Comments on: Can PRINCE2 be agile? http://migrate.libretech.net/2008/02/04/can-prince2-be-agile/ from perl to ruby Wed, 10 Mar 2010 12:01:15 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Elise http://migrate.libretech.net/2008/02/04/can-prince2-be-agile/#comment-2080 Elise Sat, 09 Jan 2010 20:46:16 +0000 http://migrate.libretech.net/?p=4#comment-2080 I am currently doing a comparison between Agile methods and PRINCE2 project management method. I totally agree with last comment that said PRINCE2 creates too much of unnecessary documentation. Although control is good and to know what and when is happening, I can't actually understand how any IT company could deliver planned software today with PRINCE2 method. Because needs and development happens so quickly companies and teams have to be ready to jump from one road to another and think open-mindedly not inside a box that PRINCE2 seems to be doing after project plan is made. I am currently doing a comparison between Agile methods and PRINCE2 project management method.
I totally agree with last comment that said PRINCE2 creates too much of unnecessary documentation. Although control is good and to know what and when is happening, I can’t actually understand how any IT company could deliver planned software today with PRINCE2 method. Because needs and development happens so quickly companies and teams have to be ready to jump from one road to another and think open-mindedly not inside a box that PRINCE2 seems to be doing after project plan is made.

]]> By: Ian http://migrate.libretech.net/2008/02/04/can-prince2-be-agile/#comment-2058 Ian Wed, 02 Dec 2009 09:21:06 +0000 http://migrate.libretech.net/?p=4#comment-2058 I am fascinating by how PRINCE2 has now started to become entrenched in the private sector. The methodology seems to create a mountain of unnecessary paperwork and as another commenter says provides cover for the incompetent and inefficient to hide behind. I am fascinating by how PRINCE2 has now started to become entrenched in the private sector. The methodology seems to create a mountain of unnecessary paperwork and as another commenter says provides cover for the incompetent and inefficient to hide behind.

]]> By: Hammad Khan http://migrate.libretech.net/2008/02/04/can-prince2-be-agile/#comment-2018 Hammad Khan Tue, 25 Aug 2009 10:41:00 +0000 http://migrate.libretech.net/?p=4#comment-2018 DelphinusD - having working within large projects that have been ran on both Prince2 and Agile, as well as within the public and private sector, I couldn't agree more with what you have said. Prince2 has definately become a great way for those in the public sector to justify their jobs due to their place within an overly complicated framework that places too much emphasis on document creation, without any tangible way to measure effectiveness on an ongoing basis or value added by individuals. Its thanks to systems like this that so much within government is waste, yet there is very little that can be done to pinpoint the problem. DelphinusD - having working within large projects that have been ran on both Prince2 and Agile, as well as within the public and private sector, I couldn’t agree more with what you have said.

Prince2 has definately become a great way for those in the public sector to justify their jobs due to their place within an overly complicated framework that places too much emphasis on document creation, without any tangible way to measure effectiveness on an ongoing basis or value added by individuals. Its thanks to systems like this that so much within government is waste, yet there is very little that can be done to pinpoint the problem.

]]> By: DelphinusD http://migrate.libretech.net/2008/02/04/can-prince2-be-agile/#comment-1239 DelphinusD Tue, 11 Nov 2008 14:03:25 +0000 http://migrate.libretech.net/?p=4#comment-1239 Prince2 was created by the government, for the government. It is a common sense approach which has been made into a large, document-heavy and committee-heavy methodology. It is less about control and more about the illusion of control and competence - "I have a document which says how we control things!" and having traceability "I have another document which shows we did this step!". This tracability serves mainly to remove individual accountability - by helping individuals hide behind decisions made by board and committee. Who are these people who don't want accountability? The ignorant ones? The incompetent ones? The competent ones? Yes - not surprisingly, Prince2 attracts many different types of people: (a) the ignorant - follow it to the letter because they think this alone will assure success; (b) the incompetent - ensuring self-preservation; (c) the rest of us - because that's what more senior people believe will deliver the project using staff they have in (a) and (b) - and if it doesn't work they are preserved also. Back to Agile. As stated before, the elements of Prince2 are common sense - so incorporating Agile into it should be possible - if you can convince your governance bodies to accept not only different levels of tolerances but different types of items to track. In the same way testing is tracked by % across many different areas to check on progress until quality is 'good enough', so Agile development could be also. Worth some more thought I think. Prince2 was created by the government, for the government. It is a common sense approach which has been made into a large, document-heavy and committee-heavy methodology. It is less about control and more about the illusion of control and competence - “I have a document which says how we control things!” and having traceability “I have another document which shows we did this step!”. This tracability serves mainly to remove individual accountability - by helping individuals hide behind decisions made by board and committee.

Who are these people who don’t want accountability? The ignorant ones? The incompetent ones? The competent ones? Yes - not surprisingly, Prince2 attracts many different types of people: (a) the ignorant - follow it to the letter because they think this alone will assure success; (b) the incompetent - ensuring self-preservation; (c) the rest of us - because that’s what more senior people believe will deliver the project using staff they have in (a) and (b) - and if it doesn’t work they are preserved also.

Back to Agile. As stated before, the elements of Prince2 are common sense - so incorporating Agile into it should be possible - if you can convince your governance bodies to accept not only different levels of tolerances but different types of items to track. In the same way testing is tracked by % across many different areas to check on progress until quality is ‘good enough’, so Agile development could be also. Worth some more thought I think.

]]> By: Darjeelink - Alexis Perrier » Blog Archive » Combiner Agile et PRINCE2 http://migrate.libretech.net/2008/02/04/can-prince2-be-agile/#comment-4 Darjeelink - Alexis Perrier » Blog Archive » Combiner Agile et PRINCE2 Mon, 04 Feb 2008 20:12:06 +0000 http://migrate.libretech.net/?p=4#comment-4 [...] Graham Seaman also wonders Can PRINCE2 be agile? [...] [...] Graham Seaman also wonders Can PRINCE2 be agile? [...]

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