PRINCE2F Overview of PRINCE2 and Principles Practice Question
A project manager for a PRINCE2 project is establishing the project's organization structure. The executive has asked the project manager to define the roles and responsibilities of the project board, including who will represent the business, user, and supplier interests. The project manager must also ensure that the project board members understand their accountability. Which PRINCE2 principle is being applied when defining the project board roles and responsibilities?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many candidates confuse the defined roles and responsibilities principle with manage by stages, which also involves organizational aspects but focuses on stage boundaries and decision points.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Defined roles and responsibilities
The defined roles and responsibilities principle ensures that a project has a clear organizational structure with defined roles, responsibilities, and accountability. In this scenario, defining the project board roles and ensuring they represent business, user, and supplier interests directly applies this principle, which is crucial for effective governance and decision-making.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Focus on products
Why it's wrong here
Focus on products emphasizes defining and delivering products that meet requirements, rather than defining organizational roles. The scenario is about project board roles and accountability, which aligns with the defined roles and responsibilities principle, not with focusing on products and their specifications.
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Learn from experience
Why it's wrong here
Learn from experience involves seeking lessons from previous projects and incorporating them into the current project. While lessons may inform role definitions, the scenario does not mention using historical data; it focuses on establishing clear roles and responsibilities, which is a separate principle and not about learning from past experiences.
- ✓
Defined roles and responsibilities
Why this is correct
This principle requires that the project has an organizational structure with defined roles and responsibilities, including the project board representing business, user, and supplier interests. By defining these roles and ensuring accountability, the project manager is directly applying this principle, which is essential for effective governance and decision-making throughout the project lifecycle.
- ✗
Manage by stages
Why it's wrong here
Manage by stages focuses on dividing the project into manageable stages with decision points, not on defining roles and responsibilities. Although stages require organizational roles, the scenario specifically addresses defining project board roles and accountability, which is the domain of the defined roles and responsibilities principle, not manage by stages.
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Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official PeopleCert exam blueprint
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