Roles and Responsibilities in PRINCE2®

PRINCE2® is a globally-recognized project management methodology that suggests that each project is managed well when the manager clearly defines each individual's roles and responsibilities. The methodology categorizes the seven crucial roles into minor and major. Each individual is responsible for executing their duties effectively and such that the team achieves its pre-determined target without exceeding the budget and the timeline.

PRINCE2® certification has also been gaining immense popularity among aspiring project managers. Keep reading this post to learn more about PRINCE2® certification, the seven principles, and this project management methodology.

PRINCE2® Overview

PRojects IN Controlled Environments is a well-defined project management methodology that’s designed for project-oriented organizations. The program offers you advanced knowledge on how to execute projects of different complexity levels in an efficient way. The concept consists of seven principles, processes, and themes—all of which play a crucial role in clarifying each employee’s role and responsibility in the project execution. The system is adopted by most private and public companies.

Roles and Responsibilities

As mentioned above, PRINCE2® is a broad concept that covers the roles and responsibilities of each employee and the steps for executing those roles. No project can be completed without the team. Let’s take a look at the roles and responsibilities in PRINCE2®.

The Executive

The executives or customers are the main stakeholders of the project. They will finance the project and ensure that it’s delivered on time and without compromising the quality. The senior supplier and the user will help the leader assign the executive role to someone who can handle the project from initiation to completion. The executive is responsible for creating the team for the project—hiring each employee who’ll handle all management operations effectively. The executives also determine the milestones for the project and set the timeline for deliverables.

The Senior User

The senior user specifies the project requirements to the project management team based on the customer’s specifications. They facilitate streamlined communication between the user and the project management team. The senior user will approve the management plan, processes, milestones, and other aspects of a project. It’s only after their approval that the team can work on their assigned duties. Simply put, the senior user oversees the overall management, ensuring that each task is accomplished according to the plan and that the end product meets the quality standards set forth by the client.

The Senior Supplier

As the name suggests, the senior supplier can be one or a group of individuals responsible for allocating the right resources for project completion. They work with the project manager and the stakeholders to provide the team with the resources required to accomplish each milestone within the given deadline and as efficiently as possible. They also manage risks throughout the project’s lifecycle. They take care of the human resources, equipment, tools, and technology needed for successful completion.

The above three roles fall into the “major” category, and each party is responsible for making important decisions regarding the project execution. They also monitor the project progress and ensure that the team stays on track and works according to the pre-determined steps.

The Project Manager

The project manager ensures smooth execution and timely completion of the project by managing the crucial variables, including the team, technology, milestones, user requirements, risks, etc. They will also collaborate with the project board and high-authority stakeholders to keep them up-to-date with the current progress of the project.

A project manager is mostly one person assigned the duty of overseeing the entire project from the start till it’s completed. But, more people can be assigned the duty of management, especially if you are working on a large and complex project. The main objective of the project manager is to handle all aspects of a project as flawlessly as possible.

The Team Manager

The project manager can also be appointed as the team manager, but for a complex project that requires a large team and regular monitoring, one or more people can be appointed as the team manager. The team manager ensures that each employee involved in the PRINCE2® project knows and understands their roles and responsibilities well.

The team manager is an important part of any project, especially when your work involves the combination of in-house and remote teams. Their job includes managing each employee, communicating with them, assigning duties, checking work progress, evaluating the quality of the work, etc.

Change Authority

The change management authority is responsible for approving or rejecting the proposed changes to the project. For example, if someone has requested a change in the schedule,budget, or any aspect of the project, then the change authority will ensure that those changes are implemented. They also evaluate whether the change will affect the quality of the project or its schedule. They review whether the team is on track after the change implementation.

Project Assurance

A team or an individual is assigned the duty of assessing the project’s progress and whether it meets the quality standards. They review the project at predetermined intervals. If any employee deviates from the primary goal, the project assurance department will report the same to the board and work with stakeholders to figure out a way to bring the team back on track.

They evaluate all projects against the project plan and compare everything thoroughly to ensure everything is in order and that the project is scheduled to be finished by the deadline. If it’s a small project, the board might assign the assurance duty to the project manager. However, if the project involves strict quality standards, the board will most likely assign the responsibility to a separate team. Either way, project assurance is important for the successful completion of any project.

Conclusion

These were the seven (major and minor) roles and responsibilities of PRINCE2® project management methodology. Acquiring a certificate in this industry can help you advance your career in project management. It shows your expertise in working with stakeholders and communicating the project objectives and progress with the users. The certifications help you achieve better recognition from your team.