Foreword

PRINCE2® is widely considered the leading project management method. There are now people qualified in PRINCE2 in the majority of countries around the world. Many companies and governmental organizations are using the method to deliver change and develop new products or services. PRINCE2 provides a tried and tested method from which organizations can benefit.

The updated guidance will help organizations understand how the fundamental principles of PRINCE2 provide the basis of good project management. It also emphasizes how the method can be tailored to give an appropriate fit to a multitude of project sizes, types and environments. This latest evolution of PRINCE2 has been developed through consultation with project professionals to reflect their real-life experiences; something it shares with the previous iterations. It brings this experience together to provide practical guidance on managing projects in a wide variety of environments including those using agile approaches.

This new edition retains the familiar PRINCE2 approach to project management with its overall structure of principles, themes and processes. The theme chapters have been restructured to improve the flow and readability and accommodate the new material on tailoring. We have clarified the minimum requirements for running a project using PRINCE2 and differentiated these from the recommended approaches and techniques that can be used with PRINCE2. To reinforce this message we have also made changes to the qualification syllabus and examination design so that tailoring is explicitly tested in the practitioner exam.

Many projects today involve collaboration across organizational or even national boundaries. PRINCE2 provides a universal language that unites the project team with external suppliers and colleagues in other countries. In such environments a common understanding of what the project is trying to achieve, why the project is being undertaken and the benefits to be delivered, who is responsible for doing what, and what the project timescales are, are crucial to project success. These are all aspects where PRINCE2 can help organizations to better manage their projects.

The changes in this edition are all designed to make the method easier for individuals to use and for organizations adopting PRINCE2.

Good luck with your projects: whatever your delivery environment might be, there will be something in this publication to help you.

Peter Hepworth
CEO
AXELOS Global Best Practice