PRINCE® (Projects in Controlled Environments), is a widely used project management methodology that navigates you through all the essentials for running a successful project. It provides project managers with a practical roadmap from conception to close.
At the heart of PRINCE2 are:
- 8 PRINCE2 Processes
- 8 PRINCE2 Components
- 3 PRINCE2 Techniques
8 PRINCE2 Processes
Starting Up a Project
“Do we have a worthwhile and viable project”. A short process before the project begins designed to establish if there is sufficient justification to start work.
Initiating a Project
Produces the Project Initiation Document – the project baseline or terms of reference. Defines what is to be produced, when and by whom, before committing to significant time and expense
Directing a Project
A Senior Management (“Project Board”) process: authorizing work, committing resources, giving guidance and managing communication with the environment outside the project boundary
Controlling a Stage
The “daily bread” of the Project Manager – handing out work, making sure it is completed to the agreed quality, dealing with issues as they arise, reporting to senior management
Managing Product Delivery
Where the specialist work of the project gets done – driven by the Project Manager in Controlling a Stage, above
Managing Stage Boundaries
Looking at the big picture – are we still on track?, are the original reasons for the project still valid? Makes sure the project is focused on delivering business benefits – if not, it can be stopped
Closing a Project
Has everything been delivered as agreed? Is the customer satisfied? Handover any loose ends. Write up end of project reports and record any useful lessons learned
Planning
How plans are produced at different stages in the Project
8 PRINCE2 Components
Business Case
A document which states WHY the project is necessary – specifically what benefits it will deliver to the business. Keeps the project relevant. If the project is no longer going to deliver the benefits in the business case, PRINCE2 says it should be ended.
Organization
Roles and Responsibilities of the Project Management team. Projects often involve multiple sites or staff from several organizations who may be full or part time on the project. It is important to be clear who is responsible for what from the start
Plans
How to create Plans, when it is appropriate to do so. There is no value in creating a detailed Plan for Year 2 of a project right at the beginning, so PRINCE2 plans close to the time the Plan will be used
Controls
Information to enable decision making by management – e.g. A PRINCE2 “Checkpoint Report” is produced by Team Managers for the Project Manager so they can keep track of what is happening with their work
Management of Risk
Dealing with uncertainty. Projects usually have to delivery something unique in a fixed time period using staff who may not have worked together – so a clear Risk Management approach is essential
Quality in a Project Environment
May be different for each project – for example your approach to spell checking may be different depending on whether you are producing a daily newspaper or the Oxford English Dictionary. What the project means by Quality needs to be understood by everyone from the start
Configuration Management
Version control – who is working on what? Which version is current? Essential to keep track of everything being produced
Change Control
“Scope creep” – adding new features as you think of them can ruin a project so that it goes over time or budget. An agreed Change Control method means Project Managers can take a considered and rational approach to Requests for Change
3 PRINCE2 Techniques
PRINCE2 is a generic project management methodology. It will work with the specialist techniques available and appropriate to the size, subject and sector of the project. Therefore, PRINCE2 has only 3 Techniques:
Product Based Planning
The only mandatory technique and the start point for all planning activities. PRINCE2 planning commences not with the question; “what shall I do”, but with “what must I deliver”. This product based approach is effective: it starts with the end in mind and focuses on the ultimate goal of the project. Unlike activity based planning (which can be very technical), Product Based Planning involves the customer from the start.
Change Control
Many organizations have their own change control techniques, so PRINCE2’s approach is optional. If used it provides a simple but robust approach to the control of changes, issues, questions and concerns that the project faces once underway
Quality Review
Most projects produce documents. Quality Review offers a structured and objective technique for the checking of a draft document against a previously agreed description of that document. All interested parties: the intended user, the producer and those with quality assurance responsibilities can be involved.
Useful links
