How the PRINCE2 principles could have been used to avoid royal blunders: Part 2

Recently, we started discussing ways that historical figures could have used PRINCE2 training courses to avoid some serious mishaps. Genghis Khan and the Khwarezmid Empire provided an example of why projects must have an organised and controlled beginning.

In this article, we will continue our journey through past troubles by looking at how the PRINCE2 methodology encourages managing business risks in the middle of an initiative. 

The seven PRINCE2 principles

According to AXELOS, there are seven principles that must be followed in PRINCE2. These include:

  1. Business justification.
  2. Learn from experience.
  3. Roles and responsibilities.
  4. Manage by stages.
  5. Manage by exception.
  6. Focus on products.
  7. Tailor to suit the environment.

Let's jump back in time now to the 1800s and take a look at how a certain French emperor should have taken the time for IT project management training and put these principles into practise.

Muddled in the middle

Napoleon's Russia campaign provides a key lesson on the importance of managing the middle stages of a project.

The PRINCE2 training principles worked well for Napoleon at first.The PRINCE2 training principles worked well for Napoleon at first.

At first glance, it might seem that Napoleon was careful to follow one important PRINCE2 principle – basing decisions on what has been learned from previous projects. 

In The Campaigns of Napoleon, David G. Chandler writes that one of Napoleon's most lasting contribution to military tactics was to pursue a rapid advance and force a battle before his enemy was prepared. This strategy was a significant factor in his early victories across Europe.

In those campaigns, Napoleon also learned that he could have his soldiers scavenge food from crops in conquered areas.

Unfortunately, though following one principle, Napoleon neglected other key points of PRINCE2 – plan each stage of the project and make sure it fits the current environment. While his rapid movement and supply policies worked in Europe, they would prove disastrous to his notorious 1812 invasion of Russia.

As winter, hunger and disease took their toll, and Russian forces prevented the quick victory Napoleon hoped for, the grand French army of over 400,000 was slowly reduced to just 10,000 men able to fight. Napoleon never recovered from the Russian campaign, and it would prove to be his downfall.

By neglecting crucial PRINCE2 principles, Napoleon led one of Europe's largest empires to its bitter end.

While it is too late for Napoleon to benefit from PRINCE2 training, now is a great time for business leaders and project managers to learn effective process strategies. Get in touch with ALC Training today to learn more about PRINCE2 and other IT project management training opportunities.

How the PRINCE2 principles could have prevented royal blunders: Part 1

When it comes to project management, a good strategy can mean the difference between success and failure. PRINCE2 – Projects In Controlled Environments – is a particularly effective strategy that focuses on process to ensure the best results in any venture.

PRINCE2 is highly regarded around the world; over 1 million exams for PRINCE2 certification have been taken in more than 120 countries and in 21 languages. Its methodology has proven useful in a number of fields, including IT project management training and project management in the UK government.

The PRINCE2 methodology

Projects must be controlled and organised at the beginning, middle and end.

The main philosophy behind PRINCE2 methodology is that projects must be controlled and organised when they begin, while they are in progress and as they are completed. 

While PRINCE2 training is a modern tool, it would have been useful in preventing some big blunders in history. This series will show where rulers may have had a better outcome with PRINCE2 training courses.

Starting off on the wrong foot

Plenty of ventures may have a rough start but go on to regain their footing. Unfortunately for central Asia, that was not the case for Shah Ala ad-Din Muhammad II the Khwarezmid Empire.

By 1217, the Khwarezmid Empire bordered the territory of the Mongol Empire, led by Genghis Khan. In his book By Steppe, Desert, and Ocean: The Birth of Eurasia, Sir Barry Cunliffe writes that the Khan was eager to trade to open up trade, particularly with the Khwarezmids. 

After a slight faux pas – a Khwarezmid governor slaughtered the Mongol trade emissaries – Khan sent ambassadors to Shah Muhammad in an appeal for justice.

If a PRINCE2-trained project manager was facing that situation, he or she would recognise the need to assess the situation and properly plan before responding.

Shah Muhammad, however, was not trained in PRINCE2 principles. Rather than take the opportunity to get back to a controlled and organised start, he had one ambassador killed and sent the others back, humiliated, as an example.

Genghis Khan isn't famous for his negotiation tactics. He responded to the Khwarezmid insult by launching a large-scale attack in 1219. By 1220, the conquest of the Khwarezmid empire was complete, and the capital city of Samarkand was under Mongol control.

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A shah with PRINCE2 training may have been better prepared to assess the risk of insulting a potential business partner. Then a peaceful trade relationship with the Mongol Empire could have even prevented the later conquest of Central Asia.

Don't be like Shah Muhammad; advance your project management skills with PRINCE2 training with ALC. 

Gartner comes forward about important IoT technologies

The age of connected everything is here. With the rise of the Internet of Things (IoT), every type of object and device can connect to the internet and send and receive data.

It's really as simple as that. In a business, for example, sensors in vehicles could tell fleet managers when it's time to replace tyres, while sensors in a printer could tell an office manager when the machine is due for maintenance or even just a toner refill.

Any proliferation of the IoT, however, means seriously considering more effective ways of managing the trend.

Recently, research organisation Gartner came forward to explain several important areas of focus for businesses entering this new age. Here are two of the most pertinent:

1) Security

With businesses likely connecting a number of new devices and objects to company networks, and these devices sharing information constantly, it's easy to see how security issues could come about. If anyone of malicious intent was able to access the data being sent and received, they could possibly view sensitive information.

It's going to be vital to place security as a top consideration, even though it may seem more worthwhile to focus solely on connecting as many devices as possible.

2) Device management

Device – or "thing" – management is an equally important consideration. Every connected device and object will need to be managed and monitored on a regular basis, both for the security implications noted above and in order to identify any possible problems.

Gartner explained that it's here where tools will be useful. Organisations will need to be able to constantly monitor the devices and objects in use in order to ensure they're reporting back correctly.

Of course, how should those in charge of IT take to managing such massive trends within the context of the business? Effective IT governance frameworks are one possible solution, but it's a good idea to reach out to the experts first.

Could smartphones be the answer to the gender gap?

Let's not beat around the proverbial bush, the internet has transformed the lives of literally billions of people. It has opened up a number of new potential employment opportunities through quality IT security training and other such courses. Unfortunately, not everyone has equal access to technology, which is having a major impact on social equality.

Qualifications, such as ITIL certification, are opening up new avenues of employment.

Yet, could the simple smartphone be the answer to the gender gap?

Smart phone use down for women

A new study by the Pew Research Centre found disparities exist in smartphone ownership and pointed out that male users outnumbered female users in nearly half of all the countries studied.

The survey was conducted in 40 countries with Mexico, Nigeria, Kenya and Ghana accounting for the most significant disparities. Yet, there were also gaps in developed countries such as the UK and Germany – although the inequality was less severe.

But why are these statistics so important and how could the smart phone help women close the gap?

How does the internet empower women?How does the internet empower women?

Improving access to the internet a game changer

A 2013 report from Intel showed that close to 25 per cent fewer women have access to the world wide web than their male counterparts. For countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, this soars to nearly 45 per cent. Yet, even in the advanced economic centres of the world – such as Europe – similar gaps are visible. For instance, in parts of the EU, the disparity between women is close to 30 per cent. 

In higher-income countries such as France and the United States, women tend to exceed men in internet usage. The report argues that just having access to the Internet can improve a women's income and inspire them to greater heights. 

Specifically, throughout the surveyed countries, close to half of the female respondents said they use the internet to both search and apply for jobs – while 30 per cent use the internet to develop additional income streams. 

Smartphones are a great way to access the internet and attain the benefits it can offer. By increasing the number of smartphones in the hands of women both at work in their personal life, could make a difference the gender pay gap.

Technology and access to the internet is more than just a place to play games, it can also generate new revenue streams and increase a person's sense of empowerment. If you would like to find out how you can capitalise on the advancement of technology, talk to the experts at ALC Training.  

Why you should do your PRINCE2 training with ALC

Advance your organisation and your career with PRINCE2 certification training from ALC!

Why you should do your PRINCE2 training  with ALC

ALC provides the #1 PRINCE2 course in the Asia-Pacific region. An investment in training is a serious business. It’s not just the fees, but the time out of work too.

When you do your training with ALC you get the very best value from your training investment:

  1. We are PRINCE2 specialists.  Project management training since 1994 and PRINCE2 training since 1999. Throughout the Asia-Pacific region – Australia, Hong Kong, Malaysia, New Zealand and Singapore!
  2. Our courses are presented only by world-class international trainers with proven experience. Lots of things go into making a great training course but the most important is always the trainer.
  3. Great track record with outstanding exam passrates.
  4. Best-value. Quality usually comes at a premium but we work hard to keep our prices down. Contact Us if you think you can get a better comparable deal anywhere else!
  5. Fully-accredited PRINCE2 course.
  6. Official textbook Managing Successful Projects + comprehensive course workbook + laminated PRINCE2 Overview Chart.
  7. Exclusive access to the ALC PRINCE2 Support Hotline. True ongoing value.

 

Lean thinking through Six Sigma

With the increasing growth of technology in the workplace, organisations are faced with rapidly changing business conditions. In response, organisations are recruiting people with ITIL certifications and other IT governance training to make lasting and agile changes.

Another way to achieve this is through the combination of Six Sigma and lean management.

As ITIL training and other qualifications become more prominent, will business be able to overcome disruptions?

What is lean management?

To be a lean thinker, a person needs to consider strategies for maximising customer value and reducing waste and implementing these strategies in an effective manner. A perfect lean organisation would maximise customer value with zero waste. 

The crux of lean management is the focus on organisation-wide processes that flow horizontally across a range of business areas, rather than on individual assets and departments. 

These processes are called value streams and include all the activities, practices, materials, personnel and information that has to come together to  build organisational value. By eliminating waste along these streams, instead of individual focal points, an organisation can streamline or create processes that use less human capital and less space.

A popular misconception is that lean management is only for manufacturing. However it is equally adept at increasing value and trimming waste in service-based organisations. 

What is Six Sigma and how can it facilitate lean thinking?

During periods of transition, organisations tend to look for new management structures that can support these decisions. With lower staff retention rates and changing value streams, the transition period is an excellent opportunity to rethink the very foundations of product delivery.

This is where Six Sigma comes in.

How could Six Sigma facilitate a lean transformation?How could Six Sigma facilitate a lean transformation?

Six Sigma is well suited to lean thinking as both aim to increase the value of products delivered to the customer.

Six Sigma’s focuses on reducing the variability in processes and eliminating the defects that can harm overall quality. The data-driven approach to creating value offers lean thinkers the statistical information needed to maintain consistency across the lines of production.

People with a background in these methodologies are in demand, as organisations see the worth of an employee who can lead or be part of the transition process. 

If you would like to know more about how you can talk advantage of Six Stigma’s attractive qualities, make sure you talk to ALC training today. 

Using COBIT 5 training to govern risk

Risk management is one of the most important processes that businesses and organisations engage with. As such, attending COBIT 5 training can open up a whole suit of new employment opportunities. 

However, before you begin it is important to know how COBIT 5 can help manage cyber-security and other IT-related risks. 

How important is risk management?

With the advent of globalisation and the rise of new communication networks, organisations are now more connected than ever before. While these technological developments and new international partnerships have led to unprecedented opportunities for growth, the complexity of this environment has led to a series of new risks. 

Risk management is one of the most important processes that businesses and organisations engage with.

According to AON's 2015 Global Risk Management Survey, damage to reputation and brand is the most top-ranked risk – which is the first time since 2007. Additionally, cyber risk has entered the top ten for the first time following the much-publicised breaches at top companies, such as Home Depot. 

Both these risk categories are intimately linked. If for instance, a company is the victim of a cyber breach, consumers tend to stay away. Consumer trust is a fragile thing and needs to be protected. Luckily there are a number of ways to achieve this. 

One approach could be to have staff attend COBIT 5 training. 

What is COBIT 5 for Risk?

When a company better integrates IT services into their operational processes, they can gain a range of benefits. Unfortunately, this can also lead to a number of business risks that can damage potential growth and productivity. 

COBIT 5 for Risk can help businesses with managing the risk associated with the use, operation and adoption of IT. This is important, as failing to integrate IT risk into enterprise risk can have a major effect on a business. 

How could COBIT 5 help risk management processes?How could COBIT 5 help risk management processes?

According to ISACA, there is a range of outcomes from uncontrolled risk. For instance, for every $1 billion a company spends, $135 million is at risk. Unfortunately, 62 per cent of the chief audit executives from fortune 500 companies have no plans to focus on IT. 

Yet, as risk continues to gain even more traction with major companies, this high number is expected to drop. Attending COBIT 5 training can not only help an individual's job prospects but also allow a company to avoid any unnecessary pitfalls of unmanaged risk – for instance, high insurance premiums. 

If you would like to know more about COBIT 5, make sure you talk to ALC training today. 

IT security training more than a private affair

Risk management of cybersecurity threats is one of the most important processes that executives engage with. In an effort to take advantage, managers are seeking IT security training that offers the skills to frame cybersecurity issues through risk management terms.

By doing this, managers can better justify their commercial decisions and close the gaps among risk tolerance, business goals and cybersecurity initiatives. 

Cybersecurity is a fast growing industry, how can you take advantage?

More government agencies focusing on private cloud

Improvements in cloud technology are allowing it to become a more viable option for public institutions than previous renditions of the technology allowed. One such example is the rise of public cloud platforms, yet, cybersecurity is still a major concern.

According to a release by Gartner, IT security will drive government agencies to adopt cloud computing in 2016. The digital giant argues that the benefits of adopting public cloud technology will allow government platforms to perform better and meet the increasingly high expectations for value.

One of the major predictions outlined in the report is that IT security will overtake cost-savings and agile management practices as the major attraction to move to public clouds.

Neville Cannon, research director at Gartner, said that public cloud providers are able to better invest IT security and cloud technology than a nation's budget can afford – let alone the individual budgets of government departments.

"Many cloud service providers, such as Amazon Web Services, Microsoft and Google, invest heavily in incorporating higher levels of security into their products to continue building confidence that their data is more secure," he said.

How can COBIT 5 help your cybersecurity protocols?How can COBIT 5 help your cybersecurity protocols?

Capitalising on the security rush

In the same way quality PRINCE2 training courses have become a major pathway to employment opportunities, IT security training offers participants a great way to become a valuable asset to organisations and companies around the world.

One certification currently on offer is the Implementing NIST Cybersecurity Framework using COBIT 5. 

While there is a range of benefits to this course, one of the most important is the ability to speak to executives. As the commercial world continues to value risk management and directors continue to deploy the risk-related language, this course offers participants the ability to speak to this important group. 

Using COBIT 5 training to implement the NIST Cybersecurity Framework can help your organisation secure and safeguard its sensitive information and develop an action plan in the event of a breach. 

If you would like to know more about cybersecurity training and risk management, talk to ALC Training today and find out how they can help you accomplish your career objectives. 

Reducing variability and enhancing quality through Six Sigma

In today's digital world, companies and organisations alike are becoming data driven. As such, job offerings are requiring workers to have a background in data-focused frameworks, such as ITIL certification or IT project management training. 

One data-driven quality management best practice that tends to fly under the radar is the quality best practice Six Sigma. But what is it and how can it help you find employment?

One data-driven quality management best practice that tends to fly under the radar is the quality best practice Six Sigma.

What is Six Sigma?

Six Sigma is typically not the first best practice methodology you hear about. Unlike ITIL certifications and PRINCE2 training, which tend to have a 'rock-star' reputation, Six Sigma is less well known. However, this does not make it any less valuable and attractive to employers. 

Six Sigma is a methodological approach to project management that aims to reduce the variability in any process. Specifically, it is a data-first best practice for removing defects by implementing the Six Sigma improvement projects. To achieve this, the best practice uses two sub-methodologies: DMAIC and DMADV. 

The first, Six Sigma DMAIC process (define, measure, analyse, improve, control) is aimed at optimising and enhancing existing processes that are failing to meet key performance indicators. On the other hand, the Six Sigma DMADV process (define, measure, analyse, design, verify) aims to develop new processes or products that corroborate with the Six Sigma quality standard. 

Who is using Six Sigma?

Its adaptability and wide implementation possibilities make studying Six Sigma as viable as attaining an ITIL certification. As such, there are a number of high-value companies and organisations that currently employ Six Sigma to enhance their supply chain and help develop projects that run to a higher standard. 

One example is General Electric (GE). According to their website, to stay competitive and continuously attract customers, GE employs Six Sigma in an effort to remove error and implement quality. The value GE draws from Six Sigma is its central idea of measuring defects in a process and systematically developing approaches to eliminate them – with the end goal of being as close to zero defects as possible. 

To achieve this, GE must ensure that there are no more than 3.4 defects per million opportunities within a single process. An opportunity is a moment that can allow for a nonconformance or a failure to meet the specified standard or quality outlined by the Six Sigma methodology. 

Sigma is a data-driven quality methodology.Sigma is a data-driven quality methodology.

Why choose Six Sigma?

While Six Sigma is not a career per se, there is a wide range of roles that employ Six Sigma and thus are on the look out for workers with a certification and experience. 

Like PRINCE2 training, Six Sigma can help enhance your attraction to organisations and companies that wish to employ a project management professional. Additionally, this offers Six Sigma practitioners the opportunity to work as an employee or as a consulting agent. 

In either scenario, an employer will be looking at not just your credentials but also the training provider you attained them from. To get the best out of your training, talk to the experts in the field of Six Sigma – contact ALC Training today. 

Project Management Resource List

Here we have an overview of the stand-out and classic sources of project management information and tools out there to
ensure your future projects are all a resounding success.

Information is divided into categories, simply click on a category to be taken to the relevant section of the page.

Time to get started with PRINCE2?

The start of a new year is always a good time to think about where you should focus your upskilling efforts in the months ahead. For some, their time will best be spent learning the ins and outs of information security. For others, an introduction to ITIL is an excellent launching point.

For those needing to take charge of projects, however, PRINCE2 training from ALC is one of the best options. Let's take a look at why it's a good idea to start thinking about this framework and where you can get started with a course.

Project managers who have taken the time to undergo PRINCE2 training will certainly find they make fewer mistakes.

Why PRINCE2?

At its core, PRINCE2 is designed to give people the skills required to confidently manage projects. However, PRINCE2 isn't just useful to one particular field.

This is a framework that's applicable to any project within any industry. What's more, courses teach common systems, language and procedures. Project managers who have taken the time to undergo PRINCE2 training will certainly find they make fewer mistakes, ensuring projects run more smoothly and it's a less daunting task to actually manage a project from beginning to end.

Add to this the fact that PRINCE2 can prove especially useful for employment prospects, as potential employers will see a renowned framework listed under key skills and qualifications.

Now, let's have a look at a few of the PRINCE2 courses on offer from ALC Training.

PRINCE2 could be a boon for employment prospects.PRINCE2 could be a boon for employment prospects.

The available PRINCE2 courses

ALC Training has a number of PRINCE2 training courses available, from Practitioner to the Foundation Certificate. Each course will take a different amount of time to complete, and as such it's worth understanding what course is most appropriate for you before signing up.

PRINCE2 Practitioner Certificate: This course has been designed both for current and aspiring project managers alike. It's a useful option if you need to master the framework and simultaneously gain a certification that's recognised across the globe. If you want to become a consultant or trainer, this is the course for you.

Our trainers are fully accredited and have significant experience.

Directing a Project with PRINCE2: This course is available either as a half-day or one-day executive briefing, designed for members of the Project Board. Its purpose is to show these individuals, along with other key stakeholders, the context, purpose and structure of how projects are governed by the board.

PRINCE2 Practitioner Prep: This is the next step from someone who has already obtained the Foundation certification and wants to move up to the Practitioner level. There's a focus on workshops, exercises and case studies during the training.

Why ALC Training?

So, with an idea of the courses available specifically for PRINCE2, why go with ALC Training? With ALC, all dates will run without fail – there's no chance of a cancellation. What's more, we've got a history of providing training courses that dates back to 1994. 

These courses are also competitively priced, to ensure both private individuals and organisations can take advantage of the training. Finally, there's the fact that our trainers are fully accredited and have significant experience with the PRINCE2 certification.

PRINCE2 is a powerful tool for anyone in charge of a project and can certainly prove useful across a variety of industries. To learn more about the courses on offer, don't hesitate to reach out to ALC Training today.

When competition becomes cooperation: PRINCE2 Agile

When it comes to project management, most people will have heard of either PRINCE2 or Agile management frameworks. This is because these are two of the biggest best practice project management frameworks available at the moment.

While PRINCE2 training is still important, there now exists an opportunity to draw on agile methodologies and access the best of both worlds. 

What are the differences between PRINCE2 and Agile?

Previously, these two methodologies were believed to be mutually exclusive due to their fundamental differences in ethos and processes. Critics of PRINCE2 argued that this best practice is overly administrative and tends to over privilege documentation. It is understood to focus on waterfall development cycles that ossified the upfront requirements and conditions of the project, leaving little room for feedback and thus change.  

Agile, on the other hand, was a believed to be characterised by its uncontrollable processes and its lack of effective planning. The main argument was that this fluid system was not anchored to a strong understanding of the customer's needs as well as the possibilities of success. 

When it comes to project management, most people will have heard of either PRINCE2 or Agile management frameworks.

However, both of these characteristics are drawn from a number of misunderstandings. 

One of the major reasons why project management practitioners believe that PRINCE2 is archaic and slow is that the PRINCE2 training providers are only teaching to the test rather than inculcating a real world approach. However, there is a number of providers who focus on effective real-world training that circumnavigates the limited scope of testing. 

Additionally, agile is not a mindless endeavour, but it can be a steep learning curve for those who are either not trained in project management or use another methodology. Not only is the language used unique, agile also focuses on a number of different ideas and processes than other methodologies. 

While both have their benefits and disadvantages, in the past, practitioners have been of the opinion that agile and PRINCE2 methodologies were incompatible.

However, this all changed when AXELOS released PRINCE2 Agile in June 2015. 

How could PRINCE2 Agile work for you?How could PRINCE2 Agile work for you?

What benefits does PRINCE2 Agile have?

Importantly, PRINCE2 Agile has a number of benefits and it is primarily aimed at project managers and organisations who have already been through PRINCE2 training and would like to implement agile practices alongside.

PRINCE2 Agile is the logical step, as both PRINCE2 and Agile methodologies have a range of similarities, such as stakeholder buy-in and effective sponsorship. 

PRINCE2 strengths lie in its ability to move a project forward, but when the delivery stage approaches, agile comes into its own through prototyping, measuring consumer needs and product satisfaction.

If you would like to know more about PRINCE2 Agile methodologies, talk to the experts in the field. Get in contact with ALC Training today and find out more. 

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