What is PRINCE2 Agile®?

PRINCE2 Agile^® was released by Axelos in June of 2015 in order to bring together two of the great project management methods and to lend greater flexibility to projects. The course can at present be attended in classrooms in Australia, New Zealand, Europe and the UK.

There are many that believe the PRINCE2 and Agile project management methodologies are contradictory in nature. This is largely due to the myth that PRINCE2 is a traditional waterfall approach to project management when, in fact, this is nothing but a misconception. The fact is that PRINCE2 is still the de facto method for project management used by thousands of Project Managers and organisations all over the world. With Agile seeing a great deal of growth, there is now demand for PRINCE2 and Agile to be used in conjunction with each other, offering Project Managers the best of both worlds.

How will my organisation benefit?

Is it really worth it for organisations to train their staff in PRINCE2 Agile when they have already adopted one of the methods? Below we will look at the added benefits that your organisation can expect when adopting PRINCE2 Agile.

A wider focus

Agile and PRINCE2 are both considered to be leading project management methods. Given that PRINCE2 focusses on the project as a whole and Agile has a strong focus on delivery, the combination of the two methods will ensure that your organisation’s projects deliver quality products on time whilst giving the project the best possible chance at being successful.

Improved communication

The fact that the PRINCE2 and Agile terminology has now been consolidated means that your project staff will be able to communicate without the hindrance of misunderstood or confusing language, something that has led to the demise of a great deal of projects. Communication plays a massive part in project management, given that everyone involved in a project needs to know exactly what they need to be doing and when.

Flexibility

PRINCE2 is best known for the fact that it can be tailored to suit the needs of any project, in any industry and of any size. The flexibility that is added by incorporating Agile into PRINCE2 will see your projects enjoy even more possibilities where tailoring towards Agile’s delivery methods is concerned, ensuring that each project is treated on its own merit.

Return on your investment

Many organisations have invested heavily in staff training in either the PRINCE2 or Agile methods. They will now be afforded the opportunity to benefit from both methods without the need to invest in training in an added method but will instead reap the benefits of both.

What will this course teach me?

The PRINCE2 Agile Foundation and Practitioner course will enable you to:

• Understand the basic concepts of working in an Agile context
• Understand the purpose of combining PRINCE2 and Agile
• Implement and assess the focus areas to a project in an Agile way
• Apply (fix and flex) the six project aspects according to Agile
• Tailor the Principles, Processes, Themes and management products of PRINCE2 to a project in an Agile context
• Sit the PRINCE2 Agile Foundation and Practitioner exams with confidence

What about my previous certifications?

There are no formal academic prerequisites to undertake the PRINCE2 Agile Foundation course.

PRINCE2 Agile Practitioner takes into account, as a prerequisite, the following certifications:

• PRINCE2 Agile Foundation
• PRINCE2 Foundation
• Project Management Professional (PMP)
• Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)
• IPMA Level A (Certified Projects Director)
• IPMA Level B (Certified Senior Project Manager)
• IPMA Level C (Certified Project Manager)
• IPMA Level D (Certified Project Management Associate)

Individuals that hold any of the above certifications will automatically qualify to undertake the PRINCE2 Agile Practitioner course and the accompanying exam.

Exam information

The PRINCE2 Agile Foundation exam will be presented in multiple choice format consisting of 50 questions that are each worth one mark. The pass mark for the exam is 55% (28 out of a possible 50 marks). Students will have 60 minutes (1 hour) to complete the exam with no additional reading time allowed. It is a closed-book exam and no additional reading material will be allowed during the exam.

The PRINCE2 Agile Practitioner exam will be presented in an objective testing format consisting of 50 questions that are each worth one mark. The pass mark for the exam is 60% (30 out of a possible 50 marks). Students will have 150 minutes (2.5 hours) to complete the exam with no additional reading time allowed. It is an open-book exam, allowing students to use their official PRINCE2 Agile guides throughout.

In conclusion

There are those who will be sceptical of PRINCE2 Agile, given that many still believe the two methods to be too dissimilar, but the fact that there is a huge focus on collaboration, iterative development and empowerment of the project team, it is a fit that will stand the test of time, providing Project Managers and their organisations alike with the very best of both the Agile and PRINCE2 world.