Article:PRINCE2 Configuration Management

Document Management is a key underpinning activity for running a project in line with the PRINCE2 method. It supports the Configuration Management and Change Control components.
...so how do you do it?
Like many aspects of implementation PRINCE2 does not specify how you are to achieve this in practice. PRINCE2 tells you the what but not the how. While this makes perfect sense, because the method can accommodate all kinds of document management systems from the homespun to the full-blown corporate knowledge management database, it does leave you with the question:
“How are you going to do the document management?”This is a common problem particularly for individuals promoting PRINCE2 and smaller organisations trying to adopt a true project culture for the first time. On the one hand your team can see the benefits that using PRINCE2 will bring – on the other you have the question hanging in the air:

“You mean we are going to have to write all these new documents and do configuration management and do change control on them all?”
Yes that’s right – and deliver the project to time and cost constraints just like before! All of a sudden PRINCE2 starts to look a bit difficult. Let’s unpick some of the issues.
Lots of Document Types
PRINCE2 describes over thirty different management product (document) types that you may or may not use on any given project. In practice you may choose to combine some of these and not use others, but there will always be a large core of mandatory documents you will need to employ.
Remember these are the just thirty or so document types. Some of them get repeated in the project or in each stage. That’s a lot of documents. There are plenty of resources for document templates - OGC being the primary one – but you have to configure them for your team, prescribe which ones to use where and when.
Configuration Management
In PRINCE2 Configuration Management is one of the eight named components. It lays out a classical method for controlling the configuration of a system (the project) that consists of many parts (the products).
This is a concept borrowed from conventional engineering, and latterly software engineering. I have to be honest and say that it is really quite hard to do properly in a project setting. If you think you are doing it well, particularly in a small organistion, please write because we are keen to see and learn from examples of best practice.
I believe the difficulty arises from a mix of culture and lack of support tools.
Culture
Culturally, engineers are brought up thinking about “configurations” and version control in their plans and designs.
Even software developers, who often don’t want to have the discipline imposed on their creativity, are normally exposed to the version control culture. It is enforced by using a version control system like CVS or Source Safe.
By contrast, imagine a typical non-technical project team with a multi-disciplinary crew. They are not doing a civil engineering project but, say, a marketing campaign. The idea of configuration management will be new.
It may seem like a good idea right up until the point when you have to do it in practice.
How PROJECT in a Box can Help
In a nutshell, PROJECT in a Box is the tool that can help you bridge the gap between theory and practice in the key PRINCE2 activity of Configuration Management.
Your team can write Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, project plans, drawings just like normal, and PROJECT in a Box puts them in the PRINCE2 project context - doing your configuration mangement along the way.
(By the way, it also has reporting, portfolios, team sharing - other tools you need run the project.)
Find out more about the free Community Edition or the Full PROJECT in a Box, or please do contact us to discuss - we would be delighted to hear your experiences implementing effective document management.

Article:What is PRINCE2?

By Duncan Haughey, PMP

Projects in Controlled Environments or PRINCE2 for short has become one of the most popular and widely used project management methodologies around. Used by both the public and private sectors, it has become the de-facto standard for project management in the UK.
Following this success in the UK, interest has started spreading across the globe. Countries in which PRINCE2 is becoming established include the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Spain, South Africa, Australia, and the United States.
What does the 2 in PRINCE2 refer to?
PRINCE2 has its roots as far back as 1975 in the PROMPTII methodology. PRINCE replaced PROMPTII in 1989, becoming the UK standard for all government information systems projects. In 1996 the methodology was re-launched as a generic project management methodology for all UK government projects, hence the 2.
Why was PRINCE introduced?
It's true to say that the public sector has hardly covered itself in glory with their ability to deliver projects on time and within budget. PRINCE and subsequently PRINCE2 were introduced to address the common causes of project failure.
How does PRINCE2 work?
PRINCE2 is a best practice framework that helps managers deliver projects on time and within budget. It divides projects into clearly defined stages with a start, middle and end. It focuses on the delivery of products rather than carrying out activities. Every project must have a business case and plan that is periodically reviewed to check the project is still viable.
A PRINCE2 project has the following characteristics:
A finite and defined lifecycle
Defined and measurable business products
A corresponding set of activities to achieve the business products
A defined amount of resources
An organisation structure, with defined responsibilities, to manage the project
How does PRINCE2 structure a project?
Core to the methodology is the project board, made up of the customer, user representative and supplier. The project manager reports to this board with regular progress reports, problems and the board decide how the project should proceed.
What are the benefits of PRINCE2?
PRINCE2 is about doing the right projects, at the right time, for the right reasons. It gives you common systems, procedures and language for projects. PRINCE2 also provides:
Better control and use of resources
A means of managing risks and issues
Flexible decision points
Regular reviews of progress against the project plan and business case
Assurance that the project continues to have a business justification
Early visibility of possible problems
Good communications between the project team and other stakeholders
A mechanism for managing deviations from the project plan
A process for capturing lessons learned
Putting all of this together should enable you to save time and money while delivering projects more effectively.
How do I become accredited?
If you want to become a registered PRINCE2 practitioner there are two exams to sit, the foundation and practitioner exams. Many accredited training organisations exist offering a number of courses ranging from 3 day foundation, 5 day practitioner to 1 day refresher courses.
The foundation exam is 75 questions multiple choice and lasts an hour, while the practitioner exam is 9 questions and lasts three hours.
The format of the foundation exam is:
Multiple choice
One hour duration
75 questions
38 correct answers required to pass
Closed book
The format of the practitioner exam is:
9 questions, with a scenario background and appendices
Each of the 9 questions is worth 40 marks
An overall score of 180 out of a possible 360 required to pass
Three hour duration
Open book examination (only the PRINCE2 Manual is allowed)
Most training organisations offer packages including training with the exams on the last day, although the exams can be taken at a later date either together or separately.
If you're looking to run successful projects then PRINCE2 is a great way to go.