PRINCE2 Myths

As more and more people undertake PRINCE2 training so the myths and misconceptions around it seem to grow.

Myth 1: PRINCE is an acronym for Projects in Non Commercial Environments

PRINCE2 began life in the public sector and, as a result, many people perceive PRINCE as not being relevant to the private sector; or at best only to organisations providing services.

In fact, PRINCE stands for ‘Projects In Controlled Environments’. Crucially, its purpose is to provide a structured project management method which can be applied to any project situation. This can then be scaled to suit projects ranging from office relocation to the building of a nuclear power plant.

Others like to explain that PRINCE derives its name from Machiavelli’s “The Prince: Politics, War, and Human Nature”.  There’s no doubt that an understanding of organisational politics can be vital to project success, but I am almost certain that this connection to the name is a pure myth!

Myth 2: Only project managers looking for a job study PRINCE2

Because an increasing number of job advertisements specify the need for candidates to have successfully completed PRINCE2 training, a culture of cynicism has been directed towards the scheme.

My own experience is that the primary driver for people to embark on PRINCE2 training is their existing employer. Very often they have concluded that delivery of project benefits is inadequate so training is provided to enable employees to learn a more rigorous, and beneficial, approach to project management.

As PRINCE is taken up by more organisations, a secondary result is that employers find it more efficient and convenient to recruit managers who are already PRINCE trained. 

Myth 3: PRINCE2 training marks you out as a competent project manager

The PRINCE2 Foundation qualification marks you out as someone who has invested time in understanding the structure and terminology of a PRINCE2 project. You will be able to act as an informed member of a PRINCE2 project team.

The PRINCE2 Practitioner qualification marks you out as someone able to apply the principles of PRINCE2 to practical real life scenarios.

Training for these qualifications alone does not make you a competent project manager.

In theory, the PRINCE2 training could be successfully completed by a student with zero project experience. However, it’s the combination of theoretical understanding and years of practical experience across a range of projects that truly signifies a competent project manager. 

Myth 4: PRINCE2 training involves a three day Foundation course and a two day Practitioner course

The majority of people studying PRINCE2 undergo training in this format but it is not the only way.

The PRINCE2 Foundation exam is normally taken on the final day of a three day instructor led training course.  The PRINCE2 Practitioner exam is normally taken after a further two or three days training. In many cases, the training takes place over five consecutive days with the Foundation exam on the Wednesday, and the Practitioner exam on the Friday.

A number of accredited training organisations now offer instructor led training in alternative formats to suit differing learning styles and diary commitments. These include:

Four plus One
- Foundation training for three days
- An initial Practitioner training day
- Final Practitioner training day and exam held one week later giving time for additional self study

Weekend
- Foundation training of three days from Friday to Sunday
- Practitioner training and exam undertaken over the following weekend (Saturday and Sunday)

It is also possible to take the exams at independent examination centres following self study of the PRINCE2 manuals, or having studied an accredited distance based learning pack. 

Myth 5: The new multiple choice exam is dumbing down the value of PRINCE2 training

In September 2007, a new format for the PRINCE2 Practitioner exam was introduced to replace the former essay based exam.

Although the new exam follows a multiple choice format, it is undeniably thorough in its range of questions. It still lasts three hours, and still tests a student’s understanding of how to apply PRINCE2 principles to real life scenarios. However, it is no longer possible to refer to any material other than the PRINCE2 manual during the exam.

Myth 6: You’re not allowed to use PRINCE without completing accredited training

No - the PRINCE2 methodology is freely available for anyone to study and adopt.  One of the strengths of PRINCE is that it is open to all.  It provides a common language that can be used between organisations collaborating on projects.  It enables project managers new to a project or organisation to rapidly engage and contribute to the full with the minimum of bespoke training required.

Whilst use of the PRINCE project management method is not controlled, the PRINCE2 brand and the intellectual property within the official manuals belong to the Office for Government Commerce (an arm of UK government).  Great care goes in to accreditation of support literature, training organisations, training courses, training materials and exams in order to ensure that you can rely on receiving consistent and high quality inputs as you drive to adopt professional project management disciplines. 

Myth 7: PRINCE2 project managers earn significantly more

Some do, some don’t.  Like university degrees or MBAs it’s probably true on average that those with relevant qualifications earn more.  This is not guaranteed and depends on the many other attributes you bring.

A 2007 survey by Arras People confirmed there are “slightly more non accredited people in the lower earning [pay]scales, and fewer in the higher ones”. “76% of all respondents believe accreditation helps them gain employment.”

However, this survey emphasises that pay differentials between project managers are also heavily impacted by sector and job role. Arras considered a range of qualifications including ITIL and PMP though Prince2 Practitoner was the most popular – held by 19% of respondents. 

Myth 8: PRINCE2 training is a fast track alternative to PMP

The PRINCE2 Practitioner qualification can be obtained after training of just one week and perhaps 20 hours of pre-study.

The PMP qualification from the US based Project Management Institute imposes strict and demanding prerequisites in terms of both training and experience.  Requirements depend on personal circumstances but for example: university degree; 4,500 hours project experience; successful completion of 4 hour exam (usually preceded by one week training course).

So yes, PRINCE2 is a fast track qualification.  But no, it is not an alternative to PMP.

The PMP (and its counterpart from the UK Association for Project Management) is designed to develop and show personal competency in skill sets which are proven to underpin project management success.  These are distilled in the form of a comprehensive Body of Knowledge – and include areas such as people, procurement and communications. 

Myth 9: I don’t need further training since I already have PRINCE2 Practitioner

Wrong – on multiple levels!

In the broader context of project manager skills you will be starting to appreciate that PRINCE2 training alone will not make you a good project manager.

In the more specific context of being a PRINCE2 professional, capable of successfully leading projects through the PRINCE lifecycle, the comment is also naïve.  An increasing range of P2 Professional courses are now available to help consolidate and extend skills in specific aspects such as “Writing the Project Initiation Document (PID)”, or “PRINCE2 for Business Leaders”.

Many of these courses have been developed by the PRINCE2 training community and they may not be officially accredited.  In some cases the training will be tailored and specific to the needs of a given organisation. 

Myth10: You must re-sit the training course after 5 years to stay accredited

The PRINCE2 qualification is valid for 5 years after which the holder must demonstrate that they have retained and, where appropriate, upgraded their understanding of the methodology.

Rather than re-sit the full Practitioner exam it is possible to take a one hour re-registration paper.  It is not essential to undertake a training course though most prefer to take advantage of a one day refresher course which incorporates the re-certification exam.