Introduction to Prince2 Project Management
Managing Successful Projects With Prince2 Methodology
Oct 13, 2009
Anyone applying for IT project management jobs in the UK is being asked whether they are Prince2 certified with increasing frequency. Being a Prince2 practitioner has become the proof that an individual has received the required level of project management training, which is then backed up by relevant experience.
Prince2 is a process based approach to running IT projects. It was developed by the UK Office of Government Commerce and was placed in the public domain in order to facilitate best practice. It has become the standard for IT projects in the public and private sector in the UK, and also internationally.
Prince2 Project Management Methodology
Prince2, and its predecessors, PromptII and Prince, grew out of the need for the public sector to deliver IT projects on time and on budget. They were methodologies designed to identify project goals and the path to achieving those goals. They also made it possible to identify why projects failed, or overran, so that lessons could be learned.
The Prince2 process focuses on clearly defining the objectives, scope and budget for a project (in both time and money). These are captured in the Project Initiation Document, a source of reference throughout the project. Prince2 puts a high value on organisation and control at all points in the project life cycle.
The methodology requires some key roles to be fulfilled. The Project Board oversee the entire enterprise. It comprises representatives from the customer, the users and the supplier. The Project Manager controls the project, preparing and managing the project plan and the resources involved. They report to the Project Board on a regular basis.
Prince2 Project Management Training
There are two tiers of project management qualification for Prince2. The Foundation level is intended for those who need to understand how a Prince2 project is structured and the various processes and terms involved. Those who complete a Prince2 Foundation course must pass an exam in order to claim Foundation status.
Anyone who intends to manage a project that is run under Prince2 should qualify as a Prince2 Practitioner. This involves attending another course and passing another exam, although a blended course is available.
The Prince2 methodology is reviewed every few years to ensure that it remains current. The result of the most recent review is the 2009 Refresh, which has updated documentation and the exam formats. The underlying format and principles of Prince2 remain largely unaltered.
Prince2 has become the accepted standard for project managers working in the IT industry. Many organizations use some parts of the Prince2 approach when running projects, picking and choosing the sections that are most appropriate for their needs.
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