Project Management System

There is no denying the fact PRINCE is a project management method; not system development, which covers the organization, management and control of projects. Since its introduction in 1989, PRINCE has become widely used in both the public and private sectors and is now the UK’s de facto standard for project management. Although PRINCE was originally developed for the needs of IT projects, the method has also been used on many non-IT projects. PRINCE requires a dedicated team to be established to manage and carry out each project. It therefore aims to provide a supporting framework between the current state of affairs and the planned future state. PRINCE focuses attention on end-products rather than activities, ensuring that the organization actually gets what it wants out of the project. Quality is seen as a necessary and integral part of the project and the focus on end-products enables the criteria by which quality is to be judged to be specified at the outset of the project. It requires the development of a viable “business case” for the project at its outset and that the business case needs to be periodically reviewed. In PRINCE a project is regarded as having the following characteristics:  defined and unique set of technical products to meet the business needs  corresponding set of activities to construct those products  certain amount of resources  finite lifespan  organizational structure with defined responsibilities In PRINCE, an approach to planning based on products rather than activities and the use of this approach for the benefits. It also emphasizes that projects needs to define the ‘ shape’ or manageable phases of a project to promote sound business control. Stages are characterized by the production of specific products. The PRINCE model for projects is based on two main principles:  The project is a joint responsibility between users, the developers and the organisation for whose benefit the end-product is being developed  In order for projects to succeed, a special structure is demanded to manage the project throughout its life - from conception through build to handover. This structure is distinct from normal line management. Using these principles, the model defines three levels of activity:  Overall project management and major decision making  Day-to-day management  Production of end-products These three levels of activity are assigned respectively to the Project Board, to the Project and Stage Managers, and to the Technical Teams.