PRINCE2 Foundation Key Facts: “the Magnificent Sevens”

Monday 04 Jul 2016 @ 13:15
AXELOS

Blog posted by: Craig Smith, AXELOS Commissioning Editor, 04 July 2016.

PRINCE2 is one of the world’s most popular project management methodologiess, so congratulations if you’re studying to take the Foundation exam; having the PRINCE2 certification will prepare you well for job roles both within and outside the world of project management.

But before you before you embark on your studies and eventual examination, it’s worth remembering theMagnificent Sevens of PRINCE2:

Remember the rule of 7s:

7 guiding principles
7 themes
7 processes.

The 7 guiding principles are:

Continued business justification
Learn from experience
Defined roles and responsibilities
Manage by stages
Manage by exception
Focus on products
Tailor to suit the project environment.

The 7 themes are:

Business case
Organization
Quality
Plans
Risk
Change
Process.

The 7 processes are:

Starting up a project
Directing a project
Initiating a project
Controlling a stage
Managing product delivery
Managing a stage boundary
Closing a project.

Know the difference between the different Products, who creates them and when they are created (see Appendix A of Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2®).

Roles and responsibilities do not necessarily map onto specific jobs. Depending on the size of the project and the organization, sometimes different roles can be handled by the same person, or maybe one role needs to be covered by several people (see Appendix C of Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2®).

It’s been said there are seven fundamental ways a project can fail. That numerical reminder should be sufficient to reinforce the value of the many “sevens” that make up this world-leading project management approach and why you’ve chosen to certify in PRINCE2.

See our PRINCE2 Best Practice and PRINCE2 Certification sections for more information.

Read the first post in the series, PRINCE2 Foundation Exam Tips.