3 Responses

1. Only if you get buy in from the top
   We were considering including a Prince2 element to our First Line Manager development plans so I went along to an overview course to get the feel of it. Whilst the course was brilliant and I can see the real benefit of Prince2, I did agree with the tutor on buy in. He indicated that unless it is something the whole organisation is going to start doing, there is no point going down that road.

2. Highway Codes
   Element Project Management Driving a Car
   Method Prince 2, Highway code
   Techniques Gantt, PERT, CPM & critical chain, Driving skill & test
   Tools Microsoft Project A car & a road map
   Principles Using the other elements properly, Driving skill & road sense

   The reason why, in project management, people have a tendency to think that the first three elements, or even just a methodology and tools, are sufficient is that managing projects properly is difficult and requires very careful attention to detail, which bores the pans of most people. In addition methodologies like Prince 2 are document heavy and bureaucratic. Just get it done is the usual cry. Just like driving in the old days you didn’t need to take a driving test, you just needed a map and a car and off you went. That’s the way a lot of people drive projects using Microsoft Project to draw Gantt charts and that’s it.
   In modern times people have recognised the need for methodologies and the use of techniques to support the tools in both project management and driving, but projects like driving stand or fall because of how the principles are applied by fallible human beings. Most projects fail not because of a failure of the methodology, tools, or techniques but because people did not spend enough time planning, ignored the risks which were plain to see or because they accepted impossible criteria such as not enough money or not sufficient time. Just as car accidents are caused by human error, any training should hammer home the principles which are the foundation supporting the other elements of project management

3. Organise – Plan – Control
   The old saying “If it can’t be measured it can’t be managed” applies strongly to projects. Without a method (such as PRINCE2)those commissioning, managing and working on your project may have different ideas about the ‘how’ and ‘when’.
   PRINCE2 is a process driven Project Management Methodology with a common sense approach to project delivery, and can be applied to any project – in any industry. With a strong business delivery focus it continually questions whether your project is viable and meeting expectations. Its flexibility allows it to be tailored to any environment and its strength is that it can be used on large and small projects alike.
   It is internationally accepted as the leading ‘best practice’ project management approach.
   Without wanting to advertise on this thread, we have successfully delivered PRINCE2 (and related courses)to UK universities. Their feedback is ‘it works’ – I agree that top-down buy-in is a great advantage too!