Exception Plan
Official Definition:
A plan that replaces the existing Stage or Project Plan after a Project Board decision (usually based on an Exception Report explaining the forecast of tolerances to be exceeded).
Layman’s Definition:
It’s the replacement plan — written when the Project Board decide that things have gone too far off track and the current plan can’t be followed.
Examples:
• IT: A revised plan to rewrite an entire feature due to supplier failure.
• Construction: A revised plan after a flood delays works by a month.
• Healthcare: Redesigning the training programme after regulations change mid-project.
When to Use:
Only when an Exception has been declared and approved by the Project Board.
What It Might Look Like in Practice:
• Includes new costs, timelines, risks.
• Must be approved before work continues.
• May cover just a stage, or the whole project.