How should I run my project using PRINCE2

tourqe675 · Tue 03 Jun 2014 9:28 am

Hi All,

I work as a technical/product project manager in an IT company.

We are running some projects for our biggest customer where we are upgrading their software in all countries.

All countries that we deliver will be delivered with a set of products. One of these product is developed, tested and delivered from a different internal department. We have have several issues with this internal delivery.

I have been assigned to run as a technical project manager to manage this internal delivery from our department and also be responsible that this product will be delivered within our release to our customer on time and with quality.

There exist a project plan for all countries and one for each country.
There is a business case for all countries but not for each country.

I will not have any responsibility for any budget or resources. I will just request the resources and time I need. I will most likely not need to have any business case.

My project team will be the same for all projects and we already have a steering group/project board. Project approach is the same for all countries.

How should I run the project according to PRINCE2? Should I start with "starting up a project" or should I start with "initiating a project"? Any other ideas?

All help would be great!

Thanks.

Br

Tue 03 Jun 2014 10:15 am

Hi there,

This post has Duncan written all over it; he is a PM for a software company. Over to you sir!

I would say skip the Concept (starting up a project) phase and enter into Planning (Initiating a project). This is because you are running the project from the supplier viewpoint, and not the customer. The customer deals with the business case and in this case the solution has been sold.

You need to appreciate a lot of PM frameworks and techniques are as if you are the customer. You will need to tailor your approach to reflect the fact that you are not the customer.

It sounds like it it might be best to run this work as a program. Each internal department has its own project plan and PM. It is important to ensure your project interfaces with the other projects and a milestone chart (taking key deliverables & delivery dates from each internal project) will help all the projects to work in synergy.

The other point to consider is that you may have internal sensitive info which you might not want the client seeing. For instance, do you have a internal project plan and then another external one? Some of my projects have to be run like this.

I am keen to see what others think here.