PRINCE2 Starting up a Project
Get Started with This SkillOverview
Draft Starting up a Project (SU) documents aligned with PRINCE2. Covers the Project Brief, Project Product Description, outline Business Case, project approach selection, team appointments, and initiation stage planning.
Getting Started
Upload any existing project mandate, feasibility notes, or stakeholder lists to the project workspace and activate the PRINCE2 Starting up a Project skill. The agent will guide you through evaluating feasibility, appointing key roles, and preparing the Project Brief for Board review.
Example Conversation
Below is an example of a typical session preparing the pre-project documentation for a CRM migration. The agent gathers context, drafts the Project Brief, and defines the Project Product Description.
You: We’ve received a mandate from the IT Steering Committee to replace our legacy CRM system with Salesforce. Around 350 sales staff across 4 regional offices will be affected. Budget is roughly EUR 1.2M and the target go-live is Q3 next year. I need to prepare the Project Brief for the Board.
Agent: I’ll help you prepare the Project Brief. Let me clarify a few points:
- What is the primary driver — cost reduction, functionality gaps, vendor end-of-support, or strategic alignment?
- What delivery approach are you considering — big-bang migration, phased rollout by region, or a pilot-first approach?
- Has an Executive been appointed, and do you have a preferred Project Manager?
You: Main driver is vendor end-of-support (December next year) plus functionality gaps in reporting. We’re leaning toward a phased rollout — pilot in the Hamburg office first, then roll out to Berlin, Munich, and Frankfurt. Our VP of Sales (Maria Hoffmann) will be the Executive. I’m the proposed PM.
Agent: I’ve drafted the Project Brief covering the project definition, approach, and team structure. Here’s a summary of what’s included:
- Project Definition — background (vendor EOL Dec next year), objectives (migrate 350 users, zero data loss, <2 days downtime per office), scope and exclusions (marketing automation out of scope)
- Project Product Description — Salesforce CRM configured for 4 offices with migrated data, acceptance criteria: 100% contact/opportunity records migrated, UAT sign-off from each regional lead, sub-3-second page load
- Outline Business Case — 3 options (do nothing: EUR 800K annual legacy maintenance + EOL risk; do minimum: extend support 12 months for EUR 400K; recommended: full migration at EUR 1.2M with 3-year ROI of 2.1x)
- Project Approach — phased rollout, pilot Hamburg (8 weeks), then 3 regions in 4-week waves
- Initiation Stage Plan — 4-week IP stage to produce the PID, refine the Business Case, and plan Stage 2 (pilot)
The draft is saved as
project_brief.md. Shall I refine any section or proceed to the Project Product Description in more detail?
Document Excerpt
Below is a representative excerpt from a Project Brief prepared with the skill.
Project Brief — CRM Migration (Excerpt)
Project: Legacy CRM to Salesforce Migration Executive: Maria Hoffmann (VP Sales) Project Manager: Thomas Weber
1. Project Definition
| Item | Description |
|---|---|
| Background | Current CRM (CustomerPro v4.2) reaches end-of-support in December 2027. Vendor has confirmed no further patches or security updates. Reporting limitations have been raised in 3 consecutive quarterly sales reviews. |
| Objectives | (1) Migrate all customer data to Salesforce with zero data loss. (2) Complete rollout to 350 users across 4 offices by Q3 2027. (3) Achieve user adoption rate >85% within 60 days of each office go-live. |
| Scope | Sales CRM functionality: contact management, opportunity tracking, pipeline reporting, mobile access. Data migration: contacts, opportunities, activities, attachments (5-year history). Integration with SAP ERP (order sync). |
| Exclusions | Marketing automation (separate initiative). Customer self-service portal. Legacy system decommissioning (operational). |
| Constraints | Hamburg pilot must complete before other offices begin. No go-live during Q4 (sales-critical period). |
| Assumptions | Salesforce Enterprise licenses procured by IP stage completion. Each office nominates a regional change champion. |
3. Outline Business Case
| Option | Description | Cost | Benefit | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Do nothing | Operate unsupported CRM | EUR 800K/yr maintenance + growing security exposure | None — functionality gaps persist | High — no vendor support, compliance risk |
| Do minimum | Negotiate 12-month extended support | EUR 400K one-off | Buys time, no new features | Medium — defers problem, no long-term solution |
| Recommended | Full Salesforce migration (phased) | EUR 1.2M (implementation + year-1 licenses) | EUR 350K/yr maintenance savings + 15% pipeline visibility improvement | Medium — mitigated by phased approach and pilot |
Investment Appraisal (initial): Payback period: 28 months. 3-year net benefit: EUR 1.3M.
5. Initiation Stage Plan
| Activity | Duration | Owner |
|---|---|---|
| Create PID (management approaches, project controls) | Week 1–2 | PM |
| Refine Business Case with Salesforce licensing quotes | Week 2 | PM + Procurement |
| Draft Stage 2 Plan (Hamburg pilot) | Week 2–3 | PM |
| Board review and authorization to proceed | Week 4 | Executive |
This excerpt is illustrative. Final content must reflect the specific project’s data and organizational context.