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PRINCE2^® & take a walk on the Agile side!
(Release 1.2)

The training and consultancy team at Attra Partners writes:

The recent economic crisis has lead to increasing cost and delivery pressures. Although from a governance perspective PRINCE2 is one of the project management methodologies, there is an (incorrect) impression that PRINCE2 is expensive, heavy handed and inflexible.

The latest edition of PRINCE2 (released June 2009) does facilitate the use of an Agile delivery approach. PRINCE2 defined six aspects of project’s performance that must be agreed and monitored:

PRINCE2 also recommends that tolerances are specified for each of these six aspects.

Let’s see how the SCOPE aspect can be used to “go Agile” – diagrams on the next pages summarise the fusion of these. (knowledge of PRINCE2 & Agile concepts are assumed.)

If you have any questions or comments please email sales@attrapartners.com

PRINCE2^® in an Agile mode

PRINCE2

(Processes)

PRINCE2^® in an Agile mode

PRINCE2

(Notes)

NOTES:

· Agile mode can be adopted within a Stage to deliver products based on a priority order (such as the MOSCOW principle). SCOPE tolerance can be used to remain within the PRINCE2 philosophy.

· The Managing a Stage Boundary (SB) process includes the “Plan the Next Stage” activity. It is here where we would create or refine all Product Descriptions (Specifications) for the next stage. In Agile mode and using SCOPE tolerance we can get Board Agreement to deliver as many of the important Products as possible within a Scrum Cycle (typically 4 weeks).

· If the Product Breakdown Structure is not granular enough, then one can adapt the Product Description ‘s themselves indicating that some f the product’s features are optional and will only be delivered if there is sufficient time within the Scrum cycle. If this is the case, then the same Product gets worked upon in the following Stage(s) or Scrum Cycles.

· One difference between PRINCE2 and Agile is that in the later, the Users are heavily engaged as part of iterative development (equivalent of the MP – Managing Product Delivery process in PRINCE2). This would be acceptable as long as a reasonable agreement is reached before the beginning of the Stage (or Scrum cycle) on the key deliverables (even though not all features may be known). This is where a compromise needs to be reached as PRINCE2 needs the possible features/Scope tolerance to be determined, while pure Agile would entail developing potentially new features (or fine tuning them) during a Scrum cycle.

Product Breakdown

Structure

Example

PRINCE2^® in an Agile mode

PRINCE2

(Organization)

It is important to include a Design Authority/Architects as part of the Senior Supplier representation. This is to address one of the pitfalls of Agile where iterative development may lead to solutions that does not conform to design blue-prints leading to products that are very difficult to subsequently upgrade/enhance to meet future business need.

Scrum Mater takes the role of the Team

User involvement working within the product development team(s)

Project Assurance should make special provision to ensure the Products are properly documented (frequently a downside of Agile - “abuse of the Agile method”)

must have

nice to have

PRINCE2® Articles

Agile Six-Sigma More...

(& useful links)