The Marriage Proposal of
PRINCE2 and PMBoK,

 

Anthony Yeong
PMP, PRINCE2 Practitioner, MBA, MAIPM

 July 2007

 

 

 

PRINCE2

Age:    32 years old

Birth Certificate:    Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2

Nationality:    British

PRINCE2  stands for Project In Controlled Environment Version 2 and it is originated from Simpact Systems dated back to 1975. Simpact Systems has invented the proprietary project process called PROMPT and
was partially adopted by the UK government as its preferred project management process. In 1989, UK government bought over PROMPT and have renamed it to PRINCE  and placed it in the public domain.
The UK government’s Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency (CCTA), now the Office of Government Commerce, (OGC) continued to develop PRINCE  and has been evolved into newer version termed as PRINCE2and issued in 1996.

 PRINCE2has been adopted widely in UK and Europe and getting more recognition in Australia and other parts of the world.  In 2005 an updated manual entitled, “Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2”
is released. It is the fourth edition of the manual.  The history of the manual is as followed:

- First Edition 1996
- Second Edition 1998
- Third Edition 2002
- Fourth Edition 2005

 PRINCE2 is made of eight processes, eight components and three techniques.

 The eight processes are:

1.                    Starting up a Project (SU):      
 deciding whether a project should start

2.                    Initiating a Project (IP):       
 confirming the project is justified

3.                    Directing a Project (DP):
 a Project: for Project board to decide and authorize project activities

4.                    Controlling a Stage (CS):
 control the project events under tolerance level

5.                    Managing Product Delivery (MP):
 ensuring the product delivered according to requirement

6.                    Managing Stage Boundaries (SB):
 controlling the project in stages

7.                    Closing a Project (CP):
 officially close down the project and hand over

8.                    Planning (PL):
 several planning processes required for the project

 

The eight components are:

1.                    Business Case: ensuring the project is justified and viable

2.                    Organisation: roles and responsibilities of the project team

3.                    Plans: several plans required to run the project

4.                    Controls: monitoring achievement and making decisions

5.                    Management of Risk: risk identification, assessment and response
  strategy

6.                    Quality in a Project Environment: ensuring product quality
 according to customer’s expectation

7.                    Configuration management: Keeping track of product versions

8.                    Change Control: management of issues and changes

 The three techniques are:

1. Product-Based Planning
   A four-step technique (Product Description of final product, Product Breakdown Structure, Product Description of each product & Product Flow Diagram) leading to a comprehensive plan based
   on creation and delivery of required outputs.
    
2. Change Control
   The procedure to ensure that the processing of all project issues is controlled, including summission, analysis and decision making.
    
3. Quality Review
   A quality review is a structured and organised procedure designed to assess whether a product is "fit for purpose" or conforms to requirements.
   
    

 In addition, there are several useful project management documentation templates provided in the manual. 

1. Acceptance Criteria
2. Business Case
3. Checkpoint Report
4. Communication Plan
5. End Project Report
6. End Stage Report
7. Exception Report
8. Follow-on Action Recommendation
9. Highlight Report
10. Issue Log
11. Lessons Learned Report
12. Off Specification Form
13. Post Project Review
14. Product Checklist
15. Product Description
16. Project Approach
17. Project Brief
18. Project Initiation Document
19. Project Issue
20. Project Mandate
21. Project Plan
22. Project Quality Plan
23. Quality Log
24. Request for Change Form
25. Risk Log
26. Stage Plan
27. Work Package

The templates can be downloaded from OGC's website at:
http://www.ogc.gov.uk/prince2/downloads/template_case.htm 

 

PMBOK  

Age:    20 years old

Birth Certificate:    A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge

Nationality:   American

PMBOK   stands for Project Management Body of Knowledge and is owned by Project Management Institute.

PMI   was founded in 1969 as people started to recognize project management was a unique set of management skills and discipline.
After several years of research and studies, a manual entitled
“Project Management Body of Knowledge” was developed in 1987 as the standard guide for project management. More areas and knowledge have been contributed to the book and in released a new version in 1996 called “A Guide to Project Management Body of Knowledge”.  The guide has then been further revised and evolved into the PMBOK   Guide 2000 Edition.
In 2004, the third edition of the Guide has been published. The history of the guide is as followed:

- First Edition 1996
- Second Edition 2000
- Third Edition 2005
 

 There are five phases in PMBOK   Project Life Cycle:

1.                   Initiating

2.                   Planning

3.                   Execution

4.                   Monitoring & Controlling

5.                   Closing

 There are nine knowledge areas in PMBOK  :

1.                   Project Integration Management

2.                   Project Scope Management

3.                   Project Time Management

4.                   Project Cost Management

5.                   Project Quality Management

6.                   Project Human Resource Management

7.                   Project Communication Management

8.                   Project Risk Management

9.                   Project Procurement Management

  

The Complement of both approaches

The underlying difference between the PMBOK   and PRINCE2   is that the PMBOK   is a knowledge based project management methodology covering wide proven practices and areas while PRINCE2  provides a more prescriptive or process approach for the project manager or team manager to apply to the projects. In general, PMBOK   is more comprehensive while PRINCE2  is more pragmatic in nature.

The PMBOK   advantage is that it has very concise knowledge areas and easy to understand the concepts behind the theory. The nine knowledge areas covered are full of useful processes, tools and techniques in project management. The five phases of project life cycle symbolize a typical project.

However, PMBOK does not tell you how to apply to the project as it only stated what are required. For example, it tells you that a Project Charter is required but the recommended template is not covered. The PRINCE2  approach has the advantage that it is very prescriptive and provides the necessary techniques and templates for project manager to apply. Most of the templates are either available from the manual or the OGC's website.
However, some may find that the process may be bureaucratic and hinder the creativity of the project manager. A good Project Manager must learn how to streamline the processes according to the complexity and environment of the project.

 Both methods should not be competing each others but to complement the strengths and weaknesses of both methods. Organizations may find the benefits to allow both methods to co-exist and apply them in a
systematic yet creative ways.

 Companies who are using both PRINCE2   and PMBOK  

^{1.   Getronics
2.   IBM
3.   SUN Microsystems}

Comparison of PRINCE2  and PMBOK  

 As both project management methods differ in many ways in term of terminology and approaches,
below are just some very brief comparison of the methods. 

PMBOK   Knowledge Areas	PRINCE2  Components / Process / Techniques
Project Integration Management	[PL] Planning [component] Controls
Project Scope Management	[component] Plans [component] Business Case [component] Change Control [component] Configuration Management
Project Time Management	[SB] Managing Stage Boundaries
Project Cost Management	[component] Plans
Project Quality Management	[component] Quality [component] Configuration Management
Project Human Resource Management	[component] Organisation
Project Communication Management	[component] Organisation [component] Controls
Project Risk Management	[component] Management of Risk
Project Procurement Management	Not Covered

 

PMBOK   Life Cycle	PRINCE2   Life Cycle
Initiating	[SU] Starting up a Project [DP] Directing a Project
Planning	[IP] Initiating a Project [PL] Planning
Executing	[MP] Managing Product Delivery [SB] Managing Stage Boundaries
Monitoring & Controlling	[DP] Directing a Project
Closing	[CP] Closing a Project

 

PMBOK   Certification	PRINCE2  Certification
Project Management Professional (PMP)	PRINCE2 Practitioner
Certified Assoicate in Project Management (CAPM)	PRINCE2 Foundation

Similarity of PRINCE2 and PMBOK  

Both are over 15 years of history in Project Management.

Accepted globally and the manuals have been translated to several languages.

Certifications of both Project Management methodologies are available. PMP and PRINCE2 Practitioner are both well recognised professional certifications globally.

Recognized or accredited training providers of both methods worldwide.

Proven Project Management methodologies in industries and case studies are available.

Wide knowledge base of PRINCE2   and PMBOK   available.

 

 

Marriage Proposal

To combine both project management approaches and complements them with the strengths from both sides. For instance, PRINCE2  is strong in process and documentation but lack the focus on Communications, Human Resource Management and Procurement Management which PMBOK   is able to complement them. On the other hand, the business case approach of PRINCE2  strengthen the business direction and strategy aspects of project management which PMBOK   is weak in. Another important concept of PRINCE2  is the Project Board which PMBOK generally  refer to the Project Sponsor who is supporting the project. PRINCE2  is more specific and has defined the role of Project Board more dynamically. In the PRINCE2 manual, the roles and responsibilities of the Project Management Team are  clearly spelled out in the Appendix B.

With combination of PMBOK 's Work Breakdown Structure and PRINCE2  's Product Breakdown Structure, the deliverables of the project will be clearer and robust.

It should not be mutually exclusive but married together to provide the best approach to manage the day- to-day projects in the organisation. 

We can use PMBOK   as the foundation knowledge and ensure all the areas are covered in the project plan.  As for the project life cycle, we can adopt the PMBOK   approach and enrich by PRINCE2  stage approach.

 The PMBOK   process outputs can be supported by the various PRINCE2   document templates with proper selection.

Depending on the size and complexity of the project, the Project Manager could apply all the nine knowledge areas covered in PMBOK and strengthen the processes with the strength of PRINCE2 .  For example the concepts that are unique in PRINCE2 :

- Business Case
- Project Board
- Product-Based Planning & Product Work Breakdown Structure
- Issue Management & Issue Log
- Work Package
- Managing Stage Boundaries Approach
- Tolerance and Exception Plan
- Configuration Management

Use PMBOK and PRINCE2 as the integrative project management methodology. Just the spouse in a family, complement the strengths with each others and reduce the weaknesses. 

These are just some of the suggestions to match the strengths of  PMBOK and PRINCE2 , however Project Managers should be flexible and creative enough to utilize and maximize both approaches instead of adopting them in the "as is" format.

What we are looking forward is the happy ending of the marriage of PRINCE2  and PMBOK  .
 

The deliverable will be the successful project, satisfied customer, happy stakeholders and highly motivated project team members. The Project Manager will be the overall winner!

 

 

                             Download PDF File