1. Summary of PRINCE2 Research
Effective and efficient project management is crucial in every organization, despite the type of the business and the size of the organization. It is very important for a project manager to closely manage and monitor the project right from its inception to successful delivery of project with the help of team collaboration.
Managing and tracking the progress of a project is not an easy task as it seems. For any successful project delivery the project manager and team members must be very clear about all the project goals, specifications and deadlines that need to be met in specified time in order to be cost-effective and to ensure that quality is maintained so that the customer is completely satisfied.
Effective project management cannot be achieved without leveraging some of the industry best practices and methodologies. One such framework that we are going to analyze is the PRINCE2.
PRINCE2 (an acronym for PRojects IN Controlled Environments) is a de facto process-based method for effective project management. Used extensively by the UK Government, PRINCE2 is also widely recognised and used in the private sector, both in the UK and internationally. The PRINCE2 method is in the public domain, and offers non-proprietorial best practice guidance on project management.
Key features of PRINCE2:
• Focus on business justification
• Defined organisation structure for the project management team
• Product-based planning approach
• Emphasis on dividing
The paper is divided into three sections, the first of which will establish a timeline of events. This project background will serve as a case study for the analysis in the following section that will be structured such that each of the previously mentioned facets will be independently analyzed and contrasted with project management principles. Finally the paper will conclude with a summary of the analysis and recommendations based on
With the exceptional growth in technology, the present day projects are often large and complex involving a significant risk. So, a Project Management Methodology enables the delivery organization to handle these projects comprehensively, systematically and in an integrated manner, which results in strategic, tactical and operational benefits.
A project manager must be a skillful planner and can inspire his or her team to produce as needed. Per LaBrosse (2007), project management can be used throughout the organization to boost personal and collaborative productivity by building a standardized system that embeds best practices into the way projects are managed” (p.26).
In the current business environment, the demand for project managers is ever growing. In short, project management is a provisional project constrained by time, cost and scope (A guide to the project management body of knowledge, 2013). Between the immense organization, optimization, and communication assets skilled project management brings to a project, it is easy to see why project management is a booming field of study. Furthermore, project management can be both financially and personally rewarding when long term milestones and goals come to fruition.
Gray, C. F. & Larson, E. W. (2008). _Project Management: The Managerial Process_. Boston, MA: McGraw-Hills Companies, Inc.
Successfully managing a project is synonymous with managing people, which takes management and leadership skills. Project managers will only be as successful as the people on the team and the relationship with the stakeholders. Accordingly, identifying key players and understanding the role and
Larson, E.W. and Gray, C.F. (2012, p. 214). Project Management: The Managerial Process, 5th Ed. McGraw-Hill Learning Solutions. Boston, MA.
In his book, Project Management for Dummies (John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2013) Stanley E. Portny helps others recognize the basics of successful project management. He provides the necessary information to plan and manage projects as well as providing important guidelines to develop and use the information. Project management includes dealing with a variety of people and tips are given to help identify and involve key players. This book navigates the critical tools needed to support project planning, scheduling, budgeting, organizing and controlling.
PRINCE2® (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.
PRINCE2 is an organized way to deal with project administration. It gives a strategy to overseeing projects inside of a plainly characterized system. PRINCE2 define methods to facilitate individuals and exercises in an project, how to outline and direct the task, and what to do if the project must be adjusted that it doesn't create as arranged. In the strategy every procedure is determined with its key inputs and outputs and with particular objectives and exercises to be completed.
Siegelaub (2006) has described the ‘controls’ component of PRINCE2 as an area targeted to assist decision making. He identifies that the implementation of project control measures ensures:
When implementing new ideas, plans or systems into any situation things are likely to get complicated. New proposals can be agreed upon without first checking whether they clash with other plans. It is the job of a Project manager to control and monitor the process so as things are completed (Hughes, 2004). Most if not all projects rely on the project triangle; Cost, time and Scope, to summarise this means monitoring a project at a specified cost, within a specified time to meet the businesses scope. If one area in the triangle changes there will be an impact to all areas. It is important that the project manager has the capabilities to monitor these changes and implement damage control where necessary. This essay discusses how being able to manage people in relation to time keeping, planning ahead and estimating time productively are all attributes that when combined monitored and
Project management is not only useful in the working environment, but it could also become great skills that can be used for all life projects that we do through out our life.
The following case studies have been implemented using the PRINCE2 methodology and demonstrate how a structured methodology for IT Project Management can facilitate successful project outcomes.
Project management is the application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to conform to customer demands.