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Getting It Done... With A Prince2 Course

All processes can benefit from the discipline of Project Management. Those considering training or retraining to build a career in this sector will find it a stimulating and exacting profession, and extremely rewarding. It appeals to people who are numerate and logical, and who have a good technical aptitude. Also, PM requires a good deal of interaction with other departments and organisations, so there is a need for a clear and unambiguous exchange of ideas.

...Delivering The Goods

Companies today want everything to come in on time, at the right quality and within the original budget. To over-simplify, a plan has a start and end date, a list of tasks and a list of the resources needed.

Then we need to add in all the real-life complexities that most projects have to deal with. Learning the skills to utilise commercial resources in the most lean and efficient manner will enable you to enter this well-paid and well-thought of profession.

There are various levels of qualifications and training, some of which require no prior knowledge or experience in industry.

Depending on the level of training you take, you will learn about initiating, managing, and maintaining small to large-scale projects that can be implemented in all areas of industry.

Tools And Techniques

Students will need to be introduced to the idioms used in Project Management. Training will help you to get inside not only the terms, but also the thought processes that have developed into the recognised techniques and tools.

There are many processes in project management, but as all projects seek to achieve the same goals you'll find a good deal of cross-over in the various training approaches.

A Long And Interesting History...

Project Management really isn't the young profession you might think it is - we can actually trace its roots back for millennia! It was originally the responsibility of senior engineers and architects - think Sir Christopher Wren in the 17th century and Isambard Kingdom Brunel in the 19th century.

The early 1900's saw the development of PM tools and techniques, with Henry Gantt producing his Gantt chart and Henri Fayol proposing five primary management functions and fourteen principles of management. F W Taylor's great scientific management contribution is still in evidence today, as modern project management tools have their origins in much of his work including WBS (work breakdown structure) and resource allocation.

The Story Of Modern Project Management

Prior to the nineteen fifties, projects in the United States were largely managed on an informal basis - probably with a Gantt Chart but generally with ad-hoc tools and techniques. The Polaris missile project involved so many different aspects that a new management system had to be developed to handle it.

The answer was to produce a revival of Taylor's scientific management, a project model known as PERT. The Critical Path Method (another mathematical technique) was also developed around this time. In the mid-fifties pioneering work on cost estimating, cost management and engineering economics was also added to the mix.

The IMPA

In 1967 the IPMA (International Project Management Association) was founded in Europe. Professionals from thirty different counties attended its first international congress in Vienna, and now fifty national PM associations are represented.

Training from the IMPA comes as a four level program that is designed as an on-going competence development process.

Project Management Institute

Shortly afterwards in 1969 the American 'Project Management Institute' was launched. The globally acknowledged project management guide PMBOK was first published by PMI in 1996 (although the latest edition now contains major changes). It endeavours to provide standard fundamentals of PM that are applicable in the majority of cases. You will be considered a great asset to any PM team if you understand the techniques and practices detailed in this guide. Training courses are available which cover all aspects of the PMBOK Guide.

You will be in a position at the end of such a course to take the world standard PM exams, which in conjunction with on-going experience in the field will really advance your professional career.

PRINCE2 - PRojects IN Controlled Environments

In the UK, PRINCE2 is a very popular project management method, and there are many companies providing training programs in it. The method can work with most project management techniques, but it predominantly describes product based planning, change control technique and quality review technique. The framework is scalable and systematic, and if you train in this discipline you will learn how it can be used for all sizes of project.

PRINCE2 covers procedures for co-ordinating people and activities, design and supervision and how to make adjustments if things don't go to plan. It's very specific, efficient and manageable.

Depending on your present level of knowledge and experience, you may wish to consider other college introductory courses. Look for training that handles both the leadership and personnel skills as well as the mathematical and logistical elements. Shop around on the internet to find the ideal training for you.