[Online Courses]Prince 2 Agile Course
Description
PRINCE2 is a process-based method that makes project management run effective (What Is PRINCE2 — PRINCE2 Qualification Explained | EUR, 2021). It provides the fundamental skills for a person need to become a successful project manager (What Is PRINCE2 — PRINCE2 Qualification Explained | EUR, 2021). It stands for PRojects IN Controlled Environments. The certification is used and recognised all over the world (What Is PRINCE2 — PRINCE2 Qualification Explained | EUR, 2021).
Self Analysis
When I know that the students of the NGM model can learn Prince2 Agile for free, I feel excited. As a software project manager, I learn project management from zero by myself. So I think this is a good chance for me to review what I know from previous experience. It takes me several years to learn how to manage a project effectively and smoothly. In the first few years of my career, I have been told that three critical factors a good project manager should take care of are: cost, time and quality and that the famous project management triangle (Atkinson, 1999). At the begging of my career, some headhunter also suggests getting a project management certification. In Taiwan, the famous project management certification is the Project Management Professional (PMP)® Certification. Same as Prince2, both of them focus on how to run a project effectively. However, the training course was too expensive for me at that time. Moreover, after I got several years of project management experience, no one asked me if I know how to do project management.
In my opinion, it is useful for business school student to learn what is project management and how to handle a project effectively before they start their career.
But actually, I am confused by the name of Prince2 Agile before I start the course. As I understand, Agile is one of the project/product management methods. I have a six-year of experience in software development project management. By using Agile Software Development way to develop software products includes using frameworks such as Scrum and Kanban. But I never think that Prince2 can blend with Agile before the course.
Analysis of Learning
After the course, I think the Prince2 Agile Process Blending is the best answer to my question (Fig 1).
Prince2 Agile try blending Prince2 process flow with Agile project timeline, hope can mix both advantages, use Agile method’s strength to improve Prince method at delivering level. However, in my opinion, there is a fundamental conflict between these two methods, due to Prince2 is a waterfall style method.
As a software project manager, I spent several years learning what is different between Agile and Waterfall methodology. I also use both methods on several projects to explain the differences in the next section.
Software Development Methodology: Waterfall vs Agile
There are numerous factors to consider during the process of developing software. One of the essential factors is methodology, so-called software development methodology. There has been an ongoing debate between dogmatism and pragmatism. The dogmatist only follows the documents and standard process. The pragmatist believes a practical result is the most important thing. One of the group claims that a standard process is superior; everyone can get through the process and specifications without pain. By contrast, the other group of people believes that a useful product is more acceptable since it is more flexible and suits for clients. The continuous debate of software development methodology may be classically presented with the cases of Waterfall and Agile.
According to Wikipedia (‘Waterfall model’, 2021), the waterfall model is a sequential and non-iterative process, meaning developers need to follow a particular order, and the development team only moves to the next phase of development if the previous step has been completed correctly.
On the contrary, the agile software development model (Beck et al., 2001) is an adaptive process, believing that software product development should be flexibly adjusted according to feedback. There are four vital elements in the agile model: Individuals and interactions, working software, customer collaboration, and responding to change.
The two models have an array of differences. The first different part of the two models is the workflow. In software development, the waterfall model flows in one direction through the phases of analysis, design, construction, testing, deployment, and maintenance, like a waterfall. Each stage of development depends on the previous step, and a software development team should move to the next stage only when its preceding phase is appropriately reviewed and verified. For example, a user interaction design project must be reviewed by a design team leader and product head before it can be transferred to an engineering team to start coding.
On the other hand, the agile model focus on Individuals and interactions, which allows multiple teams to kick off at the same time. In addition, a programmer team can be coding a feature while the design team is working on a product’s layout. The programmer team only needs to adjust the user interface when it obtains the result from the designer team. Agile yet follows a process; the most different part is that agile requests a product team to review the product at the end of each cycle and collect feedback. It allows the team to improve the product based on the feedback. By start a new cycle of development, the team able to adjust the software in a short time period.
Second, the waterfall model focuses on comprehensive documentation, while the agile model emphasizes on working software. In the waterfall model, documentation is an essential component, not only for the next phase, but all team members should ensure a solid understanding of what each feature involved. For example, when a product manager decides that a video player should have three features: play, pause, and stop, these features all need to be recorded in a user workflow document. Not only engineers should make the program work in line with the document, but also quality engineers need to follow the document to judge if a product feature pass or not. If the player is solely able to play and stop, it will fall a test. There is no room for negotiation.
In contrast, in the agile model, the critical value is working software. Producing the working product features associated with that requirement, is the only way to measure whether the team is truly done with a product requirement. Using video player example again, if a team finished the two functions in the document (e.g., play and pause), it means the product has been approximately 66% done for clients. However, on the waterfall model, the same number of 66% means none of the features could be released to customers.
The third critical distinction between the two models is agile emphasizes customer collaboration than contract negotiation. When working with a large number of people or companies, a product manager may try to maximize the communication between providers and clients, keeping all stakeholders on the same page to ensure all people agree with the item listed in a contract. For example, a project tract mentions that a video player should have a download-to-watch function. The definition of done of the provider is the player has the service, and it works. When the client feedback that they think the player product will be more useful if the downloaded video can be deleted. Since the function has been done, nothing will change. Instead, customer collaboration refers to the way a product team uses customer feedback to satisfy its customer’s need. Furthermore, the product team will negotiate with the client mutually agreed on changes to the contract, and makes the requirement fulfilled. It can happen at the beginning, middle, or end of a software product development process.
Last but not least, the waterfall model attempts to follow plans to keep the schedule, while agile seeks feedback to improve a product. Time, cost, and quality are the three elements of the project management triangle. One of the critical responsibilities of a project manager is to balance the triangle. Limited by rigorous change management procedures and budget structures, it is difficult to make change to accommodate new product requirements. What is more, when the schedule has been planned, the most important task is to finish the development process on time, feedback is arduous for the product team.
However, the agile model boosts a product by accepting change as a valuable tool for polishing products. By presenting the prototype to stakeholders or potential customers at the development stages and quickly responding to customers’ feedback, any new item becomes an opportunity to provide additional value instead of an obstacle to avoid. Such as Google, the internet search engine giant, always adjusts its search results to create a better user experience.
To conclude, both methodologies have their pros and cons, which one is mainly superior depends on the primary goal of a product or project as well as the size, culture, and experience of a product team.
In short, the waterfall model is one of the most accessible models to manage, owing to the fact that its nature: each phase has specific deliverables and a review process. It works well for a small-scale project where customer requirements are easily understandable. What is more, its operation and results are well documented, make it easy for project delivery and beneficial to manage dependencies.
On the contrary, agile focused on the client process. As a result, it makes sure that the client is continuously involved during every stage. The process is hugely based on incremental progress. Therefore, even the requirements are not crystal clear; the client and team know exactly what is complete and what is not. At the same time, they can determine the fundamental or additional requirements for the next development cycle.
In summary, I doubt that it will be lots of issues when a firm or organization try to implement the Prince2 Agile method. However, I will not say which one of the methods is better. Just like the Prince2 Agile course mention, it depends on the type of project.
Application & Evaluation
For example, when I was a vendor of a Japanese TV channel company. It is a traditional Japanese company, which means it follows order and rules. A traditional Japanese company will create a detailed plan, and it will list all kind of scenarios that may happen. For example, for an emergency plan, the firm asks what I should do when a scale seven earthquake happens. This kind of detailed plan can not be complete without research, and a vendor also needs to earn trust from the firm. After all the detail has been confirmed by each level of a Japan company (sometimes it takes a few months), all detail can not be changed without permission. A project like this should conduct the waterfall method to manage, and then the project can run smoother than using the agile methodology.
On the other hand, in the internet service industry, change is the new normal. All the software as a service (SasS) like Google Suit, platform (Such as Amazon and Netflix) encourage their employees to move agile. For example, a famous product improves skill that calls the A/B test. It uses two little different design or features to test and analyse the collected data to decide which feature will get the market niche. The standard process is to identify an issue, create two solutions, test the solutions, analyse results, and then make the loop again. A project like this should use the agile method. The spirit of agile is to work on a PDCA cycle (Plan-Do-Check-Act). Each time the team will learn something from the test and keep improving the product every day.
Future Action or Application
However, I am not saying Price2 is not a good method for a project. The idea of six aspects (Fig2) of a project in Price2 is perfect knowledge for how to estimate every part of a project. Moreover, it teaches which aspect can be applying tolerance. For example, two of the management triangle, time and cost, should be zero tolerance for extra time or cost on all levels of a plan. But if two of them can not be changed, a project has a high chance to fall. So in the quality aspect, the first thing a project manager needs to do is set the acceptance criteria. And know which quality criteria are Must Have, Should Have, Could Have, or Won’t Have.
Let’s use a school assignment as an example. The deadline for an assignment usually not changeable, and everyone only has twenty-four hours a day. When a student starts doing his homework, the first thing is to understand the assignment’s requirement. What information must be included in the file? A result must have an introduction, main point and conclusion. Having some beautiful charts is better but not necessary. Then the student can plan to use his resource to fulfil the must-have requirements. By doing this, the student can manage his homework more effective.
In summary, no matter whether a business school student is a project manager in the future, Prince2 is powerful knowledge and a tool worth learning. And I also think to get a Prince2 Agile Certification in the future for my career.
References
Beck, K. et al. (2001) The Agile Manifesto. Agile Alliance.
PRINCE2® Foundation & Practitioner Courses | ILX Group Europe (no date). Available at: https://www.ilxgroup.com/eur/individual/training/prince2 (Accessed: 2 March 2021).
Richards, K. and Cooper, L. (2015) PRINCE2 Agile. TSO.
‘Waterfall model’ (2021) Wikipedia..
What Is PRINCE2 — PRINCE2 Qualification Explained | EUR (no date). Available at: https://www.prince2.com/eur/what-is-prince2 (Accessed: 2 March 2021).
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