| Prince2 is a term often bandied about in business | | | | board). |
| circles often leaving the uninitiated bewildered. For | | | | Directing the project is the third step and |
| those in that position, here is a brief explanation | | | | includes how the board intend to control the |
| of what Prince2 is and how it works. | | | | project from the top down. In addition this step |
| Prince2 is an acronym for PRojects IN Controlled | | | | will also see the creation of some contingency |
| Environments. Put simply it is a project | | | | processes for the creation of new stage plans |
| management method, the 2 referring to the fact | | | | and how the board should react to unforeseen |
| that it is the second iteration of the method. It is | | | | circumstances. |
| a trademark owned by the UK government and | | | | The control stage is vital; it essentially breaks |
| specifically the Office of Government Commerce. | | | | down the stages and sub processes that are |
| Prince2 has a rich history; originally it was referred | | | | used throughout the process. During this stage |
| to as PROMPTII, once again developed by the | | | | the processes are defined that set out how any |
| government but at this stage purely applied to | | | | work pages should be presented to and signed |
| the IT sector. This type of project management | | | | off by the board, it also includes a process of |
| quickly became popular outside the world of IT | | | | understanding how and where process issues |
| and became Prince2 in 1996. Since this time it has | | | | may occur and how these should be dealt with |
| become practically the standard for managing | | | | and if serious enough, presented to the board. |
| projects within the UK and beyond. | | | | Once the stages of the project have been |
| Essentially the project management system has | | | | created Prince2 then demands that boundaries |
| seven distinct stages to completing a project: | | | | should be set up for each stage, defining |
| The first of these is the start up phase. | | | | deliverables for the end of each stage and what |
| During this stage the team responsible for the | | | | should happen if these deliverables are not met. It |
| project are assigned and a brief is provided | | | | also decides how stage conclusions should be |
| containing information on what the project hopes | | | | made. |
| to achieve and what approach will be taken to | | | | The penultimate stage is the management of |
| complete various actions required. Additionally, this | | | | product delivery. In this step the project manager |
| stage usually leads to the appointed of a project | | | | works with team managers to ensure that a set |
| manager and executive in charge who with the | | | | of formal requirements are created for every |
| help of the team start to plan the next step. | | | | piece of work contained in the project. Essentially |
| Initiating the project is an important process. | | | | if this is done correctly all of the work should be |
| Working on the findings from the first step the | | | | delivered on time and to a suitable standard. |
| team then creates an overall project plan as well | | | | The final step is the closing of the project. |
| as quality controls and specific project files. | | | | Essentially this stage contains three processes, |
| Typically before the next stage can start the | | | | the decommissioning of a project, the |
| team will have their initial plan signed off by the | | | | identification on any follow up work and finally the |
| executive and perhaps a sponsor (the project | | | | evaluation of the project's successes and failures. |