All About PRINCE2 Certification and Its Efficient Framework For Any Business

Certified project managers have the necessary training to make realistic decisions throughout a project management lifecycle. They are well-equipped with standard methodologies to contribute to team leadership, resource management and help the team meet end goals, irrespective of industry. 

PRojects IN Controlled Environments, better known as PRINCE2, is a popular project management methodology for accomplishing objectives as efficiently as possible. It answers the main questions of project management, at all the three stages of any project cycle – beginning, middle and end. 

Here, planning and organising start before the beginning of a project. As the project continues, the PRINCE2 certified professional supports and focuses on maintaining quality thoroughly. After completion, s/he reports the outcomes in a detailed manner. 

It is a systematic framework yet quite flexible to reduce the risks of project failure and increase efficiency along with customer satisfaction. 

So, do you need a PRINCE2 certification training after all? 

PMI’s Pulse of the Profession® survey of 2018 states that 93% of organisations report that they use standardised project management practices. PRINCE2 certification does remain a valuable addition to a project manager’s resume. 

What Makes PRINCE2 So Efficient?

The PRINCE2 methodology covers all the important principles and processes to help achieve goals in a streamlined, objective and holistic manner. 

The 7 Principles of PRINCE2

• • Business Justification –  It ensures that time, resources and cost invested in a project is completely accounted for. It asks whether or not a business will draw optimal ROI and will it satisfy the customer. 
  • Learning from Experience – It encourages learning from past errors and rectifying them or not repeating the same in the current project. These errors are documented properly to keep teams updated.
  • Clarity in Roles & Responsibilities – Every individual in the team must be clear about the roles assigned to them and the others in the team. 
  • Stage-wise Task Division – Each task must go through the typical project management phases – initiation, planning, execution, monitoring and controlling. 
  • Managing by Exception – Sometimes well-planned projects also face issues including exceeding the budget or other constraints. These are the only times, project managers should intervene. 
  • Importance to Quality of Product –  Everyone in the team should never compromise on product quality and deliver the product based on every requirement. 
  • Scalability and Flexibility – PRINCE2 can be used according to the resources and time required in a project. 

The 7 Processes of PRINCE2 

• Starting Up a Project – This is the first step that involves explaining the project’s main objective and discussing it with team members. 
• Initiating the Project – Here, the project manager focuses on the different requirements to complete the project successfully by looking into cost, time, quality, benefits, scope and risks. 
• Directing the Project – Offering direction and guidance during the project cycle is essential. 
• Controlling the Stages – This step refers to assigning tasks and monitoring them as and how they are fulfilled. Communication plays a big role here. 
• Managing Delivery of Product – Here accepting, executing and delivering the work package are the main activities. 
• Managing Stage Boundaries – The project manager has to report to the project board regarding performance and then the board will decide if the project should continue. 
• Closing the Project – Here, the project manager evaluates if the project was delivered successfully according to the requirements on time. 

More About the Importance of PRINCE2 Certification Today

The benefits of a PRINCE2 certification are manifold for any project management professional in the world. It has a long history in the application and is quite streamlined as a process that is applicable to different businesses. 

Continuously Revised Project Management Framework Since the 80s

PRINCE2 is the 1996-introduced-modification of the initial 1989-standard-PRINCE framework which the UK government used. The former version catered to the IT industry majorly to make large-scale processes cost- and time-effective. 

The revised version of this framework was developed with deep perspectives from 150 different European organisations to apply to many more industries other than just IT. After introducing it in the mid-90s, there have been many more revisions in the recent decades to meet the new advancements across industries. 

It remains the standard project management methodology everywhere. Businesses that use PRINCE2 methodology today have higher efficiency in achieving goals. 

Structured, Flexible, & Methodical For Any Organisation

If you want to comprehend PRINCE2 in-depth, it is a structured approach to project management, which provides a method for managing projects within a set framework. PRINCE2 encompasses procedures to coordinate people and activities in a project, design and supervise the project and finds out if the project doesn’t develop as planned. 

Each method is focused on specific goals and activities to be carried out, which gives an automatic control of any deviations from the plan. Segregated in various stages and methods, it enables efficient control of resources. On the basis of close monitoring, the project can be carried out in a controlled and organised way.

Earning a PRINCE2 certification will help in attaining recognition and achieving a level of knowledge in the subject in accordance with the certification standards. 

Being an internationally renowned certification, majorly every organization is aware of accreditation, availability of resources, training and consultancy, sharing of knowledge and the availability of the resources. It provides immediate opportunities for individuals to grow in their careers in project management, to increase their knowledge, to mentor new project managers, to share their knowledge and experiences, to shape project management policy and so on.

PRINCE2 certification will equip you with skills to feel confident in managing projects successfully with the assigned workforce. It provides a common system, procedures and language with greater control of resources, and the ability to manage business and project risk more effectively along with mitigating mistakes.

Levels of PRINCE2 Certification

There are three different levels of PRINCE2 certification based on your experience. 

• PRINCE2 Foundation – You will learn the fundamentals of the PRINCE2 principles and terminology used. This qualification is for beginners who become eligible to qualify for the next PRINCE2 certification. 

• PRINCE2 Practitioner – This PRINCE2 certification will help you run and manage projects in PRINCE2 environments. 

• PRINCE2 Agile™ – This PRINCE2 certification helps you use agile methodology with PRINCE2 principles. You can also check the PRINCE2 Agile Practitioner Certification course. Further, there are two different exams under this category – PRINCE2 Agile Foundation and PRINCE2 Agile Practitioner. 

Some Facts About PRINCE2 Certifications and Exams

Find out some of the most common doubts for the different PRINCE2 certifications. 

• After passing the PRINCE2 Practitioner exam, you will have to renew that same PRINCE2 certification after three years. 
• The PRINCE2 Foundation exam is for 60 minutes and you will have to attempt 60 questions. It is a closed book exam. 
• The PRINCE2 Practitioner exam is for 150 minutes with 68 questions. You can use the PRINCE2 manual during this open-book exam. 
• The PRINCE2 Agile Foundation exam is also a closed book one. It consists of 50 questions which you have to complete within an hour. 
• On the other hand, the PRINCE2 Agile Practitioner exam has 50 questions with a 150-minute duration. This exam is open book and you can only use the PRINCE2 Agile guide. 
• The qualifying marks for all the exams is 55%, except for the PRINCE2 Agile Practitioner exam, which requires 60% marks. 

Excel in Your Career With a PRINCE2 Certification

A PRINCE2 certification is a great asset for your resume, recognised as a world-class international product and is the standard method for project management. It provides you with exposure to a process-based system that allows new ways of looking at problems, refreshes new project management practices that people usually take for granted along. It also offers a new set of tools that we could apply to any project of any size. As a project manager, one of the many things we learn is the more tools we have at our disposal, the easier our lives become.