One of the most practical things you can do to improve your day-to-day PRINCE2 practice is to keep a process model visible — physically or digitally — during your project work. You need to understand and remember the process and document flow in the PRINCE2 method. A visual model makes this accessible at a glance.
There are three levels of PRINCE2 process model, each serving a different purpose:
Level 1 — Process Overview
A simple overview of the seven PRINCE2 processes: Starting Up, Initiating, Directing, Controlling a Stage, Managing Product Delivery, Managing a Stage Boundary, and Closing a Project. This is the right level for initial PRINCE2 exploration — it shows the big picture without overwhelming detail.
Recommended for: new PRINCE2 practitioners, board members, anyone needing a quick reference to which process they are in.
Available as a downloadable PDF on the PRINCE2 Downloads page.
Level 2 — Processes with Document Flow
Adds the management products (documents) that flow between processes and roles. This is the most useful everyday reference — it shows both the processes and the documents they produce and consume. Keep this next to you during initiation, stage planning, and reporting.
Recommended for: active project managers, project support staff, anyone responsible for producing or reviewing PRINCE2 documents.
Level 3 — Full Process Model
The comprehensive view including all main activities, major events, document creation, updates, and submissions. This is initially overwhelming, but becomes extremely valuable once you are familiar with the method. It shows exactly what happens — and in what order — at every point in the project lifecycle.
Recommended for: experienced PRINCE2 practitioners, those implementing PRINCE2 in an organisation, Practitioner-level candidates.
Using Models as Communication Tools
Process models aren't just for personal reference — they are powerful communication tools. When stakeholders ask questions about why a certain document is needed, or which process they're currently in, you can point to the model and explain. This makes PRINCE2 tangible and visible rather than abstract.
Download process models at all three levels from the PRINCE2 Downloads page.