The resources - just click on a title to jump to the full description on this page

Paper - Ten steps to turn PRINCE2 into a nightmare
Paper - Common criticisms of PRINCE2 ... and why they are wrong
Paper - Using PRINCE2 where the project end date is not clear
Paper - Thinking outside the (process) box
Paper - Combining the PRINCE2 processes SU and IP (or not!)
Paper - Writing a PRINCE2 Business Case
Paper - Limiting PRINCE2 reporting
Paper - Confused about stages, teams and work packages?
Paper - Technical stages versus management stages

Ten steps to turn PRINCE2 into a nightmare

PRINCE2 is a powerful, well thought out, effective approach to planning and controlling a project.  But a lot of people have learned it as a bureaucratic, form filling approach.  Then poor Project Support Offices - which are supposed to be a real help - then make things worse by setting up a paper mountain.  Read about ten ways that are already in widespread use to completely mess up PRINCE2, slow your projects down and increase overheads.

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Common criticisms of PRINCE2 ... and why they are wrong

A lot of people are critical of PRINCE2.  They shouldn't get much sympathy where they simply don't know what the method is about.  Like one senior manager who said "Nobody in their right mind would use PRINCE" when actually he didn't know the first thing about it!  Now PRINCE2 is not perfect and there are many improvements that could be made, but it is still a powerful and useful method.  Read here why most of the criticisms are just plain wrong.

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Using PRINCE 2 where the project end date is not clear

The PRINCE2 manual assumes that the project end date is always clear, but that is not quite correct.  Normally you will know the end date, but there are cases where it is unclear or you simply don't know at all.  Projects often go into the unknown and this situation is not uncommon.  Don't think that you need to abandon the PRINCE2 method though.  This article shows how to use PRINCE2 even where you don't know the end date at all, such as in many research projects.

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Thinking outside the (process) box

Too many PRINCE2 practitioners (and project support staff) are obsessed with the process boxes and the order in which they should be used ..."the manual says".  But the method was built to be extremely flexible to meet all sorts of project situations, and this includes being flexible in the way that you use the processes.  This short article shows how you can adapt the method simply but effectively by altering the sequence of processes or even leaving some out altogether.

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Combining PRINCE2 processes SU and IP (or not!)

There are a number of PRINCE2 'fashions' around where people suggest things to try and cut some corners off and save time.  But it needs care.  Often it has the opposite effect and actually wastes time.  This article challenges the idea that Start Up and Initiation should be combined and shows the real power of Start Up and the logic of its place in PRINCE2.  And the really good news is that Start Up shouldn't actually take long and then will speed up Initiation anyway.

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Writing a PRINCE2 Business Case

So many people make mistakes when writing Business Cases.  Many don't justify the project at all, while others include benefits that just aren't benefits at all.  Read this article for a few tips on writing a Business Case and keeping it up to date.

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Limiting PRINCE2 reporting

PRINCE2 shouldn't be making a paper mountain, but for many organisations, that is exactly what they make it.  PRINCE2 has real power and turning it into a 'form filling' approach can make it a hindrance rather than something to power the project forward.  Get the reporting in balance and read about how to cut down on the paperwork.

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Confused about PRINCE2 stages, teams and work packages?

The terminology and structure of PRINCE2 can be a bit confusing at first, especially when using it for the first time.  If you are confused about management stages, teams and work packages and how they fit together, this article is for you.

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Technical stages versus management stages

PRINCE2 breaks the project into management stages, but these are not technical stages.  Read about defining management stages and examples of factors you need to think about when deciding management stages for a project.  Also see why you can't ever have an algorithm to say '"or this type of project you always need x number of stages".

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Do keep an eye on this page - more articles are coming soon.

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