You learn the PRINCE2 Agile approach of how to combine PRINCE2 with Agile. Suitable for people working in an agile environment who are either new to, or are experienced with, PRINCE2.
Includes PRINCE2 Agile exams.
Self-paced PRINCE2 Agile online learning is for people wanting to learn the PRINCE2 Agile way of managing and delivering projects, and prefer to study at their own pace.
Includes PRINCE2 Agile exams.
PRINCE2 Agile is an evolution of PRINCE2. The PRINCE2 Agile guidance offers ways in which PRINCE2 can be adjusted to fit the requirements of an organization looking to handle projects using agile methods. As agile approaches gain traction, PRINCE2 Agile responds to the needs of organizations aiming to implement PRINCE2 with agile methods.
PRINCE2 Agile was introduced by AXELOS in 2015 due to the increasing interest from project professionals in integrating PRINCE2 with agile methods. AXELOS hired Keith Richards, an agile thought-leader to write PRINCE2 Agile
While PRINCE2 Agile, like PRINCE2, focuses on project management, many agile techniques, including Scrum and Kanban, are designed for continuous improvements to existing software solutions, termed by PRINCE2 as business-as-usual.
Neither PRINCE2 nor PRINCE2 Agile is designed for managing this kind of continuous work, with typical agile methods being more suitable for such tasks.
While PRINCE2 and PRINCE2 Agile are similar, they each have their respective guidance manuals. While the PRINCE2 manual is referenced in other discussions, the PRINCE2 Agile manual retains the foundational elements of PRINCE2, including its principles, themes, processes, and tailoring. It further offers insight into applying PRINCE2 within an agile framework.
PRINCE2 is a widely adopted project management methodology globally. Both PRINCE2 and agile techniques offer distinct advantages and challenges. When integrated, they synergize, leading to a comprehensive approach for handling projects in agile environments.
While PRINCE2 emphasizes project direction and management, it doesn’t delve deeply into product delivery. Conversely, agile places a significant emphasis on product delivery but less so on project direction and management.
By blending PRINCE2 and agile, PRINCE2 Agile ensures robust capabilities in project direction, management, and product delivery.
PRINCE2 Agile provides guidance on how to tailor PRINCE2 to agile environments in five main ways:
Tailoring refers to how the project management adapts PRINCE2 to suit the project environment. Before discussing tailoring of PRINCE2, it is important to understand a key concept of PRINCE2 Agile – ‘fixing and flexing’.
One of the keys to understanding PRINCE2 Agile is the concept of ‘fixing and flexing’ scope and quality to deliver within a timebox.
PRINCE2 defines 6 tolerance areas (time, cost, quality, scope, benefits, risks). Tolerances are used to delegate authority from a higher management level to lower level.
For example, the project board might give a time tolerance of +/- 1 month of the time target for the project. By doing this, it gives the project manager room to manoeuvre if progress starts to slip from the plan. Each tolerance area can be assigned a range, rather than a pinpoint target.
Whereas in a traditional waterfall project, time and cost are often the most important variables. In agile projects however, scope and quality are the most important.
In PRINCE2 Agile, time and cost are fixed (i.e. have zero tolerance), but scope and quality (quality criteria, or requirements) are flexible (do have tolerance). The other 2 tolerance areas in PRINCE2 (benefits and risk) may be either fixed or flexed (might have tolerance).
Underlying the concept of fixing and flexing are the 5 targets defined in PRINCE2 Agile. These are based upon common agile concepts and include:
Remember the concept of fixing and flexing the tolerances as we proceed through the article.
The seven PRINCE2 principles are never tailored because they are the foundation stones of the method that must be applied to all types of projects, agile or not.
However, does look at the principles through an ‘agile lens’ which puts a different perspective on them.
Here the PRINCE2 Agile emphasis is on delivering customer value by defining a minimum viable product (MVP). An MVP is a product with just enough features to satisfy customers early and provides feedback for future product development. If the project is to fail, it is better to fail early. An MVP helps with that decision.
The team and the customer learn by having retrospectives, short feedback loops and by working in an ‘inspect and adapt’ manner.
PRINCE2 Agile keeps all the defined PRINCE2 roles but assigns some agile responsibilities. In addition, some agile roles are added.
In PRINCE2 Agile, stages should be short and consist of regular timeboxed delivery (sprints) focusing on product releases to the customer.
Tolerances for cost and time are zero (fixed) but variable (flexed) for scope and quality. This empowers the team to organise their work in the most efficient manner to deliver the agreed scope for the timebox (sprint).
PRINCE2 Agile enables a product-focus by prioritisation of product features, products, and their quality criteria.
PRINCE2 Agile recommends the use of the Agilometer. This tool helps the project management team assess the suitability of the project environment for agile working.
The seven themes in PRINCE2 (now known as practices in PRINCE2 7th edition) can and should be tailored in an agile context. Agile primarily centres on product delivery, leading to certain practices in PRINCE2 Agile being more emphasized than others.
For instance, the practices of plans and progress stand out, while the business case and risk themes receive less emphasis. Nevertheless, all seven practices remain essential and must be adjusted and incorporated throughout a project’s duration.
Benefits tolerances may be ‘flexed’ in PRINCE2 Agile, so it is recommended to apply a ‘best case, worst case, expected case’ analysis to the expected benefits. What’s key is to link the amount of product delivered to the expected benefits.
PRINCE2 Agile recommends the explicit definition of the minimum viable product. The business case should explain how the MVP contributes to the expected benefits. The MVP enables assumptions to be tested early and is a good way to mitigate risk.
PRINCE2 Agile recommends all the PRINCE2 roles with specific tailoring of their responsibilities. Particular attention should be focused on how the team manager is integrated into the delivery team.
Also, attention must be given to the relationship between the PRINCE2 team manager, project manager and common agile roles such as product owner, scrum master, agile coach, business ambassador. For example, can the team manager role be performed by the scrum master role?
Both scope and quality are flexible in PRINCE2 Agile. Therefore, on PRINCE2 Agile projects, it is necessary that stakeholders understand that a reduction in scope does not mean a reduction in quality too.
On a PRINCE2 Agile project, acceptance criteria and quality criteria are prioritised, and quality tolerances are defined. Agile concepts such as definitions of ‘done’ and ‘ready’ help ensure that the team knows when work can be stopped or is ready for deployment.
Planning is an area where there are a lot of agile techniques and approaches. On PRINCE2 Agile projects, low tech approaches, such as a simple backlog list in place of a stage plan can be considered.
It might also be useful to use release plans in the form of a backlog within the stage plan. These would typically contain several sprints.
The priority in PRINCE2 Agile is always to look at how much value can be delivered in a fixed timeframe.
Agile techniques address many of the familiar project risks by:
However, agile working comes with its own risks e.g. the challenges of continual customer engagement.
A PRINCE2 Agile project must ensure that risk management processes are not bureaucratic. The level of formality should be appropriate to the needs of the project e.g. a few columns on the team board might suffice, rather than using an electronic risk register.
PRINCE2 and agile both see change as inevitable. PRINCE2 Agile recommends that significant change affecting the justification of the project is managed through change control.
Lower-level change (e.g. product features) must be more responsive and can be dealt with by prioritization techniques (e.g. MoSCoW prioritization) by the customer working alongside the team.
This is another area in PRINCE2 Agile where there are lots of agile approaches and techniques. Agile focuses on tracking what is delivered using metrics such as velocity, lead times or value.
PRINCE2 Agile recommends that tolerances are set for scope and quality. Often, burndown and burnup charts can be used to demonstrate any value realized.
The seven PRINCE2 processes must also be used and tailored throughout a project. Here is a summary of how the processes can be tailored in PRINCE2 Agile.
The project board in PRINCE2 Agile must manage by exception to help empower the development teams. Progress reporting must focus on the amount of product delivered and the benefits realized. The project board should attend key demos to gain an insight into the details of the project. Decision-making may be based upon information pulled from radiators.
These processes are likely to be combined on PRINCE2 Agile projects. They should be swift enough to put in place the foundations for the rest of the project. They should focus on business justification and defining the minimum viable product (MVP).
The project initiation documentation (PID) may exist as an information radiator. The project should be planned as several releases. This requires a definition of ‘done’ to be agreed within the team(s).
In PRINCE2 Agile, stages consist of timeboxes – either releases or sprints. Delivery must focus on which features to deliver to enable the expected benefits. Teams work collaboratively and get involved in sprint planning and estimating. Each stage may include one or more releases or sprints.
Progress, issues, and risks can be tracked in stand-ups, information radiators, burn charts, sprint demos.
The work package still forms the vital interface between the project manager and the team. It’s the work package which brings PRINCE2 and agile working together and should be collaboratively defined.
The work package is the boundary of control between the project manager and the team, and it empowers the team to self-organize and enables rich communication.
Stage boundaries enables the team to look both forwards and backwards.
Looking backwards, it helps the team understand:
Looking forwards, it helps the team to:
Also, just as in PRINCE2, it enables the project board to review the business case, project plan and decide whether to continue.
This process enables the team and the project manager to look both forwards and backwards. It looks at when the benefits will be realized and provides the final operational handover and acceptance.
When adjusting the themes and processes, it’s crucial to consider the specific behaviours of the project management team. Ensuring these behaviours operate harmoniously is vital for maximizing the efficiency of the PRINCE2 agile approach. The five PRINCE2 Agile behaviours are:
PRINCE2 Agile offers insights on areas that need emphasis because of the characteristics of agile ways of working. These highlighted areas also come with recommendations on specific techniques that can bolster their effectiveness. There are five focus areas in PRINCE2 Agile which are:
In PRINCE2 Agile, the PRINCE2 management products that assist the project management team in planning, overseeing, and controlling a project are also employed but undergo modifications. PRINCE2 outlines multiple methods to depict these management tools, such as using information radiators displayed on a whiteboard within a communal workspace.
Obtaining a PRINCE2 Agile certification is beneficial for those involved in agile project environments. The resources, duration, and expenses dedicated to achieving this certificate can offer substantial returns. Earning a PRINCE2 Agile certification can enhance an individual’s career potential and pave the way for more job possibilities.
There are two levels of PRINCE2 Agile certification: Foundation and Practitioner. The most suitable level for an individual hinges on their unique situation and professional aspirations.
Individuals who achieve the PRINCE2 Agile Foundation certification demonstrate a sufficient understanding of the core concepts within the PRINCE2 Agile approach.
To earn the certification, candidates need to pass the 1-hour PRINCE2 Agile Foundation exam, which is included in accredited training.
Individuals who secure the PRINCE2 Agile Practitioner certification show a clear understanding of PRINCE2 governance requirements and possess sufficient knowledge of agile methods and techniques, including Scrum, Kanban, and Lean Start-up.
To achieve this certification, aspirants must successfully pass the 2.5-hour PRINCE2 Agile Practitioner exam, which comes with accredited training sessions.
To gain certification it is necessary to pass the PRINCE2 Agile examinations. The PRINCE2 Agile Foundation exam is shorter and generally considered more straightforward. In the UK, a significant majority, over 99%, of students successfully pass the 1-hour Foundation exam on their first attempt. The longer PRINCE2 Agile Practitioner exam, lasting 2.5 hours, sees a pass rate of approximately 87% on the first try among UK students.
PRINCE2 Agile exams are usually included in accredited PRINCE2 Agile training.
A large portion of individuals attaining PRINCE2 Agile certification enrol in accredited PRINCE2 Agile training courses or PRINCE2 Agile online training. Only PRINCE2 Agile Accredited Training Organisations (ATOs) offer such accredited training. These ATOs undergo a rigorous accreditation process, ensuring they meet the necessary standards to provide high-quality training.
You should do your research to get the best price for PRINCE2 Agile training.
For those people who are new to PRINCE2 Agile and want to learn what it is, and the benefits it can bring, watch this webinar recording of PRINCE Agile expert Andew Kell talking about blending PRINCE2 with Agile.
Both PRINCE2 Agile and PRINCE2 offers numerous benefits for organisations which adopt it, and for individuals who get certified.
The PRINCE2 Agile guidance manual provides comprehensive guidance to applying PRINCE2 Agile. The book is the official text for PRINCE2 Agile accredited training, and its content forms the basis of the questions on the PRINCE2 Agile examinations.
A comprehensive PRINCE2 Agile glossary exists for both PRINCE2 Agile terms and more generic agile terms.
This article provides a comparison of PRINCE2 Agile and PRINCE2.
For students preparing for their PRINCE2 Agile exam, we have prepared some free PRINCE2 Agile Foundation exam questions with answers.
For a comprehensive set of frequently asked questions about PRINCE2 Agile, see these PRINCE2 Agile FAQs.
Choose PRINCE2 Agile Foundation to learn how PRINCE2 can be used on agile projects.
PRINCE2 Agile Foundation is for people who are new to PRINCE2 and who work on, support, or manage agile projects.
Choose PRINCE2 Agile Practitioner to learn the practical application of PRINCE2 on agile projects.
PRINCE2 Agile Practitioner is for people who already certified in either PRINCE2 Foundation or PRINCE2 Agile Foundation and want to learn to apply PRINCE2 on agile projects.
