Projects in Controlled Environments (PRINCE) is a project management methodology. It covers the management, control and organisation of a project. “PRINCE2” is a registered trademark of the U.K.'s Office of Government Commerce (OGC).
History
PRINCE2 is derived from the earlier PRINCE project managment methodology, which was initially developed in 1989 by the Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency (CCTA) as a UK Government standard for information systems (IT) project management; however, it soon became regularly applied outside the purely IT environment.[citation needed] PRINCE2 was released in 1996 as a generic project management method. PRINCE2 has become increasingly popular[citation needed] and is now the de facto standard for project management in the UK.[citation needed] Its use has spread beyond the UK to more than 50 other countries.[citation needed]
The most current revision was released in 2005 by the Office of Government Commerce, and it is currently undergoing a refresh for2008-9.[citation needed]
[hide]Description of the PRINCE2 method
PRINCE (PRojects IN Controlled Environments) was first developed by the CCTA, now part of the OGC, in 1989 as a UK Government standard[citation needed] for IT project management. Initially developed only for the need of IT projects, the latest version, PRINCE2, is designed for all types of management projects. Figure 1 shows the processes involved in managing a PRINCE2 project and how they link with each other, creating the normal content of a PRINCE2 project.
Figure 1: PRINCE2 process model
Advantages
PRINCE2 is a structured approach to project management. It provides a method for managing projects within a clearly defined framework. PRINCE2 describes procedures to coordinate people and activities in a project, how to design and supervise the project, and what to do if the project has to be adjusted if it doesn’t develop as planned. In the method each process is specified with its key inputs and outputs and with specific goals and activities to be carried out, which gives an automatic control of any deviations from the plan. Divided into manageable stages, the method enables an efficient control of resources. On the basis of close monitoring the project can be carried out in a controlled and organized way. Being a structured methodology widely recognised and understood[citation needed], Prince2 provides a common language for all participants in the project. The various roles and responsibilities involved in a project are fully described and are adaptable to suit the complexity of the project and skills of the organisation.
Pitfalls
Prince2 may be considered as inappropriate for very small projects, due to the work required in creating and maintaining documents, logs and lists. This is often a misunderstanding of the scalability that Prince2 offers.[citation needed] Because of the various roles and responsibilities involved, participants in the project can easily blame each other when something goes wrong[citation needed]. The start up process (SU) should avoid this, but Prince2 allows roles and responsibilities to be agreed in writing by the participants instead.