PRINCE2 Startup Brief

For detailed management product definitions, read ../../references/prince2-management-products.md when the user needs a complete PRINCE2 document set or asks what each artifact is for.

Use this workflow when a project is still being shaped and needs enough structure to decide whether it is worth initiating.

Inputs To Ask For

• Project mandate or request
• Sponsor, executive, senior user, senior supplier, and project manager names if known
• Problem, opportunity, or required outcome
• Expected products or deliverables
• Known constraints, deadlines, budget range, and tolerances
• Similar past projects and lessons
• Decision needed from the project board

Output Structure

1. Startup Decision

• Recommended decision: proceed to initiation, revise, pause, or stop
• Reasoning
• Conditions before initiation starts

2. Project Brief

• Background
• Project definition
• Business option being explored
• Initial scope
• Exclusions
• Constraints and assumptions
• Initial risks and issues
• Project approach
• Proposed project management team

3. Outline Business Case

• Reason for the project
• Expected benefits
• Expected disbenefits
• High-level costs
• Timeframe
• Main risks
• Initial value judgment

4. Project Product Description

• Final product or capability
• Users and acceptance responsibilities
• Acceptance criteria
• Quality expectations
• Major product dependencies

5. Initiation Stage Plan

• Work needed to create the initiation documentation
• Owners
• Dates
• Review points
• Required inputs

6. Logs

• Daily log entries to start tracking informal notes
• Lessons log entries from previous work
• Early risk, issue, and assumption entries

Quality Bar

• Do not overbuild the project before initiation is approved.
• Make the business justification explicit, even if it is still rough.
• Separate what is known from what still needs investigation.
• Highlight any reason the project should not proceed.