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PRINCE2F PRINCE2 Processes Practice Question

Which TWO of the following are responsibilities of the Project Board in the Directing a Project process?

⚠ Common exam trap

PRINCE2F often tests the boundary between Project Board (direction) and Project Manager (management) responsibilities, so options describing day-to-day work or report production are traps for candidates who blur the two roles.

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

✓

Authorize stage plans and give ad-hoc direction

Option A is correct because in PRINCE2 the Project Board, within the Directing a Project process, is responsible for authorizing each Stage Plan (via the 'Authorize a Stage' activity) and for providing ad-hoc direction to the Project Manager when issues or exceptions arise. Option D is correct because authorizing the initiation of the project is the 'Authorize Initiation' activity of Directing a Project, where the Board approves the Project Brief and the initiation Stage Plan before the project proceeds. Option B is not a Board responsibility; Checkpoint Reports are produced by the Project Manager (or Team Manager) and reviewed by the Board, not created by it. Option C is incorrect because managing the day-to-day activities of the project is the Project Manager's role, not the Board's. Option E is incorrect because updating the Business Case is a Project Manager responsibility (with the Business Case reviewed and approved by the Board), not a Directing a Project Board task.

Answer analysis

Option-by-option breakdown

For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.

✓
Authorize stage plans and give ad-hoc direction
Why this is correct
Authorising stage plans and giving ad-hoc direction are Project Board responsibilities within Directing a Project, exercised through continued business justification and tolerance-based control. This satisfies the stem because the board owns stage boundaries and exception decisions, while the Project Manager only prepares plans for approval.
✗
Produce Checkpoint Reports
Why it's wrong here
Checkpoint Reports are produced by the Project Manager to inform the Board of progress, typically at agreed intervals. The Board receives and reviews them; producing them is a managing-level task. Confusing reporting authorship with governance oversight is the trap here.
✗
Manage day-to-day activities of the project
Why it's wrong here
Managing day-to-day activities belongs to the Project Manager under Managing a Stage Boundary and Controlling a Stage. The Board directs, authorises and provides governance at decision points. Day-to-day management is delegated, so this is a managing-level responsibility, not a directing one.
✓
Authorize the initiation of the project
Why this is correct
Directing a Project reserves authorisation decisions to the Project Board, and authorising initiation is one of them. The Board reviews the Project Brief and Business Case at this point, confirming the project is worth initiating before committing resources.
✗
Update the Business Case
Why it's wrong here
Updating the Business Case is delegated to the Project Manager, who maintains and submits it for Project Board approval at decision points. The Board reviews and approves it. The Board owns the Business Case's viability but does not author updates, which is an executive-versus-delegated distinction.

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PRINCE2F PRINCE2 Processes Practice Question

Why each option matters

Option-by-option breakdown

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