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Projects in Controlled Environments ('''PRINCE''') is a Project Management Methodology . It covers the management, control and organisation of a project. “PRINCE2” is a Registered Trademark of the U.K.'s Office Of Government Commerce (OGC). HISTORY PRINCE2 is derived from the earlier PRINCE technique, which was initially developed in 1989 by the Central Computer And Telecommunications Agency (CCTA) as a UK Government standard for information systems (IT) project management; however, it soon became regularly applied outside the purely IT environment. PRINCE2 was released in 1996 as a generic project management method. PRINCE2 has become increasingly popular and is now the ''de facto'' standard for project management in the UK. Its use has spread beyond the UK to more than 50 other countries. PRINCE2 Web site The most current revision was released in 2005 by the Office of Government Commerce, and it is currently undergoing a refresh for 2008-9. EXAMS, ACCREDITATION AND TRAINING Accreditation is governed by the passing of two exams – the Foundation and the Practitioner. The foundation is a one-hour, Multiple Choice exam whereas the Practitioner is a three hour, open-book, essay type exam. In the UK, exams are administered by the APM Group APM Group . It is possible to check whether an individual has passed the Foundation and Practitioner exams. Online check for individuals passing Foundation and Practitioner exams It is possible for individuals with project management experience to self-study for the exams but a number of training organisations offer courses, many of which also include exam entry in the fee. In the UK there is a non-mandatory accreditation scheme for training providers, run by the APM Group. SCALABILITY Project management is a complex discipline and it would be wrong to assume that blind application of PRINCE2 will result in a successful project. By the same token, it would be wrong to assume that every aspect of PRINCE2 will be applicable to every project. For this reason every process (see below) has a note on Scalability . This provides guidance to the Project Manager (and others involved in the project) as to ''how much'' of the process to apply. The positive aspect of this is that PRINCE2 can be tailored to the needs of projects. The negative aspect is that many of the essential elements of PRINCE2 can be omitted sometimes resulting in a PINO project – Prince in Name Only. In order to counter this, APM Group have defined the concept of a PRINCE2 Maturity Model . OVERVIEW OF THE METHODOLOGY PRINCE2 is a process-driven project management method which contrasts with reactive/adaptive methods such as Scrum . PRINCE2 defines 45 separate sub-processes and organizes these into eight processes as follows:
Starting up a project (SU) In this process the project team is appointed and a project brief (describing, in outline, what the project is attempting to achieve and the business justification for doing so) is prepared. In addition the overall approach to be taken is decided and the next stage of the project is planned. Once this work is done, the Project Board is asked to authorize the next stage, that of initiating the project. SU1 Appointing a Project Board Exec and Project Manager SU2 Designing a Project Management Team SU3 Appointing a Project Management Team SU4 Preparing a Project Brief SU5 Defining Project Approach SU6 Planning an Initiation Stage Planning (PL) PRINCE2 advocates Product Based Planning which means that the first task when planning is to identify and analyze products. Once the activities required to create these products are identified then it is possible to Estimate the effort required for each and then schedule activities into a plan. There is always risk associated with any work and this must be analyzed. Finally, this process suggests how the Format of plans can be agreed and ensures that plans are completed to such a format. PL1 Designing a Plan PL2 Defining and Analyzing Products PL3 Identifying Activities and Dependencies PL4 Estimating PL5 Scheduling PL6 Analyzing Risks PL7 Completing a Plan Initiating a project (IP) This process builds on the work of the Start Up (SU) activity and the project brief is augmented to form a Business Case . The approach taken to ensure quality on the project is agreed together with the overall approach to controlling the project itself (project controls). Project files are also created as is an overall plan for the project. A plan for the next stage of the project is also created. The resultant information can be put before the project board for them to authorize the project itself. IP1 Planning Quality IP2 Planning a Project IP3 Refining the Business Case and Risks IP4 Setting up Project Controls IP5 Setting up Project Files IP6 Assembling a Project Initiation Document Directing a project (DP) These sub-processes dictate how the Project Board should control the overall project. As mentioned above, the project board can authorize an initiation stage and can also authorize a project. Directing a Project also dictates how the project board should authorize a stage plan, including any stage plan that replaces an existing stage plan due to Slippage or other unforeseen circumstances. Also covered is the way in which the board can give ad hoc direction to a project and the way in which a project should be closed down. DP1 Authorizing Initiation DP2 Authorizing a Project DP3 Authorizing a Stage or Exception Plan DP4 Giving Ad Hoc Direction DP5 Confirming Project Closure Controlling a stage (CS) PRINCE2 suggests that projects should be broken down into stages and these sub-processes dictate how each individual stage should be controlled. Most fundamentally this includes the way in which work packages are authorized and received. It also specifies the way in which progress should be monitored and how the highlights of the progress should be reported to the project board. A means for capturing and assessing project issues is suggested together with the way in which corrective action should be taken. It also lays down the method by which certain project issues should be escalated to the project board. CS1 Authorizing Work Package CS2 Assessing Progress CS3 Capturing Project Issues CS4 Examining Project Issues CS5 Reviewing Stage Status CS6 Reporting Highlights CS7 Taking Corrective Action CS8 Escalating Project Issues CS9 Receiving Completed Work Package Managing product delivery (MP) This process consists of three sub-processes and these cover the way in which a work package should be accepted, executed and delivered. MP1 Accepting a Work Package MP2 Executing a Work Package MP3 Delivering a Work Package Managing stage boundaries (SB) The Controlling a Stage process dictates what should be done within a stage, Managing Stage Boundaries (SB) dictates what should be done towards the end of a stage. Most obviously, the next stage should be planned and the overall project plan, risk log and business case amended as necessary. The process also covers what should be done for a stage that has gone outside its tolerance levels. Finally, the process dictates how the end of the stage should be reported. SB1 Planning a Stage SB2 Updating a Project Plan SB3 Updating a Project Business Case SB4 Updating the Risk Log SB5 Reporting Stage End SB6 Producing an Exception Plan Closing a project (CP) This covers the things that should be done at the end of a project. The project should be formally de-commissioned (and resources freed up for allocation to other activities), follow on actions should be identified and the project itself be formally evaluated. CP1 Decommissioning a Project CP2 Identifying Follow-on Actions CP3 Project Evaluation Review COMPONENTS PRINCE2 has a number of components, as follows:
TECHNIQUES The PRINCE2 methodology works with most project management techniques but specifically describes the following: SEE ALSO NOTES REFERENCES
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