PRINCE2 Agile certification
What is PRINCE2 Agile?
Published by AXELOS in June 2015, PRINCE2 Agile is a project management certification scheme developed by AXELOS.
Why was PRINCE2 Agile developed?
PRINCE2 Agile was created to meet increasing demand from the project management community to update the PRINCE2 project management method and improve it with the inclusion of agile tools and practices.
PRINCE2 Agile combines the powerful governance and control features of the PRINCE2 method with the flexibility of Agile.
Is PRINCE2 compatible with Agile?
Yes, it is. Many assume that traditional PRINCE2 project management is incompatible with Agile practices. They are wrong!
PRINCE2 project management dictates the use of a comprehensive set of controls and governance features which might appear to be at odds with the flexibility demanded by Agile.
However, PRINCE2 Agile maintains the level of control provide by PRINCE2 but goes a step further to enable work at the delivery-level to be improved without sacrificing the stability and reliability afforded by PRINCE2.
So, while the PRINCE2 framework can help project managers ensure stability and predictability, PRINCE2 Agile helps project managers work better interface with agile teams.
Combining PRINCE2 with agile
When combining PRINCE2 with agile it is important to consider the strengths and weaknesses of both PRINCE2 and agile.
PRINCE2
Strengths
- Decisions are based upon business justification.
- Project governance helps ensure the project is managed properly and the right things are delivered.
- Nothing in the method is inherently ‘anti-agile’.
Weaknesses
- Has an (unfair) reputation for being cumbersome.
- Is not a development methodology.
Agile approaches
Strengths
- Ability to deliver early, often, and on-time.
- Good for projects where requirements are unknown or subject to change.
Weaknesses
- Doesn’t provide a business justification.
- Is not a project management methodology.
Whilst on their own, both PRINCE2 and agile approaches are perfectly good in and of themselves, they can both be even more valuable when combined. That is the rationale behind the creation of PRINCE2 Agile.
For more information read this article which provides a comparison of PRINCE2 vs PRINCE2 Agile.
