Project Management

Benefits of PRINCE2 Why PRINCE2 ? Scrum Vs Traditional PM About ITIL Back to Project Management

Benefits of PRINCE2:

PRINCE2 embodies established and proven best practice and governance for project management. It can be applied to any type of project – and can easily be implemented alongside specialist, industry-specific models (‘engineering models’ or ‘development life cycles’).

The method is widely recognized and understood, and therefore provides a common vocabulary for all project participants – promoting effective communication. The method also provides for the explicit recognition of project responsibilities – so that participants understand each other’s roles and needs. There is a defined structure for accountability, delegation, authority and communication.

Some observed benefits are:

  • Promotes consistency of project work and the ability to reuse project assets; it also facilitates staff mobility and reduces the impact of personnel changes/handovers.
  • Is an invaluable diagnostic tool, facilitating the assurance and assessment of project work, troubleshooting and audits.
  • Plans are carefully designed to meet the needs of the different levels in the management team, improving communication and control.
  • Ensures that participants focus on the viability of the project in relation to its Business Case objectives – rather than simply seeing the completion of the project as an end in it.
  • Defines a thorough but economic structure of reports.
  • Ensures that stakeholders (including sponsors and resource providers) are properly represented in planning and decision making.

Adopting PRINCE2 promotes learning and continual improvement in organizations. Its product focus clarifies (for all parties) what a project will deliver, why, when, by whom and for whom. It is based on a ‘management by exception’ framework, providing for the efficient and economic use of management time (whether at corporate, program, Project Board or project management levels).

Why PRINCE2® ?

PRINCE2® (Projects IN Controlled Environments) is a process-based approach for project management providing an easily tailored and scalable method for the management of all types of projects. The method is the de-facto standard for project management in the UK and is practiced worldwide.

The continued international development of PRINCE2 examinations, training and course material is contributing significantly to the recognition of PRINCE2 as a truly international standard. More and more people are having the opportunity to benefit from the training courses and certifications that are available worldwide.

Benefits for Individuals

  • Learn how to manage projects or to work in a project environment using the most internationally recognized project management method.
  • Ensure that team members focus on the viability of the project in relation to its business case objectives – rather than simply seeing the completion of the project as an end in itself.
  • Promote consistency of project work and the ability to reuse project assets while facilitating staff mobility and reducing the impact of personnel changes/handovers.
  • Design plans and reports to meet the needs of each level in the project team and Project Board, improving communication and control.
  • Mitigate perceived problems and issues and focus on the viability of the project throughout.
  • Evaluate the project portfolio to bring clarity and allow improvements in reviewing projects.

Benefits for Organizations

  • Benefit from a shared and thoroughly understood language and approach to reporting which will save time and effort.
  • Increase staff awareness of their roles and responsibilities in the project management life cycle.
  • Utilize an invaluable diagnostic tool, facilitating the assurance and assessment of project work, troubleshooting and audits.
  • Ensure stakeholders (including sponsors and resource providers) are properly represented in planning and decision making.
  • Enable more effective engagement of stakeholders in the process of project approval and management.

Scrum Vs Traditional PM

Traditional project management emphasizes on conducting detailed upfront planning for the project with emphasis on fixing the scope, cost and schedule – and managing those parameters. Whereas, Scrum encourages data-based, iterative decision making in which the primary focus is on delivering products that satisfy customer requirements.

To deliver the greatest amount of value in the shortest amount of time, Scrum promotes prioritization and Time-boxing over fixing the scope, cost and schedule of a project. An important feature of Scrum is self-organization, which allows the individuals who are actually doing the work to estimate and take ownership of tasks.

Following table summarizes many of the differences between Scrum and traditional project management:

Parameters Scrum Traditional Project Management
Emphasis is on People Processes
Documentation Minimal – only as required Comprehensive
Process style Iterative Linear
Upfront planning Low High
Prioritization of Requirements Based on business value and regularly updated Fixed in the Project Plan
Quality assurance Customer centric Process centric
Organization Self-organized Managed
Management style Decentralized Centralized
Change Updates to Productized Product Backlog Formal Change Management System
Leadership Collaborative, Servant Leadership Command and control
Performance measurement Business value Plan conformity
Return on Investment Early/throughout project life End of project life
Customer involvement High throughout the project Varies depending on the project lifecycle

ABOUT ITIL®

IT Infrastructure Library® (ITIL) is the most widely adopted framework for IT Service Management in the world. It is a practical approach to identifying, planning, delivering and supporting IT services to the business. It describes how IT resources should be organized to deliver business value, documenting the processes, functions and roles of IT Service Management (ITSM).

ITIL principles are used by a number of organizations in both the public and private sectors such as NASA, IBM, HP, British Telecom, HSBC bank and L’Oreal.

ITIL is created and owned by the Cabinet Office. ITIL best practices are explained in the five core guidance publications outlining the fundamental ITIL principles that focus on various areas within the service management discipline.

ITIL best practices also underpin the foundations of ISO/IEC 20000 (previously BS15000), the International Service Management Standard for organizational certification and compliance.

About ITIL Qualifications

The following certifications are available under the ITIL Qualifications scheme:

  • ITIL Foundation (known as ITIL v3 and ITIL 2011 edition)
    1. The ITIL Foundation Certificate in IT Service Management is the entry level examination for the scheme. There are no pre-requites for this examination.
  • ITIL Intermediate Level
    1. The ITIL Intermediate level is the core of the scheme. To take an examination at this level, candidates must hold the ITIL Foundation qualification and must complete an accredited training course.
    2. The following examinations are available at the intermediate level:
      • Service Lifecycle: management focused examinations
        • Service Strategy
        • Service Design
        • Service Transition
        • Service Operation
        • Continual Service Improvement
      • Service Capability: process focused examinations
        • Planning Protection and Optimization
        • Release Control and Validation
        • Operational Support and Analysis
        • Service Offerings and Agreements
  • ITIL Managing Across the Lifecycle (MALC)
    1. It is the capstone examination for the scheme. Candidates who have earned at least 17 credits from both Foundation and Intermediate modules of ITIL Certifications are eligible to take this course and examination, and will be eligible for the ITIL Expert level award following successful completion.
    2. For full information on the qualifications available under the scheme please see:
      www.itil-officialsite.com/Qualifications/ITILQualificationScheme.aspx

Benefits of ITIL

The Benefits of ITIL:

  • Provides a single documented framework for IT best practices that flow across the IT organization.
  • Reduces IT costs and justifies the cost of IT quality and supports improvement of user productivity.
  • Supports ability of IT to measure and improve internal performance and service provisioning.
  • Improves communication and information flow between IT and the organization and business departments and identifies roles and responsibilities for IT Service Management.
  • Improves ability of IT to adjust as business opportunities and challenges are presented.
  • Improves relationship of IT with the business – builds trust.