a Project Manager when dealing with a team that has high competence and low commitment?

Accepted Answer

Supporting. In PRINCE2, the recommended leadership style for a Project Manager when the team has high competence but low commitment is Supporting (S3). This is because the team already possesses the necessary skills and knowledge (high competence) but lacks motivation or confidence (low commitment), so the PM should focus on encouraging, praising, and involving them in decision-making rather than providing technical direction or close supervision.

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Coaching

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Delegating

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Directing

Question 9

A Senior Supplier is concerned that a proposed change will impact the project's technical feasibility. What should the Senior Supplier do?

Accepted Answer

Escalate the concern to the Project Board for a decision. When the Senior Supplier is concerned that a proposed change will impact the project's technical feasibility, they should escalate the concern to the Project Board for a decision. The Senior Supplier is a member of the Project Board and represents the supplier side; they should raise the issue in the Board so that it can be properly assessed and decided upon, especially if it affects the business case or project tolerances.

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Issue a Change Request directly to the Project Manager

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Approve the change as it aligns with the Business Case

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Update the Project Plan to reflect the change

Question 10

Which document is the key output of the Initiating a Project process?

Accepted Answer

Project Initiation Documentation. The Project Initiation Documentation (PID) is the key output of the Initiating a Project process. It consolidates the Business Case, the project approach, the project management team structure, the project plan, and the controls, forming the baseline against which the project is managed. It is assembled from the Project Brief and other inputs during this process.

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Business Case

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Stage Plan

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Project Brief

Question 11

What is the difference between a Request for Change (RFC) and an Off-Specification (Off-Spec)?

Accepted Answer

An RFC is a suggestion for improvement, while an Off-Spec is a defect or missing requirement. In PRINCE2, a Request for Change (RFC) is a formal proposal for a modification to an approved product (e.g., an enhancement or improvement), while an Off-Specification (Off-Spec) is a formal notification that a product does not meet its agreed specifications (i.e., a defect or missing requirement). This distinction is fundamental to PRINCE2's change control approach, where RFCs address changes and Off-Specs address non-conformance.

Answer

An RFC is raised by the Project Board, while an Off-Spec is raised by the Project Manager

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An RFC is about a change to an approved product, while an Off-Spec is about a problem with project management

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They are the same thing

Question 12

Who is responsible for maintaining the Business Case throughout the project?

Accepted Answer

Senior Responsible Owner (SRO). The Senior Responsible Owner (SRO) is the single person accountable for the Business Case and ensuring the project delivers the expected benefits. The Project Manager maintains the project documentation but the SRO owns the Business Case.

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Project Manager

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Project Assurance

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Senior User

Question 13

Which document is the key output of the Initiating a Project process?

Accepted Answer

Project Initiation Documentation (PID). The Project Initiation Documentation (PID) is the definitive output of the Initiating a Project process. It consolidates the Project Brief, Business Case, Project Plan, and other management strategies into a single, controlled baseline that defines what the project must deliver, why, and how. The PRINCE2 manual explicitly states that the PID is created during this process and serves as the foundation for project governance.

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Project Brief

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Project Plan

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Business Case

Question 14

A project is forecast to exceed its cost tolerance. What should the Project Manager do?

Accepted Answer

Raise an Exception Report to the Project Board. When a tolerance is forecast to be exceeded, the Project Manager must escalate to the Project Board via an Exception Report. This is the principle of management by exception.

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Continue and report the overrun in the next Highlight Report

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Increase the budget and continue with the current plan

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Close the project as the Business Case is no longer viable

Question 15

What is the purpose of the Managing a Stage Boundary process?

Accepted Answer

To enable the Project Board to review progress and decide whether to proceed. The Managing a Stage Boundary process is designed to provide the Project Board with sufficient information to review the current stage's performance, approve the next stage plan, and decide whether the project should continue. This process ensures that the project remains viable and aligned with business objectives before committing further resources.

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To manage the delivery of work packages

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To plan the next stage and update the project plan

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To request authorization to start the project

Question 16

What is the difference between a Request for Change and an Off-specification?

Accepted Answer

A Request for Change is a proposal for a modification; an Off-specification is a deviation that has occurred. In PRINCE2, a Request for Change (RFC) is a formal proposal to modify a product, baseline, or plan before it is completed, while an Off-specification is a formal notification that a product has deviated from its specification after it has been produced. The key distinction is timing and intent: RFCs are proactive modifications, whereas Off-specifications are reactive deviations that have already occurred.

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There is no difference; they are synonyms

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A Request for Change is about schedule changes; an Off-specification is about quality issues

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A Request for Change is raised by the Project Manager; an Off-specification is raised by the Team Manager

Question 17

Which TWO of the following are responsibilities of the Senior Responsible Owner (SRO)?

Accepted Answer

Ensuring the project delivers the expected benefits. The SRO owns the Business Case and is accountable for the project's success and benefits realization. They also chair the Project Board.

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Managing the day-to-day activities of the project

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Preparing the Project Plan

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Approving the Work Packages

Question 18

Which TWO of the following statements about the Change Authority role are correct?

Accepted Answer

The Change Authority helps to reduce the burden on the Project Board. The Change Authority is an optional role that can be set up to make decisions on change requests within agreed limits, thereby relieving the Project Board from reviewing every change.

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The Change Authority is appointed by the Project Manager

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The Change Authority is always a single person

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The Change Authority is a mandatory role in PRINCE2

Question 19

What is the difference between a Request for Change (RFC) and an Off-Specification (Off-spec)?

Accepted Answer

An RFC proposes a modification; an Off-spec identifies a deviation from specification. A Request for Change (RFC) is a formal proposal to modify a product, service, or process, often to address a new requirement or improvement. An Off-Specification (Off-spec) is a document that identifies a deviation from the agreed specification, typically something that should have been done but was not, or was done incorrectly.

Answer

There is no difference; they are interchangeable terms

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An RFC is a change to the project scope; an Off-spec is a change to the schedule

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An RFC is raised by the Project Board; an Off-spec is raised by the Project Manager

Question 20

Which TWO of the following are differences between Project Assurance and a quality review?

Accepted Answer

Project Assurance is an ongoing role; a quality review is a specific event. Project Assurance is a continuous role monitoring compliance and governance, while a quality review is a specific event to examine a product. Assurance is independent; quality reviews involve peers.

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Project Assurance is performed by the Project Manager; a quality review is performed by the team

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Project Assurance is optional; a quality review is mandatory in every stage

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Project Assurance reports to the Project Board; a quality review reports to the Project Manager