With countless project management techniques to choose from to support project delivery, PRINCE2 focuses on just seven — each carefully aligned to support its seven practices for consistency and control.
People sometimes ask why the PRINCE2 method and PRINCE2 certification exams do not cover a broad range of project management techniques. We first need to think about the aim of PRINCE2 which is to provide a management method that covers elements that are necessary for ‘all’ types of projects. Many techniques are likely required for some types of projects but not necessarily ‘all’ project types.
There are potentially hundreds if not thousands of techniques that can be used across many different types of projects. If PRINCE2 was to cover a broad range of management techniques, the authors of the method are likely to find difficulty on two levels: ‘which techniques do they exclude and is the technique relevant for all types of projects’. For example; if we would select Earned Value Analysis, which is a progress control technique, it is likely to provide value to large scale engineering projects with high financial cost though likely of little value for projects of low complexity.
PRINCE2 training does not ignore techniques. In fact, the Foundation certification training outlines seven techniques central to the application of each of its seven practices.
- Business Case practice
- Organizing practice
- Plans practice
- Quality practice
- Risk practice
- Issues practice
- Progress practice.
During the PRINCE2 project management Practitioner certification training we also provide a brief overview of discretionary techniques that may provide additional support in the use of PRINCE2’s seven practices.