Disadvantages
- Only has 2 tools and techniques (over 100 in PMBOK® Guide)
- Doesn't cover soft skills.
- Easy to run PINO projects (PRINCE2 IN name Only)
- Requires senior management buy-in to be successful.
- Requires experience to apply it well.
- Has (unfair) reputation that it's documentation-heavy.
It is definitely worth the effort of going on a four day course in order to take control of the direction your career. Whatever it is that you plan to do with your career you stand a much better chance of doing it well if you adopt a project management methodology such as PRINCE2.
PMP is knowledge-based, while PRINCE2 methodology is process-based for uncovering the best-proven practices in project management. While, PRINCE2 deals with WHEN, WHAT & WHOM. To advance your career as a proficient project manager, you can opt both. And make yourself a globally valued project manager.
You Don't Get Letters After Your Name
There are no post-nominals with PRINCE2 certification.PRINCE2 - A Structured Project Management Methodology
PRINCE2 (PRojects IN Controlled Environments) is a process-based method for effective project management. PRINCE2 is a de facto standard used by the UK Government, widely recognised and practised in the private sector in the UK and internationally.They gave it the name 'PRINCE', which originally stood for "PROMPT II IN the CCTA Environment". PRINCE was renamed in a Civil service competition as an acronym for "PRojects IN Controlled Environments". PRINCE2 was released in 1996 as a generic project management method.
The aim is to test your knowledge of how you can apply the PRINCE2 knowledge in a real project. It's a difficult exam, but if you prepare well and have experience with the objective testing format, you will be going into the exam with a high chance of success.
PRINCE2 provides benefits to the managers and directors of a project and to an organisation, through the controllable use of resources and the ability to manage business and project risk more effectively. PRINCE2 embodies established and proven best practice in project management.
Developed by the Project Management Institute (PMI), the five phases of project management include conception and initiation, planning, execution, performance/monitoring, and project close.
Projects in Controlled Environments
A standard project typically has the following four major phases (each with its own agenda of tasks and issues): initiation, planning, implementation, and closure. Taken together, these phases represent the path a project takes from the beginning to its end and are generally referred to as the project “life cycle.”
Use P-JESTER to remember the PRINCE2 principles
- Product – focus on product.
- Justification – continued business justification.
- Experience – learn from experience.
- Stages – manage by stages.
- Tailor – tailor to suit the project environment.
- Exceptions – manage by exception.
- Roles – defined roles and responsibilities.
A standard project typically has the following four major phases (each with its own agenda of tasks and issues): initiation, planning, implementation, and closure. Taken together, these phases represent the path a project takes from the beginning to its end and are generally referred to as the project “life cycle.”
The 7 Principles of PRINCE2
- Continued Business Justification.
- Learn from Experience.
- Defined Roles and Responsibilities.
- Manage by Stages.
- Manage by Exception.
- Focus on Products.
- Tailor to Suit the Project.
The PRINCE2 method is built on the following 7 principles:
- Projects must have business justification.
- Teams should learn from every stage.
- Roles and responsibilities are clearly defined.
- Work is planned in stages.
- Project boards "manage by exception."
- Teams keep a constant focus on quality.
Scrum is an Agile project management methodology involving a small team led by a Scrum Master, whose main job is to clear away all obstacles to the team completing work. Simply put, Scrum is a method for managing projects that allows for quick development and testing, especially within a small team.
Methodology is the systematic, theoretical analysis of the methods applied to a field of study. Instead, a methodology offers the theoretical underpinning for understanding which method, set of methods, or best practices can be applied to a specific case, for example, to calculate a specific result.
Selecting the Right Project Management Method
- Project focus (e.g. task activities versus final product)
- Customer and stakeholder involvement.
- Industry.
- Flexibility of timeline.
- Allotted budget.
- Number and type of teams working on the project.
- Complexity of projects.
- Resources needed versus resources available.
Most frequently used methods include:
- Observation / Participant Observation.
- Surveys.
- Interviews.
- Focus Groups.
- Experiments.
- Secondary Data Analysis / Archival Study.
- Mixed Methods (combination of some of the above)
Here are 13 best practices for project management we recommend.
- Document project requirements.
- Avoid estimating projects in a vacuum.
- Use a project brief to get stakeholder buy-in.
- Establish a clear project plan.
- Mind your team's workload.
- Clarify project roles and responsibilities.
- Communicate early and often.
Table of contents
- Explain your methodological approach.
- Describe your methods of data collection.
- Describe your methods of analysis.
- Evaluate and justify your methodological choices.
- Tips for writing a strong methodology.
- Frequently asked questions about methodology.
PRINCE2 doesn't have to be waterfall
This view is based upon the assumption that PRINCE2 is a project 'waterfall' approach. A waterfall approach is where requirements are documented and approved before moving to a design phase, followed by a build phase and finally a testing phase.The PRINCE2® methodology is so flexible that it can be applied to a range of construction projects regardless of ambition, size, budget, or purpose, hence having PRINCE2® practitioners planning projects is a sure way to enhance financial value and business justification of construction-based projects.
“The feedback we received was that the current PRINCE2 Agile was a really good product,” says Allan Thomson, project and programme management ambassador at AXELOS. There are no prerequisites to take a PRINCE2 Agile Foundation training and examination.
In the PRINCE2 view a project is also divided in phases; they are called Management Stages. But these Management Stages are very different from the phases in a Waterfall approach. They are based on several principles.
PRINCE2 Agile is designed to deliver the comprehensive management of PRINCE2 mixed with the flexibility and responsiveness of Agile environments. It offers a holistic approach, leading AXELOS to name it “the world's most complete agile project management solution.”
Association of Project Managers Group
Here are the top 5 Agile certifications which are the best for Agile professionals who want to build their career with Agile methodology.
- PMI-ACP (Agile Certified Professional)
- Scrum Alliance (Certified Scrum Master/Certified Scrum Product Owner/Certified Scrum Developer)
- Scrum Alliance (Certified Scrum Professional)
So the main difference between Agile and Scrum is simply one of type: agile is a set of values and principles, Scrum is a lighteight framework and methodology for building products.
Agile project management is an iterative approach to managing software development projects that focuses on continuous releases and incorporating customer feedback with every iteration. Traditional agile project management can be categorized into two frameworks: scrum and kanban.
