PRINCE2
Also known as: PRojects IN Controlled Environments
PRINCE2 is a standard for project management. The letters of the originally British PRINCE stand for "PRojects IN Controlled Environments. PRINCE structures the processes of governance and organization of a project. Version 2 was launched in 1996 as an improvement to the original method from the 1980s.
PRINCE2 was developed primarily for ICT projects but can be applied to the management of all projects, possibly in a modified form.
The following principles apply within PRINCE2:
- Ongoing business justification
- Learning from past experiences
- Clear roles and responsibilities
- Project management by phase/subproject
- Steering only where necessary
- Focus on products
- Tailoring to characteristics of project
Several processes are described within PRINCE2:
- Starting Up a Project (SU) (starting).
This includes assembling a project team and briefing
- Initiating a Project (IP) (begin).
Establish final preparations, project documentation and schedule
- Directing a project (DP).
The manner in which the overall project is to be managed
- Controlling a stage (CS) (managing stages).
Distinguishing, directing and controlling subprojects/stages
- Managing stage boundaries (SB) (stage feedback).
Completion and transfer of a stage, update plans
- Managing product delivery (MP) (working toward completion).
Project manager communicates with team on execution and delivery subprojects
- Closing a Project (CP) (completion).
Evaluation and necessary formalities after acceptance of the final product
The current certification for PRINCE2 is based on the manual 'Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2 - 2009 Edition'. Certification is available at two different levels: Foundation and Practitioner, the former consisting of a one-hour examination consisting of multiple-choice questions. In order to be certified as a practitioner, a 2.5 hour exam is required, also consisting of multiple choice questions, which focuses on a case study.
