How to ensure smooth project closure and handover

Project closure and handover is a pivotal stage in the PRINCE2® methodology, designed to ensure that the project outputs are accepted, the project is completed within scope, and resources are efficiently released. This phase not only wraps up the project in a controlled manner but also sets the foundation for the ongoing success of the delivered outputs.

As projects begin to wind down, it’s essential not to overlook the final stages, even if it seems like the result has been achieved or you’re already preparing for the next project. Project closure is a crucial and valuable stage that offers learnings, improvements, and reflections. These insights are not just for the next team but also for the current team, emphasising their role in the continuous improvement process that project handover can deliver.

Strategies for smooth project handover

Reviewing project objectives

Start by revisiting the objectives outlined at the project’s initiation stage. This involves ensuring that all goals have been met and that the final deliverables align with the initial project scope.

Verify deliverables

The project’s outputs should be compared against the product descriptions provided in the Project Initiation Documentation (PID). This step is critical to check that all expected deliverables are accounted for and meet the required standards. This can be a collaborative approach, such as during the handover meeting, which cross-references all of the deliverables against the standards when transferring these to the next team.

Assess project performance against targets

Evaluate the project’s performance relative to the initial targets set for timescales, budget, scope, quality, benefits, and risks. This assessment should reflect whether the project has adhered to the stipulations of the PID.

Capturing lessons learned

A thorough review session should be conducted to capture lessons learned, which is an integral component of the PRINCE2 methodology. This aims to identify what was successful and what could be improved, providing valuable insights for future projects.

Customer deliverable acceptance

It’s crucial to obtain formal acceptance of the project’s deliverables from the client or customer. This typically involves the client signing off on the completed work and confirming that it meets their requirements and expectations.

Collating feedback

Gathering feedback helps gauge client satisfaction and pinpoint areas for improvement. This feedback can guide future projects and enhance client relations.

Prepare handover documents

Create comprehensive handover documents encompassing all necessary instructions, warranties, and support details to effectively use the deliverables.

These documents may include:

• Project closure report
• Service transition plan
• Acceptance record
• Operation maintenance manuals
• Release notes
• Configuration records
• User guides
• Contact information for user support
• Archive and data retention policies

Training and support

Ensure that adequate training and support are provided to those who will manage or interact with the project’s outputs. This step is vital for a smooth transition and ongoing operation. This may include training from third-party service providers or going through user guides and manuals to manage the deliverables effectively.

Staff reassignment

Reassign project team members to other roles or projects, making sure they are well-prepared for their new assignments. Consider their new roles and responsibilities and confirm any ongoing support functions for the project after the handover.

Closing supplier contracts

Finalise all supplier contracts and ensure all obligations, including payments, have been fulfilled. It may be worthwhile reflecting on the working relationship of these contracts and keeping a record of this for future projects.

Document storage

Organise and store all project documentation in a secure yet accessible location, ensuring compliance with organisational standards and data protection laws.

Document archiving

Archive critical documents and files according to organisational policies, safeguarding important information for future reference.

Benefits realisation

Review the benefits outlined in the business case to ensure they align with what was delivered. Set up mechanisms to measure these benefits as they materialise over time.

Schedule sustainability reviews

Plan for future reviews to assess the long-term impact and success of the project deliverables, ensuring sustained benefit realisation.

Formal project closure

Prepare and distribute a project closure notification to inform all stakeholders that the project has officially been completed and closed

Celebrate success

It is important to recognise the project team’s effort and success. Celebrating can boost morale and positively influence team dynamics for future projects. Creating an end-of-project celebration can be a great final step, ensuring that all project closure and handover tasks are completed successfully. It is also a great chance to reflect on and recognise the hard work that went into the project.

10 questions to ask at a project handover

To ensure a smooth handover, these ten questions can help to ensure all bases are covered:

1. Have project objectives been achieved? If not, why not, and what’s the impact?
2. What are the outstanding issues that need managing, and how?
3. What are the SLAs for ongoing support and maintenance?
4. Who is responsible for the benefits review plan?
5. What training has been received and is still needed?
6. Are all documents available and accessible?
7. How must we ensure compliance with legal and regulatory laws?
8. Are there any warranty periods to be aware of?
9. Who is responsible for future changes and approvals?
10. What feedback has been received, and how can we use these insights?

A systematic approach for project handover

By adhering to these structured steps, project managers can ensure that the closure and handover phase of their project is executed smoothly, enhancing overall project success and client satisfaction. This systematic approach not only closes projects efficiently but also strengthens the foundations for future initiatives.

Source: prince2.com

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The advantages of PRINCE2 methodology in establishing clear roles and responsibilities

Are you tired of having unclear and ambiguous roles in your project team? Do you often find multiple team members working on the same tasks or debating who is responsible for a certain activity, leaving you to deal with conflicts and confusion?

Every successful project needs a well-defined structure and plan, and all roles and responsibilities of all those involved should be clearly outlined. Which is why this forms one of the main principles of the PRINCE2 methodology.

What impact does this have on a project team?

Ensuring every member has a well-defined role and is clear on their responsibilities will have a positive impact on the project team as a whole. It does this in multiple ways, such as:

◉ Increasing accountability –

It’s important for each individual to know what they are responsible for, so they can be held accountable for the work that is produced. With every team member performing at their best on each given task, the overall quality of all deliverables will improve

◉ Improving communication

– PRINCE2 encourages an open and transparent communication flow throughout a project. Clearly defining roles and responsibilities increases transparency, resulting in better communication and collaboration throughout the team

◉ Reducing conflicts and misunderstandings

– Conflict within a team can disrupt even the most well-planned project. When everyone understands their part, and the contribution they are making to the project, this leads to less misunderstandings within the team and ensures that any conflicts which do arise can be dealt with quickly and easily

◉ Avoiding duplication of work

– By establishing roles , everyone knows what they need to do and why. This ensures that no tasks are overlooked, and avoids the duplication of work by multiple members of the team. This also enables individuals to focus on their own tasks and helps everyone work towards the same overriding project goals and objectives.

What impact does this have on the project itself?

As is to be expected, making improvements to the efficiency of a project team will have an effect on the project itself. These positive outcomes often include:

◉ Delivering a higher quality output

– Creating a better sense of accountability in a team, and ensuring all members clearly understand their role, means that they can focus on delivering their best work, which naturally improves the quality of the overall output

◉ Enhanced risk management

– When every team member knows their role in a risk management scenario, they are more likely to act quickly if, and when, risks occur. If risks are dealt with and solved promptly, this minimises their impact on the project’s progress

◉ More predictable project outcomes

– If everyone knows what is expected of them, they are more likely to deliver their work on time, on budget and according to specification. This also results in greater level of predictability in everything from project timelines to budget requirements.

Source: prince2.com

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How to Choose a PRINCE2 Certification Online?

If you are looking for coveted project management training leading to certification, the PRINCE2 course online is the one for you. Online training is excellent for busy project managers willing to get PRINCE2 certification. Therefore, in this article, we’ll share the strategies to look for in an online PRINCE2 course.

What is PRINCE2 Certification and its Types?

PRINCE2 is an abbreviation that stands for PRojects IN Controlled Environments. It is a highly sought-after project management certification in many countries. PRINCE2 has defined the environment by providing specific conditions and a defined structure for project delivery. So, you will need PRINCE2 training to understand these concepts. The PRINCE2 certification gives you an advantage and better career opportunities than other project management professionals worldwide. In conclusion, there are two levels of certification – PRINCE2 Foundation and Practitioner.

PRINCE2 Foundation Certification

The PRINCE2 Foundation qualification is the initial stage of two required for becoming a registered PRINCE2 Practitioner. PRINCE2 Foundation is the fundamental level or an introductory course to the PRINCE2 framework. This certification teaches participants how to plan, manage, and deliver projects from start to finish. In addition, the PRINCE2 Foundation certification exam has no prerequisites.

After earning your PRINCE2 Foundation certification, you will have a thorough understanding of the following concepts:

◉ Why is project management necessary, and how does PRINCE2 address it?

◉ PRINCE2 processes, principles, and themes

◉ Gathering information for the Project Initiation Document

◉ Creating plans and reports at each level of the project team, among other things

So, enhance your Project Management skills, become PRINCE2 Foundation certified, and make the most of the high demand across industries.

PRINCE2 Practitioner Certification

In this AXELOS accredited PRINCE2 Practitioner certification training, you will master the PRINCE2 methodology, try taking your project management position to the next level, and broaden your career opportunities. Moreover, the course is intended to help you understand all theoretical and practical aspects of PRINCE2 and the best practices for managing successful projects of any size or scope. Above all, it is compatible with PRINCE2, 6th edition updates.

To sit for the PRINCE2 Practitioner exam, you must have passed any of the following exams:

◉ PRINCE2 Foundation 

◉ Project Management Professional (PMP)

◉ Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) 

◉ IPMA Level A® (Certified Projects Director)

◉ IPMA Level B® (Certified Senior Project Manager)

◉ IPMA Level C® (Certified Project Manager)

◉ IPMA Level D® (Certified Project Management Associate)

After earning your PRINCE2 Practitioner certification, you will have a thorough understanding of the following concepts:

◉ Managing projects with the internationally recognized PRINCE2 methodology

◉ Delivering projects on time, within budget, with high quality, and with minimal risk

◉ The PRINCE2 guidelines describe seven principles, processes, and themes

◉ Managing project interdependencies and identifying new opportunities

How to Choose a PRINCE2 Course Online?

You’re searching for the perfect PRINCE2 course online. However, before enrolling in the online course, you should consider a few factors. So, to get rid of that, the following will assist you in determining what to look for in an online PRINCE2 course.

Mechanism of Delivery

The delivery mechanism is the first thing you must look at when selecting a PRINCE course online. Is the course taught live, or is it a recorded self-study option? Or a combination of the two? Although most of the material is pre-recorded sessions, some classes will provide you access to trainers via chat/email/live calls.

There is no ‘correct’ response. Instead, please choose what you believe will be most beneficial to you, whether it is the interaction and schedule of a live class or the ability to work on your own time. But, whatever method you choose, give it your all to fully grasp the concepts and pass the PRINCE2 exam on the first try.

Course Content

Course content is crucial in cracking the exam on the first attempt. As a result, the course content must include: completely consistent with the most recent edition of Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2 or the manual, brief lessons, quizzes, games, handouts, flashcards, and printable cheat sheets are among the supporting materials.

This is critical because studying is already difficult. In addition, make your life simpler by ensuring that your learning materials are high quality and designed to assist you in your studies.

Side note: See if the provider will give you free access to some course material. This will give you an idea of the content’s quality.

Zone of Time

Check the time zone before enrolling in the course. Online courses with recorded video will work for you whether you live in London or Bangalore, Manchester or Sydney, a city in the United States or elsewhere. However, if you intend to participate in a live online class, you must consider the time zone in which the sessions will take place. Otherwise, there is a risk that you’ll be staying up late or joining calls early, which might not be the right time for your energy levels.

There may be some advantages to taking a class outside your normal working hours. For example, if you can fit the training into your evenings or early mornings, you may be able to take less time off work. But, again, it’s your choice, but keep in mind that doing an online PRINCE2 course, whether live or self-study, is exhausting.

Company Background and Credibility

If you are confident about taking the PRINCE2 training from the particular firm, please research that and don’t regret yourself after taking the training without doing the proper research. For example, is the company someone who just set up an Udemy account and posted a video training yesterday? Or have they got credibility as a PRINCE2 trainer?

Also, check how long the company has been around. It would be helpful if you had confidence that the training provider is going to be around to support you and that they have enough expertise to give you a quality training experience.

Accreditation

The official PRINCE2 accreditation body is AXELOS. As a result, look for AXELOS-accredited courses.

Look for the Pupils Reviews

It’s critical to read student reviews and determine whether users generated them, paid for them, or are genuine students. Some companies fake their reviews to attract individuals to take the courses from their institution. So, spend some time looking for reviews. If you can’t find them, ask the provider. Moreover, get a sense of the student who takes the course and the student outcomes.

Simulator for Exams

Using an exam simulator to practice sample questions and mock exams is one of the best ways to prepare for the exam. Because PRINCE2 is a pair of certifications, you’ll need a simulator for the Foundation certification and another for the Practitioner certification. Furthermore, the format of the questions in the test is quite different, so it is worthwhile to take mock exams for both.

Guarantee of Success

Look for a class that guarantees a pass. The guarantee is subject to the usual caveats. For example, you cannot expect the provider to pay for your next exam if you did not bother to study the first time properly or if you studied a year ago and have forgotten everything. Before purchasing the course, read the fine print and ensure you can accept the pass guarantee criteria.

Certification Cost

Let’s be honest: many people are concerned about the cost. And it ought to be. So consider the cost and what you get for the certification. Most of the institution’s certification exam and training costs will be distinct. Moreover, in other institutions, the exam voucher (which is required to book the exam) and a simulator will be included in a package.

Advantages of Taking PRINCE2 Online Training

In this section, we will look at the advantages of online PRINCE2 training and how it can help you achieve your PRINCE2 credentials, both Foundation and Practitioner. Following are some of the advantages:

1. The training will prepare you to understand the PRINCE2 certification requirements and determine your eligibility to prepare for and maintain your certifications.

2. A good training course will ensure that you always use the most recent version of the PRINCE2 manual. As a result, you will be in line with the requirements of the current exam syllabus.

3. A thorough training course will provide you with ample practice through practice and mock tests. Another advantage of online training is the flexibility it provides. It is also self-paced and can be accessed at any time.

4. The PRINCE2 exam, as you can see, employs scenario-based and concept-type questions. As a result, the training you select should include real-world project scenarios, examples, and case studies. Above all, these are useful for learning how to apply concepts to a given situation.

5. What resources does your training provider offer? Make sure you also get practice tools like mock tests and case studies.

6. The benefit of taking a PRINCE2 course is that you can watch the videos whenever you want, making revision easy. Furthermore, you can share your questions in the online forum with other participants to get more feedback.

7. When you choose online training, you avoid all travel hassles and save time. Look for a training provider who offers both Foundation and Practitioner courses at a discounted rate. This combo training will be doubly beneficial because you will earn your Foundation credential while also meeting the requirements for PRINCE2 Practitioner level certification.

Source: invensislearning.com

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Meeting an impossible project deadline: The sequel

It’s a topic that comes up time and time again, how do you meet an impossible project deadline? We’ve written about completing projects on time before, but we think we may have missed a trick or two, so read on for more actionable solutions for meeting seemingly impossible project deadlines…

Why we should avoid overruns

Tight deadlines are no new thing in the project profession. The majority of projects come in either late, over budget, or both! Late project delivery is destined to be costly in one form or another. Either in terms of resources or staff costs, or in terms of reputation. Project overruns never sit well with a client, as they likely rely upon a completion date for a launch, or for fitting with other business plans.

So, when given an impossible end date, should we just admit defeat and accept the fact that this date will not be met, unless we go over budget to make it happen? Or are there things that we can do as project managers to control and correct this situation?

Question, question, question

There is always a reason for a deadline being impossible to meet. What’s yours? This isn’t about playing the blame game, but about asking why things have taken longer than they should have. Only by questioning what has caused the hold-up can you shoot to resolve the situation.

Perhaps it was poor planning at the initiation stage and it’s a matter of renegotiating? Or maybe there have been delays due to supplies or clients dragging their heels – can your staff get ahead on other tasks whilst waiting in order to not halt productivity further? Has there been scope creep, or are staff overstretched? Do you need to make cuts to scope or onboard more team members? Whatever the issue, identifying it is the first step to solving it.

Go over budget

It’s not just inexperience which leads project managers to promise the moon on a stick to a client! Many of us are guilty of it. Whether to gain much needed business when work is drying up, or in order to win a big client. The completion date can be a deal breaker for many projects. But committing to a tighter deadline than you can realistically achieve is a big problem! It is only going to result in you letting the client down, your reputation being tarnished, and your employees feeling demotivated.

Throwing money at the problem is not usually great business sense, but in the instance of an impossible deadline it can work. If extra budget could speed things along, then it could be the remedy. Go back to your client and have an honest conversation about the situation to see if they can bring any more to the table. Alternatively, absorb the costs yourself. Making the call to sacrifice profit in the short term can be beneficial in the long term if it saves face or lands you future work with that client.

Get creative

When your back is against the wall, it’s time to get creative! Think along the lines of setting milestones earlier than they really are. This will reduce procrastination and give you a contingency so that it is not the end of the world if the tasks overrun. Likewise, reassess your planning and scheduling. Are there tasks that can be completed simultaneously? Can any unnecessary meetings be cancelled, or the number of attendees reduced?

Lead by example, and up your own efficiency. Check emails less frequently, use time management tools, and generally work smarter, not harder. And encourage your teams to follow your lead. Outside of the box thinking can be a lifesaver for inconceivable project due dates.

Make sure it doesn’t happen again

Even with top time management experience and all the best efforts, some deadlines are just unachievable. The best thing you can do in these situations is to be honest and upfront with the client, the team, and any stakeholders.

As well as this, be sure that you learn from it! Establish where the errors have been and be sure not to repeat mistakes in the future. You will have gained a far better understanding of time management, managing resources and risks. You may have also established that there are gaps in yours or your teams’ skills on knowledge. Consider filling these gaps with training courses and skill sharing.

Source: prince2.com

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PMP Vs PRINCE2 : Which One is Best in 2021?

You become responsible when you grow in your career. Especially when it comes to managing projects you need to have both technical and interpersonal skills. Many certification programs will help you learn about management. But you need to choose the right one and in this blog, we will explain to you about two such famous courses which are trending in business now. We will list the difference between both for you to quickly choose the one based on your project's needs and personality. We have explained you about what are they and how to get it done. 

More Info: PRINCE2 Foundation

What is Prince2?

Prince2 started from the previous efforts of managing their projects by the UK government. Its earlier version was called PROMPT II which is the acronym from Project Resource Organization Management Planning Techniques. Prince2 was developed in the year 1989. Prince2 is an acronym from Projects In Control Environment2. Now it is the major framework adopted by every small, medium, and large company for handling projects. It can be applied to all the projects and in any industry. The 7 principles, processes, and themes go hand in hand to be adopted by the organization. They make the entire management process easy, simple and eventually brings in the accomplishment of the projects. 

Why Prince2

It is just not a methodology but more than that and you can consider that as an instruction manual. The process is easy to apply and get certified. It provides you with knowledge, recognition, and better growth prospects. It is recognized globally and you can find a job across the globe in any industry. 

How to get prince 2 certification 

◉ Basic knowledge in projects and managing them is the requirement to apply for the foundation level but need to have other certification for the practitioner level. Click on the link to know more.  

◉ Once you qualify you to need to attend training and get the exam voucher to apply for the examination 

◉ Foundation - 60 objective type questions and take 1 hour to complete to score above 33 to pass

◉ Practitioner – 68 questions open book and you can complete in 2 hrs 30 minutes. Score about 38 to pass 

What is PMP

Project Management Institute (PMI) offers project management professional certified. This course offers detail about how to start as a project manager and move up the ladder. It covers the entire framework, processes, integration, scope, cost, quality, resources, and communications management. 

More Info: PMI Project Management Professional (PMP)

Why PMP

It will provide you with experience to travel as a PM. Offers better job prospects and makes you a versatile project manager. You can learn the art of management from scratch. Know the top 10 reasons to get PMP.

How to get PMP certification 

1. 4 years degree or equivalent education, 4500 hours project experience OR secondary degree with 7500 hours project experience 

2. 35 hours of mandatory training 

3. Apply for the exam after paying the fees and appear for the online exam 

4. There will be 200 questions which must be completed in 4 hours. 

5. If you score above 70% you pass the exam and qualify for a certification 

Prince2 Certification Vs PMP

Criteria	PMP	Prince2
Accrediting Body	PMI, USA	AXELOS, UK
Methodology	Based on all the project management aspects	Based on the practical nature of 7 principles of Project Management
Training Organization	Registered Education Providers (REP)	Authorized Training Organization (ATO)
Driven by	Driven by customer requirements	Driven by Business Case of the project
Certified Trainers	Not required	Required
Approach	Project management based on the knowledge-based approach	The process-based approach that is 7 key processes that specify who, when, how and where
Entry Level	Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) 23 contact hours of training and 1500 hours of project management experience	Prince2 Foundation, Eligibility: All are eligible
Core Area	To manage the project prescribes a wider range of techniques and describes core practices	The 7 project management processes need to be done and to take into account when and how it must be done, what must be done and by whom in the life of the project
Expert Level	Project management professional (PMP) 35 hours of contact training and 4500 to 7500 hours of project management experience	Prince2 Practitioner Eligibility - Project Management experience recommended
Pre-requisite	PMI Application Approval	Prince2 foundation certified or one of the following certification. • Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) • IPMA Level A® (Certified Projects Director) • IPMA Level B® (Certified Senior Project Manager) • IPMA Level C® (Certified Project Manager) • IPMA Level D® (Certified Project Management Associate). • Project Management Professional (PMP) • Project Management Qualification (PMQ) • Project Professional Qualification (PPQ)
Pre-requisite	Non-Prescriptive, Best practices	Need to be tailored for the project, Prescriptive
Open Book Exam	No	Yes the Prince2 practitioner is an open book
Entry-level Exam Format	Entry-level Exam Format	CAPM Exam Format
Expert Level Exam Format	CAPM Exam Format Multiple Choice questions, 150 questions which include 15 pretest questions, passing marks are 70% (Minimum correct answers 105) and duration is 3 hours and is closed book exam	Prince2 Foundation Multiple choice questions, 60 questions, passing marks 33 minimum questions to be answered correctly, that is equal to 55%. Duration is 1 hour and closed book
Certificate Validity	CAPM is valid for 5 years and after that need to retake the exam. PMP is valid for 3 years and needs to maintain 60 professional developmental units for renewing the certification	Prince2 Foundation Multiple choice questions, 60 questions, passing marks 33 minimum questions to be answered correctly, that is equal to 55%. Duration is 1 hour and closed book
Cost of the Exam and training	CAPM exam fee is 225 USD for members and 300 USD for Non-members.	There 2 additional attempts. The re-examination fee is 150 USD for members and $200 for non-members. you need to additionally pay for the study materials
Syllabus for entry-level	CAPM Project Communications Management Project Cost Management Project Human Resource Management Project Integration Management Project Procurement Management Project Quality Management Project Risk Management Project Scope Management Project Stakeholder Management Project Time Management	Prince2 Foundation Understand key concepts relating projects and Prince2 Understand how the prince2 principles underpin the prince2 method Understand the prince themes and how they are applied throughout the project Understand the Prince2 processes and how they are carried out throughout the project
Syllabus for expert level	PMP People - 42% Process - 50% Business Environment - 8% Read the brochure of the exam syllabus for more information	Prince2 Practitioner Apply the prince2 principles in the context Apply and tailor relevant aspects of PRINCE2 themes in the context Apply and tailor relevant aspects of Prince2 processes in the context

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Top 20 Prince2 Interview Questions For 2021

Making your way towards the Project Management field is not easy. You need to have specific skills, you need to have knowledge about essential tools, you need to acquire specific soft skills to carry out the entire process. And we don’t need to mention it, having a skill like Prince2 in your resume is always a cherry on the top!

But, as the project management field is ever-evolving, the gateway to enter this field too is being more and more guarded by passing days. This means you are more likely to face new challenges at the interview table once you appear for one.

As you know, with the proper tactics and particular practices it is easy to cross any hurdle, and so is the project management interviews. Since interviewers nowadays take a keen interest in Prince2 methodologies in order to craft the interview questions, we fetched out the top 20 Prince2 interview questions just for you. Have a look!

Top 20 questions to crack the PRINCE2 Interview

1. What is Prince2?

Ans. PRINCE2 (PRojects IN Controlled Environments) is a structured project management method and practitioner certification program. PRINCE2 emphasizes dividing projects into manageable and controllable stages.

2. Give a proper definition of a project.

Ans. Any undertaking carried out individually or collaboratively and possibly involving research or design, that is carefully planned (usually by a project team) to achieve a particular aim is called a project.

3. What are the key features of prince 2?

Ans. The key features of Prince2 are:

◉ It is well organized

◉ You can apply it to any project

◉ It is based on management by exception

◉ It has some extraordinary diagnostic tools to offer

◉ It is consistent and reusable.

4. What are the 7 processes of Prince2?

Ans. The 7 processes of Prince2 are as follows:

◉ Starting Up A Project, in which the project team is appointed including an executive and a project manager, and a project brief is produced

◉ Initiating A Project, in which the business case refined and Project Initiation Documentation assembled

◉ Directing A Project, which dictates the ways in which the Project Board oversees the project

◉ Controlling A Stage, which dictates how each individual stage should be controlled, including the way in which work packages are authorized and distributed

◉ Managing Product Delivery, which has the purpose of controlling the link between the Project Manager and the Team Manager(s) by placing formal requirements on accepting, executing and delivering project work.

◉ Managing Stage Boundaries, which dictates how to transition from one stage to the next

◉ Closing A Project, which covers the formal decommissioning of the project, follow-on actions, and evaluation of the benefits.

5. What are the 7 themes of Prince2?

Ans. The 7 themes of Prince2 are:

◉ Business Case

◉ Organization

◉ Quality

◉ Plans

◉ Risk

◉ Change

◉ Progress

6. What will be the essential steps if you want to direct a project?

Ans: Directing a project involves the following steps:

◉ Supporting a project

◉ Accepting the results 

◉ Providing approval from the management

7. Define ‘Plan’ in PRINCE2® methodology.

Ans. A plan is basically a timeline that provides us with a vision of how the objectives can be achieved and point out the main products, activities, and resources that are required for the scope of the plan.

8. What are the 7 principles of Prince2?

Ans. The 7 principles of Prince2 are:

◉ Continued Business Justification: The business case is the most important document, and is updated at every stage of the project to ensure that the project is still viable. Early termination can occur if this ceases to be the case.

◉ Learn From Experience: Each project maintains a lesson log and projects should continually refer to their own and to previous and concurrent projects' lesson logs to avoid reinventing wheels. Unless lessons provoke change, they are only lessons identified (not learned).

◉ Defined Roles and Responsibilities: Roles are separated from individuals, who may take on multiple roles or share a role. Roles in PRINCE2 are structured in four levels (corporate or program management, project board, project manager level, and team level). Project Management Team contains the last three, where all primary stakeholders (business, user, supplier) need to be presented.

◉ Manage by Stages: the project is planned and controlled on a stage by stage basis. Moving between stages includes updating the business case, risks, overall plan, and detailed next-stage plan in the light of new evidence.

◉ Manage by Exception: A PRINCE2 project has defined tolerances (6 aspects above) for each project objective, to establish limits of delegated authority. If a management level forecasts that these tolerances are exceeded (e.g. time of a management stage will be longer than the estimated time in the current management stage). it is escalated to the next management level for a decision about how to proceed.

◉ Focus on Products: A PRINCE2 project focuses on the definition and delivery of the products, in particular their quality requirements.

◉ Tailor to Suit Project Environment: PRINCE2 is tailored to suit the project environment, size, complexity, importance, time capability, and risk. Tailoring is the first activity in the process of Initiating A Project and reviewed for each stage.

9. What are the steps that are involved in planning?

Ans. Steps involved in the planning are:

◉ Directing a project(DP)

◉ Starting up a project(SU)

◉ Initiating a Project(IP)

◉ Controlling a Stage(CS)

◉ Managing a project delivery(MP)

◉ Managing a Stage Boundary(SB)

◉ Closing a Project(CP)

10. What is the risk register?

Ans. A risk register is a table that contains the list of risks that can threaten the goals of the project.

11. Who are the primary stakeholders of a Prince2 project?

Ans. There are 3 primary stakeholders of a Prince2 project:

◉ Users 

◉ Suppliers

◉ Business sponsors

12. What are the different levels of plans?

Ans. The different levels of plans are as follows:

◉ Project Plan

◉ Stage Plan

◉ Team Plan

◉ Exception Plan

13. Which role is responsible for producing a Product Status Account?

Ans. Project Support responsible for producing a Product Status Account

14. Which role is responsible for drafting the outline Business Case?

Ans. The executive is responsible for drafting the outline Business Case.

15. Which role assures the stage and project progress against agreed tolerances?

Ans. Project Assurance confirms stage and project progress against agreed tolerances.

16. What are the two types of progress controls provided by PRINCE2?

Ans. Prince2 provides time-driven and event-driven progress control.

17. Which process can be carried out without following the Closing a Project(CP)?

Ans. Managing the Product Delivery process can be carried out easily without following the PRINCE2® methodology.

18. State the objectives of closing a project process by following Prince2 methodology.

Ans. Objectives of closing a project process with the help of Prince2 methodology are:

◉ Verifying the user’s approval of the project deliverables

◉ Ensuring the products support after the product delivery and project closure

◉ Reviewing the project performance of the project by comparing the actual project with the baselined documents

◉ Assessing the benefits already acquired and then planning the review of benefits which will be acquired once the project is finished

◉ Addressing the open issues and risks in the project and then performing a follow-up action based on the recommendations.

19. Name a process that triggers the request to deliver a project.

Ans. Initiating a Project process triggers the request to deliver a project.

20. Which document contains the planned and actual dates for product approval and hand-over?

Ans. Product Checklist document contains the planned and actual dates for product approval and hand-over.

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PRINCE2® vs Agile or PRINCE2 Agile®?

There's a lot of confusion between PRINCE2 and agile methods, and indeed debate (PRINCE2 vs Agile) about which should be used on projects. In fact, both can and are being used increasingly on projects – often together.

In 2015, AXELOS, the owners of PRINCE2 launched PRINCE2 Agile. PRINCE2 Agile is an attempt to get the best of both worlds – the structure and governance of PRINCE2, combined with the flexibility of agile.

This article compares PRINCE2 and agile methods and approaches and explains how PRINCE2 Agile can bridge the gap between the two.

PRINCE2 vs agile

PRINCE2

PRINCE2 is the world's most widely used project management methodology. PRINCE2 qualifications are a standard feature of project management job specifications in the UK and have grown in popularity since PRINCE2 was launched in 1996.

Currently, over 150,000 PRINCE2 exams are sat somewhere in the world every year.

Agile

‘Agile’ is an umbrella term used to refer to numerous product development methods, frameworks and techniques used by development teams.

Agile approaches emerged from the software industry in the 1990’s, to try to overcome many of the problems which had beset traditional software projects, namely: late delivery, over budget, and low quality.

There are many different agile approaches, the most famous being Scrum, Kanban, Extreme Programming, and Lean. All agile approaches are based upon the 12 agile principles.

Who is PRINCE2 for?

PRINCE2 is a customer-focused project management methodology. It offers a set of principles, themes and processes to enable an organisation’s key managers to justify a project. It helps them understand “why should we do it (the project)?” and “are the benefits worth the costs and risks of doing the project?”. It also focuses on how to manage a project effectively to ensure it remains a worthwhile investment in a changing business environment.

PRINCE2 was developed by the UK government in 1996 as a generic project management methodology.

Focus of PRINCE2

Principles

PRINCE2 is based upon a set of 7 principles which guide all aspects of the methodology.

Since it is a project management methodology, it describes the roles and responsibilities of all members of the project management team. This includes higher levels such as the project board, as well as the project manager and team manager roles.

Themes

It also covers a wide range of key project management themes – business case, organization, change, risk, planning, quality and progress. Success on a PRINCE2 project is measured by how well it enables the benefits to be realized by the customer organization.

Processes

PRINCE2 also includes a full project management lifecycle which explains which role is responsible for taking key decisions at crucial times during a project.

PRINCE2 recognizes that on projects there are all kinds of products (outputs) which are produced by teams of people with various specialist skills. These teams have myriad ways of working and PRINCE2 does not attempt to guide how they should work.

Instead, PRINCE2 simply defines the interface between the project and these teams in terms of reporting, accountability and the work to be done.

Who is agile for?

History of agile

Agile approaches were developed by engineers in the software industry in the 1990s when trying to address problems with software projects being consistently late, over-budget or delivering low quality software.

Agile approaches are now increasingly being used in industries besides the software industry.

Focus of agile

Agile approaches don’t concern themselves with the wider questions about whether a project is worth it, or whether the benefits can be realized afterwards. They do focus however on delivering value to the customer by delivering products incrementally, in the most efficient manner possible.

These products are likely to do what the user/customer needs because the customers have been involved in a constant cycle of defining and prioritizing requirements, developing, testing and providing feedback.

Delivery of working products

Agile methods are aimed at the teams doing the work - whether part of a project or not. They focus on questions for the team such as ‘what needs to be delivered next week?’, and ‘is the working software what the customer needs?’

Collaboration

One of the agile principles is that people on teams must work together collaboratively with the customer. This is done by defining and prioritizing requirements, developing, testing and providing feedback in a continuous and repetitive cycle of iterations. Often, the customer will be co-located with the development team.

Self-organisation

Self-organisation by teams is also one of the agile principles. Agile teams determine their own tools and techniques to use (e.g. task backlogs, burn-down charts, Kanban boards), rather than these being mandated by a project manager.

Comparing PRINCE2 and agile

Planning

One key difference between PRINCE2 and Agile methods is that PRINCE2 is often described as a predictive (plan-based) approach, while Agile calls for short-term, incremental achievements independent of an over-arching plan (the adaptive approach).

This means that, while PRINCE2 enables the customer to remain focused on the project’s original business goals, Agile approaches are very responsive to changes in the project environment and customer requirements.

Agile approaches operate on the assumption that the development process is (predictably) unpredictable. They encourage complete transparency, close collaboration and frequent delivery of usable sub-products that will eventually contribute to the final product delivered.

Levels of plan

PRINCE2 has the concept of ‘levels of plan’. This suggests that different plans are required by different levels of the project management team. There are 3 levels of plan in PRINCE2:

◉ Long-term – this is a high-level project plan which is required by the key decision-makers (the project board);

◉ Medium-term – this is a stage plan required by the project manager for every stage of the project;

◉ Short-term – this is a team plan required by each team manager (leader) to cover the work done by their team. This is a detailed plan.

Sprints and timeboxing

Agile approaches such as Scrum, take this concept even further by suggesting a detailed plan for each ‘sprint’. A Scrum sprint is based upon the key Agile concept of a ‘time-box’ - a fixed time period typically ranging from between 1-4 weeks.

Delivering working products

At the end of every Scrum sprint a delivery of working software is made to the customer. Delivering working software at the end of each sprint guarantees that the software will never be delivered late.

The customer receives ever increasing increments of working software until, at the end of the final sprint, they receive the fully built and tested system.

Time-boxes and team plans

The agile concept of time-boxes or iterations fits in neatly with PRINCE2’s concept of a team plan because there can be one or more time-boxes within a team plan.

PRINCE2 doesn’t prescribe how many time-boxes a team plan should contain because that’s a decision for the self-organizing Agile team members.

Responding to change

Cost of change

One criticism of more predictive project management approaches is that it is difficult and costly to manage changes. Changes are managed through formal change control processes, and decisions taken by a change authority.

In agile approaches, changes can be done quickly. This is because customer requirements (e.g. software features) are described by the customer in the form of tasks which are prioritised in a backlog.

Because planning is never done further in advance than the next iteration (1-4 weeks usually), tasks can be quickly re-assigned a different priority, new tasks added, or unnecessary tasks removed.

PRINCE2 doesn’t have to be waterfall

There is a perception (wrong in my view) that PRINCE2 struggles to adapt to changing business requirements.

This view is based upon the assumption that PRINCE2 is a project ‘waterfall’ approach. A waterfall approach is where requirements are documented and approved before moving to a design phase, followed by a build phase and finally a testing phase.

There is nothing in PRINCE2 which prescribes such a waterfall approach. In fact, the latest PRINCE2 manual (2017) assumes that on many projects, requirements emerge and evolve as the project continues.

PRINCE2 manages such changes to project scope using its change control approach. However, lower level changes, such as a feature requests can easily be managed at the team level using the prioritization techniques common in agile approaches.

Using both PRINCE2 and Agile

The best of both worlds

Whereas PRINCE2 focuses on understanding what products are required to support the business needs, agile focuses on completing those products in an efficient manner, incrementally delivering more working software (products) as the work progresses.

Utilizing agile approaches on PRINCE2 projects therefore can bring the best of both worlds – the structure and direction of PRINCE2, coupled with the flexibility and responsiveness of agile.

PRINCE2 isn’t concerned with how teams organize or the methods they use. It does however define a simple interface between the customer organisation which is paying for the project and the supplier organisation which provides the teams to do the specialist work.

Business focus and timely delivery

This therefore means that teams on a PRINCE2 project can use any development approach they choose – including any of the agile approaches. Providing they comply with the interface defined by PRINCE2, teams can utilize the benefits of agile (such as on-time delivery), whilst the customer maintains the benefits of PRINCE2’s focus on the business justification.

Quick comparision of PRINCE2 and agile

PRINCE2	Agile methods
Useful for the customer to justify a project	Useful for the supplier to deliver working software
Focuses on higher management levels	Focuses on lower-level teams
Answers questions such as “should we do the project?” and “are the benefits worth the costs and risk?”	Answers questions such as “what do we deliver next week?” “how will we know it (a product) is finished?”
More predictive approach	More adaptive approach

PRINCE2 Agile

In 2015, in recognition that many people were struggling to find a way of applying PRINCE2 on agile projects, AXELOS launched PRINCE2 Agile.

PRINCE2 Agile at its core is essentially the same as PRINCE2. They both rely upon the exact same principles, themes and processes. The only real difference is that the PRINCE2 Agile guidance explains in detail how to tailor these elements for agile projects.

Fix or flex?

In particular, PRINCE2 Agile explains what to ‘fix or flex’ for the 6 performance targets of PRINCE2 (time, cost, quality, scope, risks, benefits).

For PRINCE2 Agile, time and cost are fixed. These cannot change. However, in order to be able to deliver what the customer truly needs, scope and products’ quality criteria can be flexed.

What to flex has to be agreed with the customer. Typically, this is done using Agile prioritization techniques such as MoSCoW, coupled with sprint backlogs.

The other 2 performance targets (benefits and risk) may be either fixed or flexed depending upon the customer’s needs.

Source: knowledgetrain.co.uk

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Are You Still Confused Between CAPM and PRINCE2 Certifications?

Meaning of CAPM and PRINCE2 Certifications

What is the CAPM Certification?

CAPM, which stands for Certified Associate in Project Management, is an entry-level certification. If the professional needs to start a career in the field of project management, then CAPM is efficient. It is the basic course that enhances the credibility and effectiveness of the professionals. Getting certified with CAPM holds a broad color of project management techniques and allows professionals to work in any industry.

What is PRINCE2 Certification?

PRINCE2, which stands for Project in Controlled Environment, is a project management methodology. PRINCE2 certification training gives detailed and steps to step methods for delivering a successful project with processes, templates, and processes. The certification is not the only project concentrated, but the process adjusted as well.

How CAPM and PRINCE2 Certification Have Different Values in Project Management?

Experience in Project Management

The primary point of difference between CAPM and PRINCE2 Certification is the experience in the project management field. PRINCE2 Certification requires two levels, namely, PRINCE2 Foundation and PRINCE2 Practitioner Level. To get PRINCE2 Certification, it is essential to clear both levels. Though to qualify the Foundation exam, experience does not matter.

However, for qualifying the Practitioner level, it is essential to have some experience. Only those project managers can be available for the Practitioner Level, who has practical expertise in project management. That is why; project managers qualified with PRINCE2 Certification have considerable years of experience and thus more value.

CAPM and PRINCE2: The Standards Are Different

One of the downsides with project management as a profession is that we have not yet standardized the agreed on one set of best practices. Project management bodies across the globe have their take on it, and while none of them look radically different, they are all different enough to mean you require to learn their plan before taking their exams.

So, you could take CAPM and then match it up with the PRINCE2 Practitioner, but the standards are different, with different jargon, and you have to learn a whole separate set of methods for the Practitioner exam. Equivalently, you could do PRINCE2 Foundation and then go on to apply for PMP, but again the technology and processes are different enough for that to be a confusing route.

I do not think that it is worth trying to cover both posts in the early days of your career, especially if you do not yet have a job role with the project in the title pick one set or the other.

The APM Route

There is another popular and growing choice for project managers, and that is the APM suite of qualifications. The Introductory Certificate has no pre-requisites. The APMP reflects a candidate’s extent of knowledge across many competency areas and is an excellent impression on your ability to apply knowledge in a practical situation.

Study of the Job Market

One of the best ways to find out what recruiters are watching for is to talk to agencies. Make confident that you are spending time supporting your CV with the right things.

Look at what kind of experience employers are asking for so you can build your CV to consider what will make you employable. You will find many employers who would not care what credentials you have as long as you have one. Still, some employers and industries will give preference to candidates with particular qualifications.

CAPM and PRINCE2: The Certificate Decision

Lots of people end up with multiple certificates from multiple bodies over time, so do not think that you are making a decision now that will stop you from going for other credentials later in your career.

If you do opt for PRINCE2, then do the Practitioner as excellent if you can provide the extra two days and the cost. The first three days of the Practitioner and Foundation programs are identical. Everyone knows the Foundation exam on Day 3, and then the Foundation contestants go home.

Then the others do exam practice for a day and practice the Practitioner exam on Day 5. You do not learn anything new except exam techniques, and you do get an extra day of revision. It is worth doing the additional two days and venturing the Practitioner exam if you can.

Whatever path you choose, you have to make the decision based on what you feel employers in your sector will be watching for, what you can afford, and what experience you currently have. Getting a qualification is rarely the wrong choice, as any project management training will improve your confidence and reveal employers that you are severe about making this your career.

Career Prospects

The achievement of CAPM Certification will highlight the knowledge and dedication level of the employers to project management. The professionals get a fortune to learn project management skills and how to handle time with efforts through the CAPM course. However, getting a PRINCE2 Certification will add content to the resume of the professionals.

It aids in making the project managers an ideal candidate for the roles of project manager, senior supplier, project executive, and financier.

Moreover, by getting CAPM Certification, the professionals can proceed further for PMP Certification. It is because, with the CAPM course, it becomes easy to gain basic knowledge of project management and execution. However, CAPM is not highly recognized and reputed as associated with PRINCE2.

It becomes tougher to get into high management positions or get substantial business opportunities with the achievement of CAPM. But the case is not the same as PRINCE2.

Read: PRINCE2 or CAPM Which Certification Is Better?

With the achievement of PRINCE2, professionals can earn high popularity and better career opportunities across the globe.

Salary Prospects

There is no problem that PMP certified professionals earn more as compared with non-certified professionals. However, CAPM certified professionals do not make much like PMP certified professionals.

Having the CAPM Certification signifies that professionals have a basic understanding of project management. But it does not reflect that professionals have proper management and project control skills.

It enables the professionals to work on a project but is less good as compared with PRINCE2. Thus, the salary of professionals certified with CAPM is usually less as exposed to PRINCE2 accredited professionals.

In the US, the average annual salary of CAPM is $101,103. The salary of CAPM professionals can rise to $77,914 by getting experience or ten years or more. Moreover, the average annual salary of professionals certified with PRINCE2 is $85,800.

Conclusion

Attaining the best project management certification is quite a difficult choice. However, by having their knowledge about industrial demand and salary prospects, professionals can quickly decide between CAPM and PRINCE2.

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