Agile vs. PRINCE2: Which one should you choose?

 

When it comes to deciding what project management framework to use, finding the right approach for your business can be a challenge. Two of the most popular frameworks are Agile and its predecessor PRINCE2, and there are different advantages to each. It can be easy to develop a bias to a particular method rather than assessing each one individually, which may mean you aren’t necessarily using the best framework for your project.

Consequently, a key factor in choosing whether to undertake training courses in PRINCE2 or Agile is understanding what each one can bring for businesses.

What are the pros of each framework?

PRINCE2 is a well-established framework with longevity on its side. Although able to be flexible, it is often utilised with a Waterfall delivery framework. This involves a linear approach to project management, in which each aspect of the project is completed in succession and flows sequentially into the next from start to finish.

According to a specialist WordPress agency Wholegrain Digital, there are several benefits to the waterfall framework. It involves an accurate and detailed plan, which makes it quite straightforward to follow, and creates good records to monitor and track progress, meaning fulfilling objectives is easier. This makes it simpler to maintain the continuity of the project regardless of changes to those working on it.

On the other hand, Agile places greater value on contribution and interrelation of individuals, as opposed to the technical processes of the project. More of a focus is placed on regular feedback from the consumer to help drive development, and as a result, it is very adaptable and involves less paperwork. Essentially, it is driven by the notion of creating value for the customer and is scalable to the needs of the company and project.

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Which framework is right for your company?

As you can see, both of these frameworks have their advantages, and selecting the right one depends on the specific needs of the business.

However, implementing a project management framework is not about simply following the specifications of one method rigidly. Instead, business are free to embrace the aspects that will be most useful, such as the meticulous records of PRINCE2 with the consumer-centric values of Agile.

Luckily, when it comes to undergoing IT project management training, ALC Training offers a course that integrates the two of them, called Agile PM, so businesses will have the best of both worlds. To get more information on selecting the right framework for your project, contact us today.

 

Competition law reforms to help small businesses gain the advantage

Traditionally, it has often been difficult for small business to keep up with larger corporations, as they don't have the same resources available to them to make them competitive.

However, the recent announcement of changes to Australian competition law is likely to give small businesses a much needed boost, allowing them to gain a more prominent position in the market. Subsequently, smaller companies looking to take advantage of the reforms may be looking for ways to bolster their competitiveness by enhancing their use of IT services though training such as ITIL certification.

Small businesses make up 97 per cent of the Australian market.

Australian competition law up for change

With around 97 per cent of all Australian companies being small business, the announcement by the Turnbull government that they will be reforming competition laws is very significant to the Australian market. The changes are intended to prevent large organisations from engaging in activities that give them an unfair advantage, and thereby promote competition and diversity.

Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce said that this is a welcome change for small businesses around the country. 

"These reforms will address a long-standing weakness in the existing competition rules and will ensure that we have a more transparent and competitive marketplace that treats all supply chain participants fairly," he said

"Importantly, and for the first time in Australia, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) will have meaningful provisions to protect businesses that have been subject to misuse of market power."

The reform is set to prove several benefits for small businesses including better access to dispute remedies, a review of competitive neutrality guidelines, an improved bargaining position and a consideration of the results of anti-competitive guidelines. 

With the changes resulting in a positive outlook for small businesses, this creates a prime opportunity to embrace resources like IT to help them to further their level of competitiveness. 

IT provides a number of benefits that can make businesses more competitive. IT provides a number of benefits that can make businesses more competitive.

How can IT skills give small businesses a competitive edge?

According to the Houston Chronicle, IT can help to provide a competitive advantage because companies can use technological developments to make their products more innovative and unique, and they can reduce costs by promoting efficiency and productivity. In addition, workload automation can help small businesses to overcome the boundaries of a limited budget and resources.

However, in order to get the best results from their technology, small businesses should consider giving IT project management training to their professionals. This can help them to be most effective in the implementation and utilisation of technology, and make them more competitive in the long term.

How can training help managers get the most out of their diverse workforce?

Many aspects of IT project management focus on having the right tools and strategies ready for use. One of the most important tools at a manager's disposal is the team that he or she is working with.

Having top-quality tools to work with is important, but the real key is that managers know how to use those tools to ensure success. Given the growing diversity of the Australian workforce, managers must be able to effectively work in an environment of increasing multiculturalism.

Diversity in Australia is on the rise

More Australians were born overseas now than at any point in the last 120 years.

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), 28 per cent of Australia's population was born outside of the country. That is a higher percentage than at any other point in the last 120 years.

On top of that milestone, the number of Australians born overseas has risen each year for over a decade, suggesting that future generations entering the workforce will continue to increase the amount of diversity in workplaces across the country.

There is even a great variety among where immigrants to Australia have come from. The ABS's top 10 countries of origin span four continents and include, in ranked order:

The business sense behind fostering diversity

There are a number of reasons why businesses can benefit from multiculturalism in the workplace. According to a report by Deloitte and the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission, employees perform more effectively when they feel like they are welcomed in a company that embraces diversity.

This includes a 42 per cent increase in the ability to work together, a 31 per cent increase in fielding customer requirements and a staggering 83 per cent increase in innovative abilities.

The report also indicated that improved work-life balance is a key component of workers feeling that sense of inclusiveness.

According to the Australian government, a diverse workplace also makes it easier for businesses to expand into overseas markets, reach out to a more diverse customer base locally and provide better service to their clients.

Barriers to the benefits of diversity

Though there are a number of reasons to encourage workplace diversity, Australian companies have some work to do. This is particularly evident when it comes to management roles. According to the Diversity Council Australia (DCA), business leadership positions have some catching up to do in order to match current demographics.

A DCA report, Capitalising on Culture, found that 32 per cent of the Australian population comes from a non-Anglo-Celtic background, only 22 per cent of CEOs, 14 per cent of chairs and 20 per cent of senior executives share that heritage.

The numbers are much more dismal when focusing in on specific ethnicities. Australians with an Asian heritage, for instance, make up 10 per cent of the population but only 2 per cent of executive managers.

Training can provide a solution

One of the most effective ways forward for workplace diversity is when management leads the way in promoting an inclusive environment. In order to foster a climate of acceptance, managers need the right tools at their disposal. 

Fostering diversity in the workplace is easier with the right tools.Fostering diversity in the workplace is easier with the right tools.

ALC Training's two-day course Managing and Leading Diverse Teams teaches leaders how to harness the power of diversity to improve employee and business performance while bridging the gaps between cultures in the workplace. 

The training also places a strong emphasis on the process of developing and strengthening bonds between team members, as well as uses case studies to explore how diverse teams have succeeded or succumbed to issues in the real world.

For more information about this training, or other programs such as IT governance training, contact ALC today.

How the PRINCE2 principles could have prevented royal blunders: Part 3

When it comes to IT project management training, the lessons learned are applicable to much more than just a business venture. They can provide guidance for many tasks, such as the decision to name an heir to a vast empire. 

Conversely, those lessons can be ignored, and that empire can be torn apart by discord and chaos. Such was the fate of the monumental empire of Alexander the Great – another ruler that should have set aside time for PRINCE2 training courses.

Ending a project with PRINCE2

Missteps in the last leg can completely undo even the most successful project.

Napoleon Bonaparte showed us the importance of organised and controlled management in the middle of a venture, but the ending can be just as important. Missteps in the last leg can completely undo even the most successful project. 

It is hard to argue that Alexander the Great had anything other than an incredibly successful undertaking with the foundation of his Macedonian Empire. In just 10 years, he established a dominion that spread over three continents from Greece to Egypt and India.

While Alexander's empire was formidable, it fell victim to a lack of planning in the end stages. When Alexander died in 323 B.C., his generals – known as the Diadochi, or successors – fought bitterly for control. The great Macedonian Empire was eventually broken up, and control of the provinces went to powerful members of the Diadochi.

Defining roles in PRINCE2

We've seen that one of the key principles in PRINCE2 methodology is the importance of roles and duties. According to Deloitte, if business leaders want to ensure a lasting future and maintain financial success, they must develop a strong succession plan early on.

Whether for a single project or an entire business, it is crucial to know who will take up the mantle of leadership if the current head leaves. Defining this and other key responsibilities is one of the main principles of PRINCE2 training.

No matter what business you're in, it is never a good idea to pass the reins off "to the strongest." According to Greek historian Diodorus Siculus, that was Alexander's response when asked to whom he would leave his kingdom. Without a legitimate heir and no clear successor, Alexander neglected to clearly define project roles at the end of his imperial venture.

PRINCE2 training teaches the importance of defining roles in project management.PRINCE2 training teaches the importance of defining roles in project management.

Alexander's PRINCE2 failure led to the fighting amongst the Diadochi and the dissolution of his once-great empire.

Business leaders can take a lesson from Alexander's blunder by taking lessons from ALC Training. Get in touch today to find out about our PRINCE2 training offerings.

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How to develop company architecture efficiently with TOGAF 9

When it comes to surviving and thriving in the modern business world, staying on the cutting edge is a must. In order to do this, however, a company must remain agile and prepared to handle changing trends.

Companies are placing a greater emphasis on strategic reorganisations. The time is ripe for them to ensure they have the right tools at their disposal for managing new architectures with IT project management training like TOGAF 9 courses.

An emphasis on reorganisation

A shift away from traditional top-down management structures is taking greater priority for a number of businesses. In Deloitte's Global Human Capital Trends 2016, 92 per cent of survey respondents said organisational redesign was an important or very important priority, while 80 per cent are planning on reorganising, or have already done so.

IT project management training can help prepare for the rise in reorganisations.IT project management training can help prepare for the rise in reorganisations.

With these redesigns, organisations are shifting towards lateral team-based project management structures. As more companies look to make these or other changes, it is important that they are prepared for the challenges of such a radical design shake-up.

The Architecture Development Method (ADM) that forms the centrepiece of TOGAF 9 methodology can ensure that companies have a proper framework in place for instituting a new company architecture.

Why choose TOGAF 9?

As a framework for enterprise architecture (EA), TOGAF 9 is a useful tool for implementing organisational change in the workplace. This standard is used by industry leaders worldwide to ensure efficiency when it comes to EA.

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The skills learned through TOGAF 9 training are highly valuable for companies and individuals alike. According to the Foote Research Group's IT Skills Demand and Pay Trends Report for the second quarter of 2015, TOGAF 9 topped the charts of non-certified IT skills for highest paying premiums and tied for third-highest among certified IT skills.

To date, over 54,000 individuals have attained a TOGAF 9 certification. 

For companies looking into pursuing a new organisational method, TOGAF 9 can help ensure the success of a change initiative. In a Robert Half Management Resources survey, 46 per cent of senior managers said that new projects focused on implementing a significant change were most likely to fail in the implementation stage.

Change management requires a useful toolkit to mitigate against chances of failure. The process for development and implementation laid out in TOGAF 9's ADM can be particularly helpful in these projects.

The phases of TOGAF 9's ADM

Focusing on managing requirements is essential at each project phase.

TOGAF 9's ADM phases can be pictured as a wheel – enterprise architecture is cyclical in nature and enables businesses to constantly adapt to changing needs and circumstances.

Outside of the circle is the preliminary phase. Here, architects focus on preparing for the project kickoff as well as defining goals and requirements.

Once the ADM begins, it is important to focus on managing the project requirements at each phase. Requirement Management is the hub in the wheel of ADM. The phases, spokes in the wheel, include:

These phases work together to ensure that issues that could arise in this change implementation are addressed before they become problems.

For more information about TOGAF 9 or other IT governance training opportunities, contact ALC today.

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. 

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. 

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. 

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.