6.2 Starting Up a Project (SU) Process

6.2 Starting Up a Project (SU) Process

The primary purpose of the Starting Up a Project (SU) process is to ensure that the prerequisites for initiating a project are in place. It acts as a lightweight, low-cost pre-project filter designed to answer one critical question:

Core Objective: Do we have a viable and worthwhile project?

Organizations frequently propose ideas for new initiatives. Initiating a project requires a significant investment of time, resources, and executive attention. By conducting the SU process before formally committing resources to detailed planning, PRINCE2 prevents unfeasible, unaligned, or poorly defined ideas from consuming organizational budgets.

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The Trigger and Input: Project Mandate

Every PRINCE2 project is triggered by a Project Mandate. The mandate is an external document or command provided by Corporate, Programme Management, or the Customer.

Characteristics of a Project Mandate

• External to the Project Team: It originates from outside the temporary project organization.
• Flexible Format: It can range from an informal verbal instruction or email to a detailed 50-page feasibility study, strategic plan, or commercial tender document.
• Content: It defines the high-level business reason for the project, target outcomes, and any known constraints or boundaries.
• Incompleteness: A project mandate is rarely sufficient on its own to start detailed project work. The SU process takes this raw mandate and refines it into a clear, structured Project Brief.

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The 6 Key Activities of the SU Process

The Starting Up a Project process consists of six sequential activities executed by the Project Manager, Executive, and key stakeholders during the pre-project phase:

1. Appoint Executive & Project Manager
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2. Capture Previous Lessons (Lessons Log)
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3. Design & Appoint Project Management Team
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4. Prepare Outline Business Case
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5. Select Project Approach & Assemble Project Brief
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6. Plan the Initiation Stage (Initiation Stage Plan)

1. Appoint the Executive and the Project Manager

• Corporate or Programme Management appoints the Executive, who represents business ownership and bears ultimate accountability for project success.
• The Executive then appoints the Project Manager, who will run the day-to-day pre-project activities and subsequent stages.

2. Capture Previous Lessons

• The Project Manager reviews lessons from previous similar projects (internal archives, external audits, industry benchmarks) and populates the Lessons Log.
• Learning from experience ensures past mistakes are avoided and proven practices are embedded right from startup.

3. Design and Appoint the Project Management Team

• The Executive and Project Manager define the project management structure, identifying candidates for key roles: Senior User(s), Senior Supplier(s), Project Assurance, and Project Support.
• Role Descriptions are created to clarify responsibilities and authority lines.

4. Prepare the Outline Business Case

• The Executive drafts the Outline Business Case (assisted by the Project Manager).
• This document provides the preliminary business rationale, outlining why the project is needed, expected strategic benefits, preliminary cost estimates, and major business risks.

5. Select the Project Approach and Assemble the Project Brief

• The Project Manager evaluates how the project deliverables will be provided (e.g., in-house development vs. commercial off-the-shelf purchase, predictive waterfall vs. iterative agile delivery, bespoke construction vs. leasing).
• The Project Manager combines the Outline Business Case, Project Definition, Project Approach, Role Descriptions, and User's Quality Statement into the Project Brief.

6. Plan the Initiation Stage

• The Project Manager creates the Initiation Stage Plan, detailing the resources, activities, timeline, and costs required to perform the Initiating a Project (IP) process during Stage 1.

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Key Management Products Created in SU

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Crucial Exam Concept: SU is NOT a Stage!

A major trap on the PRINCE2 7 Foundation exam is confusing Starting Up a Project (SU) with a management stage.

• SU is a Process, NOT a Stage: SU is a short, pre-project activity that takes place before the project is formally authorized.
• The First Stage is Initiation: The project officially begins when the Project Board approves the Project Brief and Initiation Stage Plan, authorizing the first formal stage: The Initiation Stage.
• Cost Efficiency: Because SU occurs before formal authorization, it is kept intentionally brief and low-cost.