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ForrTel:Implementing PRINCE 2 Project Management MethodologyMargo Visitacion
Principal Analyst
Forrester Research
March 31, 2004. Call in at 8:55 am Eastern Time
PRINCE 2 — Pragmatic Application
PRINCE 2 methodologies applies a pragmatic approach to project
management
Agenda
• Why consider PRINCE 2?
• Key success factors
• How PRINCE 2 compares to other “methodologies”
Successful project management requires:
ScopeScope PlanningPlanning ExecutionExecution ControlControl ClosureClosure
Successful Delivery = Time + Communication + Quality
PRINCE 2 — why is it a logical approach for IT?
• Organized approach to project management
• Emphasizes business-oriented approach
• Strong focus on defined teams and processes
• Emphasized collaboration
PRINCE 2: good project management requires:
• A controlled and organized start, middle and end
• Regular reviews of progress against plan and against the Business Case
• Flexible decision points
• Automatic management control of any deviations from the plan
• The involvement of management and stakeholders at the right time and place during the project
• Good communication channels between the project, project management, and the rest of the organization
• Clear role definition• Visible executive support• Go beyond documentation —
Get training
• Set governance processes up at project offset — refine them for the enterprise
• Get business active and involved
• Respect the schedule• Cross training is critical• Be pragmatic
PRINCE 2 — critical success factors
Roles
Reality Check
Process
Key success factor #1 — roles
• Pick champions with a cross-section of talent
• Roles must be clearly defined — draw lines of authority AND responsibility
• Form a pilot team to develop and implement — retain them as mentors
Key success factor #2 — process
• Pilot PRINCE 2 — small to medium to start
• Measure results
• Executive sponsorship
• Utilize the framework
» Make it scalable
» Develop thresholds
» Specialized measurement criteria
Key success factor #3 — reality check
• Respect the schedule
» Process is critical but so are delivery dates
• Visible accountability
» Project manager of process = project schedule controller
• Flexibility is critical
» Adaptation is okay
Process/Methodology Comparison:PRINCE2 and CMM
Framework of practices • Management focus• Emphasizes:
─ Change control─ Issue Mgmt─ Risk Mgmt─ Project Mgmt─ Repeatable Processes─ Documentation─ Workflow─ Schedule independent
Similar practices = similar challenges
Challenges• Perception:
─ Bureaucracy─ Misinterpretation —
tendency to over-implement
─ Inability to apply appropriate scale
─ Professional rigidity
Process/methodology comparison: PRINCE2 and PMBOK
PRINCE2 ≠ PMBOK
PMBOK
• Singular focus• Hierarchical model• What• Schedule driven• Success• Measurements
PRINCE2
• Team-driven• Collaborative model• How• Schedule independent• Quality• Measurements
Recommendations for process improvement implementation
• Primary success factor — Cultural adoption
» Design a phased implementation; pilots are critical to develop next steps and lessons learned
» Educate management with metrics — good AND bad
» Make sure the executive board has real executives
» The project manager and the executive sponsor own the project
» Cross-train organization to better manage possible cultural missteps
» Mind the schedule; process improvement is useless if the project misses its date
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