PRINCE2 Controlling a Stage

Project Management PRINCE2 Monitoring Reporting

Overview

Draft Controlling a Stage (CS) documents aligned with PRINCE2. Covers Work Packages, Highlight Reports, Issue Reports, Exception Reports, corrective action plans, and stage progress tracking.

Getting Started

Upload your current Stage Plan, risk and issue registers, and any progress data to the workspace and activate the PRINCE2 Controlling a Stage skill. The agent will help you draft Work Packages, Highlight Reports, Issue Reports, and Exception Reports.

Example Conversation

Below is an example of a typical session creating a Highlight Report and handling an issue during a website redesign project. The agent tracks stage progress and drafts an Issue Report for a supplier delay.

You: I need to write the Week 6 Highlight Report for Stage 2 of our corporate website redesign. We’re 6 weeks into a 10-week stage. Budget is EUR 80K for this stage with +/- EUR 8K tolerance. The design agency delivered the UX wireframes 4 days late, which is pushing the front-end development start. I also need to raise a formal Issue Report because the agency says their lead designer has resigned and they may need 2 more weeks for the visual design phase.
Agent: I’ll create both documents. Let me gather some details for the Highlight Report:
What was accomplished this period (Week 5–6)?
What are the key risks currently in the register?
Are any other Work Packages on track?
You: This period: UX wireframes received and approved (4 days late), content audit completed on time, CMS vendor shortlisted to 2 finalists. Backend API Work Package is on track. Top risk: integration complexity with the existing customer portal (score 12). No other issues. Spend to date: EUR 42K against EUR 48K planned (underspend because front-end work hasn’t started yet).
Agent: I’ve drafted both documents:
Highlight Report (reports/highlight_week6.md):
Stage Status: Amber — schedule pressure from agency delay
This Period: UX wireframes approved, content audit complete, CMS shortlist finalized
Next Period: Visual design kickoff (delayed), CMS vendor selection, front-end development planning
Tolerance Status: Schedule: 4 days consumed of +/- 2 weeks tolerance. Cost: EUR 6K underspend (timing, not savings). Forecast: within tolerance unless agency delay extends.
Escalation Note: If the agency delay extends to 2+ weeks (designer resignation), schedule tolerance will be threatened. See Issue Report ISS-007.
Issue Report (issues/iss_007_agency_delay.md):
Type: Problem/Concern
Severity: Major
Impact: +2 weeks schedule, EUR 5K additional cost (extended project team), risk of cascading delay into Stage 3
Options: (1) Accept delay, absorb within tolerance. (2) Bring in a freelance designer to parallel-track. (3) Descope the visual design to essential pages only. (4) Replace the agency.
Recommendation: Option 2 — engage a freelance designer (EUR 4K) to maintain schedule. Keeps cost within tolerance and avoids dependency on a single agency resource.

Document Excerpt

Below is a representative excerpt from a Highlight Report prepared with the skill.

Highlight Report — Week 6 (Excerpt)

Project: Corporate Website Redesign Stage: Stage 2 — Design & Development Period: Weeks 5–6 Status: AMBER

Tolerance Status

Dimension	Baseline	Actual / Forecast	Tolerance	Status
Schedule	10 weeks (end Week 10)	Forecast: end Week 11 (+4 days)	+/- 2 weeks	Amber — within tolerance but trending
Cost	EUR 80,000	Spent: EUR 42,000 / Forecast: EUR 82,000	+/- EUR 8,000	Green — within tolerance
Products	6 products	3 completed, 3 in progress	All 6 delivered	Green

This Period

Activity	Status	Notes
UX wireframes (WP-004)	Completed (4 days late)	Agency delay — designer availability. Approved after minor revisions.
Content audit (WP-005)	Completed (on time)	247 pages audited; 62 flagged for rewrite, 41 for removal.
CMS vendor evaluation	In progress	Shortlist: 2 vendors (Contentful, Strapi). Final selection next week.
Front-end development (WP-006)	Not started	Delayed — waiting on visual design. Planned start now Week 7.

Key Issues and Risks

ID	Type	Description	Priority	Status
ISS-007	Problem	Agency lead designer resigned; visual design phase at risk of +2 week delay	Must-do	Open — Issue Report raised
RSK-012	Risk	Customer portal integration complexity	High (12)	Open — mitigation in progress
RSK-015	Risk	CMS vendor contract negotiation delay	Medium (8)	Open — monitoring

Escalation Recommendations

If the agency confirms a 2+ week delay (ISS-007), the stage schedule tolerance will be consumed. The Project Manager recommends engaging a freelance designer (EUR 4K) as a parallel track. If cost exceeds stage tolerance, an Exception Report will be raised.

This excerpt is illustrative. Final content must reflect the specific project’s data and stage context.