The continued international development of PRINCE2® examinations, training and course material is contributing significantly to the recognition of PRINCE2® as a truly international standard.

Over the last 12 months, over 10,000 people have taken either the PRINCE2® Foundation or Practitioner examinations, making PRINCE2® the de facto standard for project management in the UK and worldwide.

Whenever we decide we want to do something, go somewhere, build something or achieve something, we need to know the answer to some questions:

• What are we trying to do?
• When will we start?
• What do we need?
• Can we do it alone or do we need help?
• How long will it take?
• How much will it cost?

These are typical questions asked at the start of any project, and the answers are the building blocks of project management – defining what we want to do and working out the best way we can do it.

PRINCE2® is a structured project management method, which promotes the management of a project in a logical, organised way that follows defined steps.

PRINCE2® says that a project should have:

• An organised and controlled start, i.e. organise and plan things properly before leaping in
• An organised and controlled development, i.e. once the project has started, make sure it continues to be organised and controlled.
• An organised and controlled end, i.e. when you’ve got what you want and the project has finished, tidy up the loose ends

In order to describe what a project should do and when, PRINCE2® has a series of processes which cover all the activities needed on a project, from starting up to closing down.

More and more organisations and individuals are having the opportunity to benefit from the training courses and qualifications that are available worldwide.

What You Study

The PRINCE2® method addresses project management with four integrated elements of principles, themes, processes and the project environment.

The Principles

These are the guiding obligations and good practices which determine whether the project is genuinely being managed with PRINCE2®.

• The Themes:- The seven themes explain the specific treatment required by PRINCE2® for various project management disciplines and why they are necessary.

• The Processes:- These describe a step-wise progression through the project life-cycle, from getting started to project closure.

• The Project Environment

PRINCE2® is a flexible framework that can be readily tailored to any type and size of project. By the end of the course, candidates will have the knowledge to enable them to:

• Develop, monitor and manage projects effectively.
• Facilitate control at all levels and provide a communication medium for all project staff.
• Ensure that work progresses in the correct sequence, delivering outcomes on time and on budget.

Benefits

The following are the principal benefits from the application of PRINCE2® to projects.

Save time

• Defined responsibilities and accountabilities
• Repeatable processes and procedures
• Established project management environment
• Management documentation sufficient to maintain project control – and no more

Save money

• Emphasis on “what” not “how”
• Activities scheduled and costed to meet only what has been agreed as required to be produced
• Minimised management overhead

Increase revenue

• Focus on client’s Business Need
• Business justification drives project
• Identified and agreed project controls

Attract more Customers / Partners

• Development of Customer / Supplier relationships
• Clear, defined communication channels

Improve profitability

• UK Government’s preferred project management option.

For individuals, the acquisition of PRINCE2® Practitioner certification provides a credible and sought after benchmark within the project management sector. This is increasingly being requested by employers in the public and private sectors, giving individuals who have this certification a significant advantage when applying for posts as Project Managers.

Duration and Attendance

There are two levels of PRINCE2® – Foundation and Practitioner. This is the Foundation course.

Most candidates opt to complete the Practitioner level over the full five days, while others complete the 3-day Foundation course and return at a future date for a 2-day Practitioner conversion course.

There is one examination on the Foundation course. This is a closed book, 1-hour multiple choice exam.  To become a Registered Practitioner, a candidate must sit the Foundation examination and the Practitioner examination in that order.

PRINCE2® is an intensive but rewarding course, requiring delegates to complete 15-20 hours of study prior to the start of the course.

The main course content is also supported by some evening work during the programme.

Career Paths

• Project Co-ordinator
• Project Analyst
• Project Manager

All PRINCE2® courses are offered by Carnegie Enterprise Ltd ATO of AXELOS Limited and provided by iTrain Scotland

PRINCE2® is a registered trade mark of AXELOS Limited. All rights reserved