PRINCE2 organises project management into seven processes that guide a project from conception to closure. Each process sets out responsibilities, activities and key outputs. Below are clear examples showing how the processes apply in everyday projects, so you can see how PRINCE2 translates into practical actions.
1. Starting up a project - small IT upgrade
Purpose - confirm whether a project is viable and worth the organisation investing further time and money.
Example activities
• Appoint an executive and a project manager to provide initial governance and day-to-day leadership.
• Prepare a brief business case that outlines the need, scope and expected benefits of upgrading an internal reporting tool.
• Identify initial risks and constraints, such as downtime windows and data migration challenges.
• Produce the Project Brief and recommend whether to proceed to initiation.
Key outputs - Project Brief, outline business case, and an initial risks register.
2. Initiating a project - new office fit-out
Purpose - establish a firm foundation with a detailed plan and baseline controls.
Example activities
• Create the Project Initiation Document (PID) describing scope, costs, quality expectations and governance arrangements for an office fit-out.
• Develop the quality management approach and confirm acceptance criteria for finishes, furniture and services.
• Define tolerances for time and cost so the project board knows when escalation is required.
• Plan procurement stages for contractors and suppliers.
Key outputs - PID, stage plan, risk and issue logs, and quality register.
3. Directing a project - sponsor oversight for a marketing campaign
Purpose - ensure the project remains viable and aligns with strategic objectives through decision points.
Example activities
• Project board members review and approve the PID and major stage plans for a multi-channel marketing campaign.
• Authorise project initiation, stage starts and any exceptions that exceed agreed tolerances.
• Receive regular highlight reports from the project manager to monitor progress against plan and budget.
• Make strategic decisions when the business case needs updating because of market changes.
Key outputs - authorisation records, board decisions, and revised business case approvals.
4. Controlling a stage - software development sprint
Purpose - manage day-to-day delivery within a stage and keep the work aligned with the stage plan.
Example activities
• Project manager assigns work packages to development teams and monitors progress through daily stand-ups or progress reports.
• Capture and manage issues and risks as they arise, for example a third-party API delay.
• Maintain regular communication with the project board via highlight reports and request guidance for significant deviations.
• Accept completed work packages and confirm they meet agreed acceptance criteria.
Key outputs - completed work packages, issue logs, and weekly highlight reports.
5. Managing product delivery - procurement of specialised equipment
Purpose - ensure that products (deliverables) are created and delivered to the required quality and time.
Example activities
• Team manager accepts a work package to procure and configure specialised laboratory equipment.
• The supplier delivers items against the specification and the team manager performs quality checks and records results in the quality register.
• Any deviations from specification trigger a corrective action or an escalation if outside tolerances.
Key outputs - delivered product, product status account and quality records.
6. Managing stage boundaries - construction project phases
Purpose - review the completed stage and plan the next stage, allowing the board to assess continued viability.
Example activities
• At the end of a construction stage, prepare an end-stage report that summarises accomplishments, outstanding risks and the updated business case.
• Create the next stage plan, including resource estimates and updated timeframes.
• Request authorisation from the project board to proceed, highlighting any changes or exceptions.
Key outputs - end-stage report, next stage plan and updated risk register.
7. Closing a project - roll-out of a new HR system
Purpose - confirm that the project has delivered what was required and that all loose ends are addressed.
Example activities
• Verify that all products have been accepted and that any residual risks are transferred to operational owners.
• Complete a lessons-learned log and a benefits review approach to enable future measurement.
• Archive project documentation and release project resources.
Key outputs - project closure report, lessons log and confirmed handover documents.
Practical pointers for using these examples
• Map each process to your project lifecycle and adapt the granularity of plans to the project size.
• Use the examples as templates for common deliverables, such as a PID or end-stage report.
• Keep the roles and responsibilities clear so governance decisions can be made quickly when exceptions occur.
For hands-on training, consider Knowledge Train professional workshops.
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