Project Management Guidance – The Lowdown

Posted on | February 26, 2009 | Author: | lindsayascott | No Comments

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Many project professionals turn to the Office of Government Commerce (OGC) range of programme and project management products for guidance, knowledge, training and accreditation. The suite includes the popular PRINCE2® methodology, Managing Successful Programmes (MSP®), Management of Risk (M_o_R®), ITIL® and the recent newcomer P3O® (Portfolio, Programme and Project Offices).

The OGC has certainly been busy in recent times, not just with the launch of new guidance but also with refreshes in its popular titles. Here’s the lowdown on the recent changes.

PRINCE2 – The 2009 Refresh

The refreshed project delivery model sees the introduction of “Principles”, “Key Themes”, a reduction in processes, publication of two titles “Directing Successful Projects with PRINCE2®” and “Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2®”. The principles or the guiding principles are almost like a code of conduct or a baseline of set standards, for example;

Roles & Responsibilities…

“…A PRINCE2® project must have defined and agreed roles and responsibilities with an organisation structure that engages the business, user and supplier stakeholder interests”*

The process model has become slightly simplified but the real improvement comes from the introduction of key themes and supporting information on techniques. For many the downside of PRINCE2® has been the lack of guidance on how to initiate the project, how to create the plan etc, here’s hoping this section lives up to expectation.

The PRINCE2:2009™ is due for publication in May 2009 and you can be notified of all the latest news by using the alert service.

*TSO

New Guidance for Project Offices

For many professionals working within the field of programme and project office, the new P3O® guidance (Portfolio, Programme and Project Offices) has been long awaited and the new guidance doesn’t disappoint. Covering both the implementation of new project offices as well as guidance on reinvigorating an existing office, the guidance borrows a lot from the principles of Managing Successful Programmes. Indeed, implementation of such an organisational structure is deemed to be a programme in its own right and it is only fitting that the delivery of implementation is managed using best practice programme and project management principles.

The guidance is not solely aimed at organisations or individuals who are looking for help on setting up a PMO; it also covers the service offerings of the PMO and guiding principles on that age old issue of how to sell your PMO to the wider organisation.

The guidance is available now from the TSO Bookshop now.

See the presentation from Sue Vowler, Lead Author.

Test Your Maturity Today

Organisational maturity may not be at the top of your list of priorities right now but the new P3M3™ (Portfolio, Programme and Project Management Maturity Model) gives an insight to how your organisation is performing today.

There is an online self assessment tool that you can complete right now.

There are five maturity levels and most organisations are usually between level 1 and 3 (Awareness process – Repeatable process – Defined Process). The idea behind P3M3™ is ultimately a tool that allows organisations to see a return on investment of best practice programme and project management. As an individual working within the field of programme and project management it’s also a useful tool to understand where your own organisation is in its maturity and ultimately where you fit within that.

At the recent BPUG Congress, Rob Sowden, Lead Author for P3M3™ also gave some statistical figures for the benefits of P3M3:

Cost Savings – 34%
Scheduling Improvements – 50%
Productivity – 41%
Quality Improvements – 48%
Customer Satisfaction – 14%

See the presentation at this address.

And The Rest

Portfolio Management(PfM) is still in public consultation draft stage but is available for anyone to download and review now. Portfolio Management has been perceived as the missing link by many professionals, it figures in both the programme management principles of MSP™ and the new P3O® guidance.

Download your copy here.

Management of Risk (M_o_R®) underwent a refresh in 2006 and saw improvements made in the framework, principally around the four core concepts. M_o_R® principles, the approach, the process and embedding and reviewing management of risk have been given an overhaul, essentially making the method more streamlined.

Find out more about M_o_R™.

Managing Successful Programmes (MSP™) had responded to the changing face of programme management over the last 5 years – specifically in reaction to the emergence of “transformational change” and “portfolio management”.

Find out more about MSP™.

PRINCE® is a Registered Trade Mark and a Registered Community Trade Mark of the Office of Government Commerce
PRINCE2® is a Registered Trade Mark and a Registered Community Trade Mark of the Office of Government Commerce
PRINCE2:2009™ is a Registered Trade Mark and a Registered Community Trade Mark of the Office of Government Commerce
M_o_R® is a Registered Trade Mark and a Registered Community Trade Mark of the Office of Government Commerce
MSPTM is a Trade Mark and a Registered Community Trade Mark of the Office of Government Commerce
P3O® is a Registered Trade Mark and a Registered Community Trade Mark of the Office of Government Commerce
P3M3TM is a Trade Mark and a Registered Community Trade Mark of the Office of Government Commerce
ITIL® is a Registered Trade Mark and a Registered Community Trade Mark of the Office of Government Commerce.