Controlling a stage and managing product delivery
Controlling a stage is the project manager's day-to-day work: authorising work packages, monitoring, dealing with issues and reporting. Managing product delivery is the team manager's: accepting a work package, producing the products, and delivering them back.
Why it is like this
The split is the interface between management and delivery. It is what lets a team be internal, external or a supplier under contract without changing the method.
Not to be confused with
Two names for execution. The interface is the work package, and it is a two-way agreement — the team manager accepts it, and may negotiate it, rather than receiving it.
In practice
Checkpoint reports flow from managing product delivery into controlling a stage; highlight reports flow from controlling a stage up to the board.
Source: Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2, 7th edition (PeopleCert, 2023) — PRINCE2 7, §17 and §18. Read on .
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Odd one out Check yourself
Three of these happen in controlling a stage. Which one happens in managing product delivery?
Show the answer
Executing a work package and producing checkpoint reports
Everything the team manager does is managing product delivery; everything the project manager does within a stage is controlling a stage.