PRINCE2 Licensed Product

IP - Initiating a Project


The IP phase is to agree whether or not there is sufficient justification to proceed with the project and establish a stable management basis on which to proceed. This includes documenting and confirming that an acceptable Business Case exists for the project and agree to the commitment of resources for the first stage of the project. This phase also provides the baseline for the decision-making processes required during the project's life and ensures that the investment of time and effort required by the project is made wisely, taking account of the risks to the project.


  1. SU
  2. IP
  3. PL
  4. SB
  5. CS
  6. MP
  7. DP
  8. CP
  9. Report
Initiating a Project (IP)
Project Name:
Maturity Model Rating For This Phase
Score 1
Score 2
Score 3
Score 4
Score 5
Level 1 - Initial
• Methodology is not being adopted
• Uncontrolled
Level 2 - Managed
• Very Low adoption of methodology
• Very low level of control
Level 3 - Defined
• Low adoption of methodology
• Low level of control
Level 4 - Quality
• Good adoption of methodology
• Good level of control
Level 5 - Optimised
• Full adoption of methodology
• Under full control
Phase Analysis


Criteria Question Compliance Quality
Assembling A PID
Is there a project initiation document?
Does the project initiation document meet PRINCE2® requirements?
Is the project scope clearly stated?
Are the project objectives clearly stated?
Are the critical success factors clearly defined?
Are project constraints clearly defined?
Are the Programme dependency network identified & defined?
Planning Quality
Is the project quality and assurance approach defined?
Is there a quality plan?
Is there a quality log?
It there a configuration management plan?
Planning A Project
Is the approach to financial and resource management clearly defined?
Is there a financial plan for the project?
Is there a resource plan for the project?
Is there a project plan?
Does the project plan include the management products?
Does the project plan include specialist project products?
Does the project plan include quality assurance review schedule?
Does the project plan include key communication activity?
Has product based planning been used?
Refining The Business Case And Risks
Has the business case and risks been updated?
Is there an investment appraisal showing a cash flow statement, return on investment,
net present value, internal rate of return and payback period?
Are the benefits clearly defined,categorised and measurable?
Has the feasibility study been undertaken offering options and recommendations?
Has the business impact been defined?
Is the approach to risk and issue management clearly defined?
Have major risks and issues been identified in the project initiation document?
Have the risk log and issue log been updated?
Are there adequate risk and issue mitigation plans?
Setting Up Project Controls
Are reporting procedures, content & frequency defined?
Are tolerances defined for performance, time, and cost?
Are project level tolerances defined?
Are stage plan tolerances defined?
Are work package tolerances defined?
Are the authority levels of the project board been clearly documented in terms of reference?
Are the project organisation, roles and responsibilities fully defined?
Are roles and responsibilities specific to individuals?
Are key stakeholders defined?
Is there a stakeholder map?
Is there a communications Plan?
Is the change control approach, process and procedure clearly documented?
Is the configuration management approach, process and procedure clearly documented?
Setting Up Project Files
Has a central project filing system been set up?
Is the project filing system accessible by project stakeholders?
Is there a central filing system for all project products?
Has the issue log been created?
Has the lessons learnt log been Created?
Does the central filing system use a consistent structure across all projects?
Are filing responsibilities defined in job descriptions?
Does the filing system provide an audit trail?
Is the filing kept up to date?
Approvals & Quality Assurance
Have the project initiation document,plans and business case been subject to a documented
quality assurance review?
Is there an end of initiation stage assessment report?
Have the risks, issues and lessons learnt logs been updated?
Has there been an end of initiation stage assessment by the board?
Has the project initiation document and Business Case been approved by the project board
and authorisation given for the project to proceed against the next stage plan?
Has the next stage plan been presented at the initiation end stage assessment?
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