Over the last four days we've been discussing a lot of the theory behind PRINCE2 from its fundamental approach to how it is utilised. This is an important aspect of many organisation's activities (project management) as almost-all ventures are projects of a sort.
So what can we learn from the PRINCE2 approach?
Well, initially we can see that while it's an entirely generic and flexible approach it can be applied to many projects successfully. All too often these kinds of approaches are lacklustre and falter where you need them most- PRINCE2, however, delivers where you need it most.
This is because while it is entirely generic and you can apply it to just about anything, there's also an element of framework and procedures that are generally followed in every project. Not limiting the project managers at all, but instead, providing a great deal of flexibility to their work.
One of the lesser realised aspects of project management is that you aren't always under the strictest of deadlines, but you are always under the pressure of whether it continues to be viable.
For example, were you to notice a gap in a market and realise that you could create a low-cost product to fill that gap- will it remain low-cost throughout production? Will you realise this project? Or is there an element of doubt here? Too often you can get caught up in actually producing the product to see whether it is actually a viable option or not.
Even if it began as a viable idea.
Understanding the nature of business.
PRINCE2 also takes into account the guaranteed risks and elements of business practice. Risks always exist, even if you choose to stay firm and not spend your profits you're risking the loss of business you could achieve by expanding. Too many times people try to justify that they can create "risk-free" situations, which, in reality, are not possible as even employing staff has risks.
Thereby, because of a combined number of business principles and a practical yet flexible framework that allows organisations to keep track, but be creative, this is a great method of project management one of the most successfully recognised.
Actions speak louder than words, after all- and results speak loudest.
So why have project management in the first place?
As mentioned above almost-all ventures are a project of some kind, or can be likened to one, even as far as employing some new staff or buying new stock.
When does it need to be done? What are the risks? What do we do if it isn't? Who is in charge? What is our window of opportunity? We need to decide and understand these things before anything can be successful, otherwise we're just wasting time and resources. Putting people in place for no reason, or without some aspect of realising an aim, is just as useless as doing nothing.
Project management is just a means to an end, but a means to a very important end that can actually turn out to be more profitable than expected if done right.
Thank you for your time and thank you for reading!
We hope this information has been useful, interesting and can inspire some kind of change of ideals with some organisations out there. As, after all, we all want to be more successful.
All information presented here is © copyright Carkean Solutions Ltd., 2010 - Not to be used without our permission - The views expressed here are the views of an individual not the corporation
Showing posts with label PRINCE2. Show all posts
Showing posts with label PRINCE2. Show all posts
Wednesday, 1 September 2010
Tuesday, 31 August 2010
PRINCE2: Themes
Today we're focusing on the singular aspect of themes in the PRINCE2 project management theory method. These are atypically the most problematic elements of projects, often due to the diverse way that they can be handled and equally due to no one single solution existing.
Each organisation that encounters problems and has to solve them will have to do so in a different manner. As said before, while PRINCE2 is generic and can fit a wide range of projects- it is limited in that to effectively use it you have to view it more as a framework than a checklist.
Therefore, when problems arise even this method has no concrete answer for them.
The seven themes are:
Business Case
Business Case focuses heavily on creating mechanisms or resources to judge whether the project is desirable, achievable and whether it will continue to be. This echoes some of the previous theory, however, in this case we are looking at how not if the project is viable.
The existence of a viable Business Case is one of the reasons that a project is considered and should it cease to exist, or lessen in its effect, the project should be reconsidered.
Organisation
Organisation focuses on laying out a list or hierarchy of who is responsible, accountable and which levels of management are involved with the project. As you would manage resources such as raw materials, you must also manage labour as an entirely viable project could fail without leadership.
Or without the necessary skills for this kind of work.
Quality
Quality is the next of the themes and (as mentioned before) is a rather different outlook to quality than usually found. Instead of focusing on quantitative methods of quality checking, PRINCE2 considers whether a product is fit for purpose and whether it meets all the needs of the project.
Again, should these not be met or quality is not ensuring a fit for purpose project then the project should be reconsidered or stopped altogether.
Plans
Plans is to define where and how communication exists between project staff and to provide a constant stream of feedback, information and resources on how well the project is going. This is to make sure there is no gap between the Business Case and quality, while strengthening the organisation of a project to make sure that everyone knows their role and purpose.
If this is successful the project can move along much faster and to a higher standard of quality than previously thought possible.
Risk
Risk is rather self-explanatory (and again partly covered before); this is where you analyse and assess the risks associated with a project and then decide how viable it is. It is expected that a certain amount of risk will be associated with every project, however too much or too little could mean the project could pay off large rewards or simply falter. Or it is something with very little value.
Change
Change is another of these essential project elements. No project will stay entirely the same from start to finish and if it does there should be cause for concern, however, even if it should change, the change should be managed. Otherwise you could face changes that spiral out of control and erroneously or adversely affect the project.
Progress
Finally progress is at the heart of all good projects. This is where we monitor what progress has been made and how far along the entire project you are, much like Business Case this is not an if but a how as we need to know how/why it has progressed.
And more accurately if you're going to continue progressing in this fashion.
This concludes one of the last posts on PRINCE2 and aside from a conclusion round-up tomorrow we have shared all of the available theory. We hope this has been informative and that you have discovered more about the expansive project management.
Thank you for reading!
All information presented here is © copyright Carkean Solutions Ltd., 2010 - Not to be used without our permission - The views expressed here are the views of an individual not the corporation
Each organisation that encounters problems and has to solve them will have to do so in a different manner. As said before, while PRINCE2 is generic and can fit a wide range of projects- it is limited in that to effectively use it you have to view it more as a framework than a checklist.
Therefore, when problems arise even this method has no concrete answer for them.
The seven themes are:
- Business Case
- organisation
- quality
- plans
- risk
- change
- progress
Business Case
Business Case focuses heavily on creating mechanisms or resources to judge whether the project is desirable, achievable and whether it will continue to be. This echoes some of the previous theory, however, in this case we are looking at how not if the project is viable.
The existence of a viable Business Case is one of the reasons that a project is considered and should it cease to exist, or lessen in its effect, the project should be reconsidered.
Organisation
Organisation focuses on laying out a list or hierarchy of who is responsible, accountable and which levels of management are involved with the project. As you would manage resources such as raw materials, you must also manage labour as an entirely viable project could fail without leadership.
Or without the necessary skills for this kind of work.
Quality
Quality is the next of the themes and (as mentioned before) is a rather different outlook to quality than usually found. Instead of focusing on quantitative methods of quality checking, PRINCE2 considers whether a product is fit for purpose and whether it meets all the needs of the project.
Again, should these not be met or quality is not ensuring a fit for purpose project then the project should be reconsidered or stopped altogether.
Plans
Plans is to define where and how communication exists between project staff and to provide a constant stream of feedback, information and resources on how well the project is going. This is to make sure there is no gap between the Business Case and quality, while strengthening the organisation of a project to make sure that everyone knows their role and purpose.
If this is successful the project can move along much faster and to a higher standard of quality than previously thought possible.
Risk
Risk is rather self-explanatory (and again partly covered before); this is where you analyse and assess the risks associated with a project and then decide how viable it is. It is expected that a certain amount of risk will be associated with every project, however too much or too little could mean the project could pay off large rewards or simply falter. Or it is something with very little value.
Change
Change is another of these essential project elements. No project will stay entirely the same from start to finish and if it does there should be cause for concern, however, even if it should change, the change should be managed. Otherwise you could face changes that spiral out of control and erroneously or adversely affect the project.
Progress
Finally progress is at the heart of all good projects. This is where we monitor what progress has been made and how far along the entire project you are, much like Business Case this is not an if but a how as we need to know how/why it has progressed.
And more accurately if you're going to continue progressing in this fashion.
This concludes one of the last posts on PRINCE2 and aside from a conclusion round-up tomorrow we have shared all of the available theory. We hope this has been informative and that you have discovered more about the expansive project management.
Thank you for reading!
All information presented here is © copyright Carkean Solutions Ltd., 2010 - Not to be used without our permission - The views expressed here are the views of an individual not the corporation
Wednesday, 25 August 2010
PRINCE2: Structure, Principles, Success.
When using PRINCE2 it is important to understand the difference between processes and themes, but more so you should understand the seven key principles. These are not rules, or strict guidelines, but contributing factors which make a project sufficiently more successful.
Themes.
Themes dictate what we have to manage or create in order to complete a project successfully. Many of the processes we will describe later will use one (or more) themes. However, while we may be able to generalise each theme in a specific way- the level of detail required in each project will be vastly different.
This is because, with such a generic process, we cannot assume what the level of detail will be for any given project (nor should we). Therefore it's best to leave that to the individual project managers and to provide a strong, flexible and versatile framework.
Each process details one of the activities in the project but not necessarily the order. It can be said that the order of standard processes is not overly important, either, as long as they are all finished by the end of the project end date.
However, the ordering of main processes is very important as this provides a schedule for when to do activities and provides a timeline for the project.
Referring back to the opening, the seven key PRINCE2 principles are:
Continued business justification.
Business justification is quite simply the continual reasoning of why we are undertaking this project. If we lose sight of the project aims, or we continue projects with few real benefits, then the project will succumb to failure or continue but prove to be incredibly costly.
It's always the best idea to keep a grip on why you are doing the project in the first, as without the project the rest of the PRINCE2 framework is inconsequential. Even forced changes such as updated legislation will require some justification, albeit not as much as optional projects.
Learn from experience.
Learning from experience is quite self-explanatory in that we look at other projects, products and similar processes to identify where the mistakes were. If we can eliminate some of these mistakes this could prove to cut costs, time and hassle when it comes to producing the product.
Therefore, research not only into the product you are designing but what has come before it. If you know there is an inherent weakness in one stage or in one component then find an alternative, research into other methods or simply reconsider the project altogether.
Defined roles and responsibilities.
Defining roles and responsibilites has a two-fold effect. Not only do we have the right people (or the best people) for the job in the right place, we can also save on unnecessary hangups and hassle.
If the structure is truly transparent then the process can run much faster, should there be any kind of problem the staff will know where to go and who to talk to.
Throughout the process there will be contributions from various stakeholders (internally and externally) which will require some responsibility, someone will have to make sure that the needs of all interested parties are met. Meeting some requirements is not effective enough.
Manage by stages.
Managing by stages allows us to break down the biggest problem we have with projects- the project itself.
It wouldn't be possible to work on the entire project all at once, nor would it be prudent to do so, therefore we need to break the project down into smaller stages and work through those. Slotting those stages into an overall framework which will hopefully be successful.
Another key reason for managing by stages is the number of people involved at the end of a stage. We can't simply say that as Part A is done now we should move to Part B. There are factors that need to be checked, decisions to be made and the overall decision of whether this is still viable.
Manage by exception.
Managing by exception mostly involves a great deal of delegation. It is not possible for one person to do everything all of the time, therefore we need to break things down into smaller segments and assign them to certain staff. To make this more effective we will also use a series of tolerances.
These are designed to keep the project running on time and to the correct standard, but equally, should they not be met they can be raised to the next level of management.
Focus on products.
Focusing on products is rather the heart of any good project. With this we put greater attention on the product itself, not the activities to create it, which means from the very start the focus is on a quality product.
Therefore, in each stage and each process we are looking at what makes a good product and are building our project around that. Were it to be the reverse we would create a highly-efficiently produced inferior product that doesn't meet our aims.
This can also solve disputes as when using this approach we will always have a near-perfect image in our mind of what the product will be. Thereby, should anyone question it- we will know the answers.
Tailor to suit the project environment.
Tailoring to suit the project environment is why PRINCE2 works as well as it does. The only way such a universal and generic process can work is to be focused, and in order to be focused it needs to be tailored to the expectations of the project.
It wouldn't work if we blanketed several "standard" options without realising the real options available to us, nor would it work if we just used the basic idea of PRINCE2 but none of the methodology.
In order for it to truly be a great project it has to be tailored to every aspect of the product and the organisation that creates it, without this, the project could succeed but to an inferior standard.
This was rather a long post today but covers one of the deepest aspects of PRINCE2. Next week we shall continue and eventually round up the topics to do with this form of project management- until then, thank you for reading!
All information presented here is © copyright Carkean Solutions Ltd., 2010 - Not to be used without our permission - The views expressed here are the views of an individual not the corporation
Themes.
Themes dictate what we have to manage or create in order to complete a project successfully. Many of the processes we will describe later will use one (or more) themes. However, while we may be able to generalise each theme in a specific way- the level of detail required in each project will be vastly different.
This is because, with such a generic process, we cannot assume what the level of detail will be for any given project (nor should we). Therefore it's best to leave that to the individual project managers and to provide a strong, flexible and versatile framework.
Each process details one of the activities in the project but not necessarily the order. It can be said that the order of standard processes is not overly important, either, as long as they are all finished by the end of the project end date.
However, the ordering of main processes is very important as this provides a schedule for when to do activities and provides a timeline for the project.
Referring back to the opening, the seven key PRINCE2 principles are:
- continued business justification
- learn from experience
- defined roles and responsibilities
- manage by stages
- manage by exception
- focus on products
- tailor to suit the project environment
Continued business justification.
Business justification is quite simply the continual reasoning of why we are undertaking this project. If we lose sight of the project aims, or we continue projects with few real benefits, then the project will succumb to failure or continue but prove to be incredibly costly.
It's always the best idea to keep a grip on why you are doing the project in the first, as without the project the rest of the PRINCE2 framework is inconsequential. Even forced changes such as updated legislation will require some justification, albeit not as much as optional projects.
Learn from experience.
Learning from experience is quite self-explanatory in that we look at other projects, products and similar processes to identify where the mistakes were. If we can eliminate some of these mistakes this could prove to cut costs, time and hassle when it comes to producing the product.
Therefore, research not only into the product you are designing but what has come before it. If you know there is an inherent weakness in one stage or in one component then find an alternative, research into other methods or simply reconsider the project altogether.
Defined roles and responsibilities.
Defining roles and responsibilites has a two-fold effect. Not only do we have the right people (or the best people) for the job in the right place, we can also save on unnecessary hangups and hassle.
If the structure is truly transparent then the process can run much faster, should there be any kind of problem the staff will know where to go and who to talk to.
Throughout the process there will be contributions from various stakeholders (internally and externally) which will require some responsibility, someone will have to make sure that the needs of all interested parties are met. Meeting some requirements is not effective enough.
Manage by stages.
Managing by stages allows us to break down the biggest problem we have with projects- the project itself.
It wouldn't be possible to work on the entire project all at once, nor would it be prudent to do so, therefore we need to break the project down into smaller stages and work through those. Slotting those stages into an overall framework which will hopefully be successful.
Another key reason for managing by stages is the number of people involved at the end of a stage. We can't simply say that as Part A is done now we should move to Part B. There are factors that need to be checked, decisions to be made and the overall decision of whether this is still viable.
Manage by exception.
Managing by exception mostly involves a great deal of delegation. It is not possible for one person to do everything all of the time, therefore we need to break things down into smaller segments and assign them to certain staff. To make this more effective we will also use a series of tolerances.
These are designed to keep the project running on time and to the correct standard, but equally, should they not be met they can be raised to the next level of management.
Focus on products.
Focusing on products is rather the heart of any good project. With this we put greater attention on the product itself, not the activities to create it, which means from the very start the focus is on a quality product.
Therefore, in each stage and each process we are looking at what makes a good product and are building our project around that. Were it to be the reverse we would create a highly-efficiently produced inferior product that doesn't meet our aims.
This can also solve disputes as when using this approach we will always have a near-perfect image in our mind of what the product will be. Thereby, should anyone question it- we will know the answers.
Tailor to suit the project environment.
Tailoring to suit the project environment is why PRINCE2 works as well as it does. The only way such a universal and generic process can work is to be focused, and in order to be focused it needs to be tailored to the expectations of the project.
It wouldn't work if we blanketed several "standard" options without realising the real options available to us, nor would it work if we just used the basic idea of PRINCE2 but none of the methodology.
In order for it to truly be a great project it has to be tailored to every aspect of the product and the organisation that creates it, without this, the project could succeed but to an inferior standard.
This was rather a long post today but covers one of the deepest aspects of PRINCE2. Next week we shall continue and eventually round up the topics to do with this form of project management- until then, thank you for reading!
All information presented here is © copyright Carkean Solutions Ltd., 2010 - Not to be used without our permission - The views expressed here are the views of an individual not the corporation
Tuesday, 24 August 2010
PRINCE2: Exploring the Project.
Continuing from yesterday we are beginning to explore the factors of a project and how project managers and PRINCE2 take these into account. In any project it can be said that there are six controllable variables and that these are universal (and pinnacle) to any project. These are: cost, timescales, quality, scope, risks and benefits. Each is explored more fully below.
Cost
Cost is always a concern for almost every corporate activity and projects are no exception. While we may start out with the best intentions and have an idea of how much we want to spend, where we want to spend it and so on- there's always the possibility of overspending. Which is where this is useful, we can use it to see just how the project is going and possibly identify ways to cut costs.
Having a good grip on finances at all times can also identify how viable the project is as if the projected returns are less than the initial costs we know it's a bad idea.
Timescale
The other permanent concern of almost every corporate activity is time. We always want to know when things will be done, what our projected window of opportunity is and so on. There's always a chance it could be done on time and more of a chance it will be done later than expected, though, often when things are done before time they've been rushed and are not complete.
Or the initial timescale was not analysed and simply decided for convenience or fitting into a particular sale season/festive event.
Quality
Quality is a concern for the end-user more than the organisation, as only the end-user will decide what level of quality they expect, but for the organisation they will need to meet some kind of production standards. In PRINCE2 terminology this is when a product is "fit for purpose and conforms to requirements."
Tied to timescale above and even cost, quality is the culmination of the time spent to create the product and the materials and processes used. Too little time or cost and cheaper processes materials may be used, lowering quality, and lowering the possibility that concern will pass the PRINCE2 test.
Scope
Scope is more complicated than the previous factors and is often decided not only by the organisation but by the suppliers and retailers. Most products will have complementary goods which are designed to work with them, or to add functionality, it is important to know what these are as well as to produce the project- but always keep in mind what you are producing.
In the case of an Mp3 player- is it up to you to design the player? The cables? The case? All of these need to be designed but without any idea of what you're making it can easily go from a 6-month to a 12-month project, not to mention become incredibly costly and frustrating.
Risk
Risk is an inherent part of corporate practice and many believe that with the greatest risk comes the greatest reward. However, how much risk are you taking on? There are many risks but some are worse than others from a production point of view. Looking again at an Mp3 player, will you risk not having a USB charge facility and only allow it to be charged via a plug? If so, how much of that decision is going to affect the rest of the project? The promotion, for instance, would have to sell an extra feature to the user in hopes that the lack of a USB charging facility can be overlooked.
Benefits
Benefits is one of the most interesting factors as most of the time people don't ask, "Why am I doing this?"
And it's a good point from the point of view of an organisation, with limited resources (financial and otherwise) what makes this project a good idea and what will you get out of it? Equally, there is the other side of the coin that even if you produce a brilliant product- what good is it if you can't use it or sell it because of a singular factor?
Keeping in mind why each project is important and what benefits it will bring is important not only for the viability of projects but the expected return.
This is a lot of information for today, so we shall leave it there for today and move onto structuring projects and the principles of a project in the next post.
Until then- thank you for reading!
All information presented here is © copyright Carkean Solutions Ltd., 2010 - Not to be used without our permission - The views expressed here are the views of an individual not the corporation
Cost
Cost is always a concern for almost every corporate activity and projects are no exception. While we may start out with the best intentions and have an idea of how much we want to spend, where we want to spend it and so on- there's always the possibility of overspending. Which is where this is useful, we can use it to see just how the project is going and possibly identify ways to cut costs.
Having a good grip on finances at all times can also identify how viable the project is as if the projected returns are less than the initial costs we know it's a bad idea.
Timescale
The other permanent concern of almost every corporate activity is time. We always want to know when things will be done, what our projected window of opportunity is and so on. There's always a chance it could be done on time and more of a chance it will be done later than expected, though, often when things are done before time they've been rushed and are not complete.
Or the initial timescale was not analysed and simply decided for convenience or fitting into a particular sale season/festive event.
Quality
Quality is a concern for the end-user more than the organisation, as only the end-user will decide what level of quality they expect, but for the organisation they will need to meet some kind of production standards. In PRINCE2 terminology this is when a product is "fit for purpose and conforms to requirements."
Tied to timescale above and even cost, quality is the culmination of the time spent to create the product and the materials and processes used. Too little time or cost and cheaper processes materials may be used, lowering quality, and lowering the possibility that concern will pass the PRINCE2 test.
Scope
Scope is more complicated than the previous factors and is often decided not only by the organisation but by the suppliers and retailers. Most products will have complementary goods which are designed to work with them, or to add functionality, it is important to know what these are as well as to produce the project- but always keep in mind what you are producing.
In the case of an Mp3 player- is it up to you to design the player? The cables? The case? All of these need to be designed but without any idea of what you're making it can easily go from a 6-month to a 12-month project, not to mention become incredibly costly and frustrating.
Risk
Risk is an inherent part of corporate practice and many believe that with the greatest risk comes the greatest reward. However, how much risk are you taking on? There are many risks but some are worse than others from a production point of view. Looking again at an Mp3 player, will you risk not having a USB charge facility and only allow it to be charged via a plug? If so, how much of that decision is going to affect the rest of the project? The promotion, for instance, would have to sell an extra feature to the user in hopes that the lack of a USB charging facility can be overlooked.
Benefits
Benefits is one of the most interesting factors as most of the time people don't ask, "Why am I doing this?"
And it's a good point from the point of view of an organisation, with limited resources (financial and otherwise) what makes this project a good idea and what will you get out of it? Equally, there is the other side of the coin that even if you produce a brilliant product- what good is it if you can't use it or sell it because of a singular factor?
Keeping in mind why each project is important and what benefits it will bring is important not only for the viability of projects but the expected return.
This is a lot of information for today, so we shall leave it there for today and move onto structuring projects and the principles of a project in the next post.
Until then- thank you for reading!
All information presented here is © copyright Carkean Solutions Ltd., 2010 - Not to be used without our permission - The views expressed here are the views of an individual not the corporation
Monday, 23 August 2010
PRINCE2: Introduction to project management.
It is widely accepted that PRINCE2 is the best generic project management theory available, this is because it allows the manager flexibility and versatility where they need it most. Instead of some project management theories which try to pigeon hole projects, staff and resources- PRINCE2 is truly generic and can suit any project, organisation or idea.
Why is project management important?
Efficiency is the only way to ensure consistent profitability, or, more simply, in order to make the most of the resources and staff available they need management. If resources are wasted or initial risks or considerations are not taken into account then the project could be a failure.
And a costly failure, at that.
Project managers are employed for just this reason- to manage the project. However, corporate structure denotes that sometimes there's less transparency than there should be. Anyone involved with the project will have different ideas about what is most important, what should be completed first, what should be considered and when the end product should be delivered.
Without a method it becomes an incredibly difficult task as there is no way to assure that certain aims or considerations have been met. Nor will there be an indication of when (or if) it will be done.
Is PRINCE2 as flexible as you say it is?
Widely accepted as one of the most useful project management methods available, it isolates the individual and specialist considerations for a project and focuses on the heart of the project. For instance, it can be used as easily for an organisation in construction as it could be for one in medicine.
The smaller, specialist aspects are not as important to PRINCE2 as they can be easily intergrated.
What is important is narrowing down the particular aspects to create universal transparency for managers, staff and anyone else involved in the process. Not to mention creating a strong framework which allows the organisation to continue to function, yet equally develop.
Any organisation that simply stops functioning at the start of the project management process will face two problems: lack of resources and the inability to change, as change should be controlled not done in real time.
What exactly is controlled change?
While innovation and staying one step ahead is always a good organisation practice, sometimes this eagerness can be equally harmful. When a new project or system is introduced it is important that it works and any errors are only minor.
Introducing this change in real time will be harmful as any errors (or complete failures) will be costly, frustrating and will require a period of further development.
Simply put, should you spend more time introducing a new project in a controlled environment and routing out any errors or complications- it will save time, money and resources in the long run. Therefore it's best to see if it works and if it doesn't, well, no harm done as no-one has seen it yet. It's still "in development."
It can be equally cost-effective as you can save repeated implementation costs.
What are the derived benefits?
If you use a singular generic project management method it can provide many benefits, such as:
This is all for the first part of our series of posts on PRINCE2 and project management theory.
Be sure to check back soon for the next part in which we will explore some of the more specialised qualities of this exciting project management method.
All information presented here is © copyright Carkean Solutions Ltd., 2010 - Not to be used without our permission - The views expressed here are the views of an individual not the corporation
Why is project management important?
Efficiency is the only way to ensure consistent profitability, or, more simply, in order to make the most of the resources and staff available they need management. If resources are wasted or initial risks or considerations are not taken into account then the project could be a failure.
And a costly failure, at that.
Project managers are employed for just this reason- to manage the project. However, corporate structure denotes that sometimes there's less transparency than there should be. Anyone involved with the project will have different ideas about what is most important, what should be completed first, what should be considered and when the end product should be delivered.
Without a method it becomes an incredibly difficult task as there is no way to assure that certain aims or considerations have been met. Nor will there be an indication of when (or if) it will be done.
Is PRINCE2 as flexible as you say it is?
Widely accepted as one of the most useful project management methods available, it isolates the individual and specialist considerations for a project and focuses on the heart of the project. For instance, it can be used as easily for an organisation in construction as it could be for one in medicine.
The smaller, specialist aspects are not as important to PRINCE2 as they can be easily intergrated.
What is important is narrowing down the particular aspects to create universal transparency for managers, staff and anyone else involved in the process. Not to mention creating a strong framework which allows the organisation to continue to function, yet equally develop.
Any organisation that simply stops functioning at the start of the project management process will face two problems: lack of resources and the inability to change, as change should be controlled not done in real time.
What exactly is controlled change?
While innovation and staying one step ahead is always a good organisation practice, sometimes this eagerness can be equally harmful. When a new project or system is introduced it is important that it works and any errors are only minor.
Introducing this change in real time will be harmful as any errors (or complete failures) will be costly, frustrating and will require a period of further development.
Simply put, should you spend more time introducing a new project in a controlled environment and routing out any errors or complications- it will save time, money and resources in the long run. Therefore it's best to see if it works and if it doesn't, well, no harm done as no-one has seen it yet. It's still "in development."
It can be equally cost-effective as you can save repeated implementation costs.
What are the derived benefits?
If you use a singular generic project management method it can provide many benefits, such as:
- a repeatable and understandable approach
- an approach that can be taught easily
- a proactive outlook which identifies problems and other factors quickly
- an approach built on collected knowledge and previous experience
- understanding who is in charge of what, where and why this is
This is all for the first part of our series of posts on PRINCE2 and project management theory.
Be sure to check back soon for the next part in which we will explore some of the more specialised qualities of this exciting project management method.
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