Prince2: The Simple Approach is Best

 

After years of informal project management – running projects with no formal qualifications or more often, being asked to "assist" after the project is stalled, struck, and in deep do-do. I decided to undertake some formal PM training, namely Prince2. Having some formal training and an understanding of a project methodology would help round out my knowledge in this space. Part of a Development Manager role is to be heavily involved in projects so it’s good to know.

So here are my thoughts.

Roles and Responsibilities. One of key decisions in the earlier stages (starting up or initiating) of a project phases. Yet so easily often forgotten. How can you have a project without a project manager? The answer is you cannot (if only this was a Prince2 exam question). But also whom is the technical lead, BA, Tester, who is doing what. This is a common failing of many projects. Not having clearly defined R&R. So you don’t know who is doing what, what is being delivered when? Whom is signing off of and so on. Confusion reigns.

Planning.  One of the overriding themes of Prince2  was – be prepared.  You will need to setup a lot of management products and they are there for a reason. Issue Register, Daily Log, Lessons Learnt, Risk Register and so on, then there are the governances, Risk Management Strategy, Communications Strategy and so on. But a well prepared project, is a ready for anything project, when risks and issues occur, you are respond in an organized way. Like a well drilled ship’s crew you response to each alert and emergency as per the plan. The plan gives you confidence it what you are doing and that  you can resolve the situation. Everyone knows what they’re doing and when they’re doing it.

But is it Simple, Tailor it to what you need.

What struck me as important was how simple many of these management products where. The project briefs were just that, brief, one to two pages. Many of the strategies were one to two pages for simple projects. They were concise, to the point and useful. You went to your Risk Strategy when a risk occurs, you use your Communications Strategy to guide your communications to who, when and what message. Keep it simple.

 How many times do you work with a Program or Project office and when you go to prepare these products, they send you long, painful, tortuous templates with equally useless examples of ones already done. By the time you fill in there SO much detail the purpose is lost. The document becomes unusable, unused, useless and you manage off the seat of your pants. Ever wonder why an aircraft evacuation  card is simple? Do you want a 10 page document on how to get off the plane after it crash lands? No, where’s the door and how do I get there. Done.

Takeaways form Inspiring Project Managers or Middle Aged Development Managers.

So going forward. I like the structure, preparedness and planning that Prince2 dictates. Be ready for the expected and unexpected and have a plan to deal with it. Keep the plans simple, keep the management products simple. There are some nice and simple learnings, keep Lessons Learnt Logs, future projects will praise your foresight and refer back to them for wisdom and learnings. Define, measure and capture your benefits, years down the track and project is still delivering, state it, measure it, publicize and celebrate it.

Most of all if you’re the stick in the mud that practices planning and preparedness, your successes will stand out from other stuck in the mud.