PRINCE2F People: organizations, teams, and leadership Practice Question
Which TWO of the following statements correctly describe the relationship between accountability and responsibility in PRINCE2?
⚠ Common exam trap
It's easy for candidates to confuse accountability with responsibility, assuming the Project Manager is accountable for project success because they manage the work, but PRINCE2 explicitly assigns accountability to the SRO and allows only responsibility to be delegated.
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
✓
The SRO is accountable for the project's success.
In PRINCE2, the Senior Responsible Owner (SRO) is the single point of accountability for the project's success, as they own the Business Case and are ultimately responsible for ensuring the project delivers the expected benefits. The Project Manager is responsible for managing the project on a day-to-day basis but is not accountable for overall success. Option C correctly identifies the SRO's accountability, and option E correctly states that responsibility (for tasks) can be delegated, while accountability cannot.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
The Project Manager is accountable for the project's success.
Why it's wrong here
Accountability rests with the SRO.
- ✗
The Project Manager is accountable for the Business Case.
Why it's wrong here
The SRO owns the Business Case.
- ✓
The SRO is accountable for the project's success.
Why this is correct
The SRO is ultimately accountable.
- ✗
Accountability can be delegated to the Project Manager.
Why it's wrong here
Accountability cannot be delegated.
- ✓
Responsibility for tasks can be delegated.
Why this is correct
Responsibility can be delegated to team members.
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Same concept, more angles
2 more ways this is tested on PRINCE2F
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. In the RACI model used in PRINCE2, what is the difference between accountability (A) and responsibility (R)?
hard- A.They are interchangeable terms
- B.Accountability means performing the task; responsibility means approving the outcome
- C.Accountability is delegated to the Project Manager; responsibility is retained by the Project Board
- ✓ D.Accountability means ultimate ownership; responsibility means performing the task
Why D: Accountability means ultimate ownership and final decision-making authority, while responsibility means performing the work. Option D is correct.
Variation 2. In PRINCE2, what is the difference between accountability and responsibility?
hard- A.There is no difference; the terms are synonyms.
- ✓ B.Accountability is ultimately held by one person; responsibility can be shared or delegated.
- C.Accountability is assigned to individuals; responsibility is shared among teams.
- D.Accountability can be delegated; responsibility cannot.
Why B: In PRINCE2, accountability refers to the ultimate answerability for the successful completion of a deliverable or objective, and it is always held by a single person (e.g., the project manager is accountable for the project). Responsibility, in contrast, can be shared among multiple team members or delegated to others who perform the work. Option B correctly captures this distinction, which is fundamental to the PRINCE2 management product structure and role definitions.
JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This PRINCE2F practice question is part of Courseiva's free PeopleCert certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the PRINCE2F exam.