In 2026, the PRINCE2 7 (7th Edition) remains the current global standard for the methodology. The core diagram, known as the PRINCE2 Process Model, illustrates how the 7 processes interact across the four management levels: Corporate, Direction, Management, and Delivery. 

The PRINCE2 7 Process Model

The diagram typically visualises the project lifecycle from a “Project Mandate” to “Project Closure” through these processes: 

• Starting Up a Project (SU): The pre-project process where a mandate is converted into a project brief.
• Directing a Project (DP): The Project Board’s high-level oversight, running from project start to finish.
• Initiating a Project (IP): Establishing firm foundations, including the Project Initiation Documentation (PID) and the Business Case.
• Controlling a Stage (CS): The daily management of a stage by the Project Manager.
• Managing Product Delivery (MP): The link between the Project Manager and Team Managers to ensure products are built.
• Managing a Stage Boundary (SB): Occurs at the end of each management stage to plan the next one and review the current.
• Closing a Project (CP): The final process for a formal decommissioning of the project.