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If we see Project Management through the lens of the so called “big picture”, projects are the tools a company possesses to realize its strategy: from projects, all the way up to portfolio, projects are the concrete and practical results of where the organization decides to invest its money. This should make clear why project management is getting more and more importance in the business world. Over the last few years there has been an increasing interest in the analysis of how the future of Project Managers will look like. There are many reports and researches on the topic, and the most recent one is surely the “The Future Project Management Professional” from Axelos. This report identifies the key trends that will most impact the project, programme and portfolio management profession, as well as the technical and interpersonal skills that will be required. Keep reading to find out how the changes in the Project Management world have played an important role into the PRINCE2 2017 version: new article available for download! TITLE: What’s the future for Project Management? Understanding PRINCE2 2017 Version ABOUT THE ARTICLE: This article from QRP International has the goal to explain what's the general status within Project Management world, and how the changes in this environment have helped raise the need for an updated version to PRINCE2. By analyzing the latest report in Project Management, the “The Future Project Management Professional” from Axelos, the article examines the 4 main aspects of change for the profession of Project Manager, and highlights how these changes have a great impact on a well-known and internationally recognized certification like PRINCE2. The article also mentions the main areas where PRINCE2 has been updated. TO READ AND DOWNLOAD THE FULL ARTICLE: simply follow this link! ON THE SAME TOPIC:

• WHAT ARE THE MAIN CHANGES TO PRINCE2? Read more

In January 2017 our partners and owners of PRINCE2, AXELOS, announced the upcoming arrival of updated PRINCE2 guidance and Foundation and Practitioner examinations. Together, these form PRINCE2 2017 and represent the first major update to PRINCE2 since 2009. WHY HAS PRINCE2 BEEN UPDATED? The success of PRINCE2 lies in its compilation of proven best practices in project management taken from academics, business professionals, and consultants across the years. Since its creation, at least two million PRINCE2 exams have been sat in over 150 countries worldwide. This is a clear testament to the value of PRINCE2 to individuals all over the world. But we must all recognize that the business world is changing, and even something as tried and tested as PRINCE2 is not completely resistant to change. As ever with PRINCE2, the update has been a collaborative approach amassing feedback from a wide range of PRINCE2 Practitioners; the people best positioned to assess PRINCE2 through their continued application of the method across a range of working environments. This feedback has resulted in a thorough, evolutionary, update of PRINCE2.  WHAT ARE THE MAIN CHANGES TO PRINCE2? The PRINCE2 update will see a new edition of the PRINCE2 manual, plus updated training materials and Foundation and Practitioner examinations. These will be launched in mid-2017. This update does not change any of the fundamentals of the method – PRINCE2’s overall structure of seven principles, themes and processes remains unchanged. But the emphasis and treatments within these have shifted. The main changes to the guidance are a greater emphasis on the following areas:

• tailoring PRINCE2 to the needs of organizations and project environments;
• the principles that underpin PRINCE2;
• a greater link between the themes and principles;
• the restructuring of the ‘Themes’ guidance to accommodate specific examples of tailoring;
• the practical application of the method and guidance, with numerous examples, hints and tips.

PRINCE2 is a wealth of project management knowledge and Best Practice that needs to be conscientiously tailored to suit each individual and their organization. The updated manual, training and examination will help you tailor PRINCE2 effectively to ensure you get the most out of the certification. PRINCE2 has always been rooted in real life experience. This update can be trusted to provide practical, authoritative and relevant guidance to anyone managing a project in today’s environment. WHAT DOES THE UPDATE MEAN FOR ME? If you are a qualified PRINCE2 Practitioner, you do not need to worry. We do not believe that those with a valid PRINCE2 certification need to take the new examinations. However, we would highly recommend to contact us to get an overview of the suggested paths to remain updated! This important update reinforces PRINCE2’s unrivaled reputation for Best Practice in project management. As always, the focus is on helping individuals and organizations across a range of job roles, sectors and geographies, to successfully manage projects. ALL FURTHER INFO

Stay up-to-date with all info about PRINCE2 Update - Here's a small list of actions you can take today!

1. Register to or newsletter to get informed about workshops and webinars - FREE and informative sessions - Fill in the form and specify you would like to be added to our special mailing list
2. Read our article "What’s the future for Project Management? Understanding PRINCE2 2017 Version"
3. Pre-order the NEW version of the PRINCE2 manual
4. Stay ahead - Register for the first PRINCE2 NEW VERSION Training of the year! 21-22-23 August 2017

CONTACT US Feel free to get in touch should you have questions remained open!

At QRP International our mission is to support individuals and organizations in the development of the needed skills in order to be successful in the implementation of Project, Programme, Portfolio and Change Management. The goal is not only to provide information, but also to create awareness on the importance of the set up of a strong method for your projects and portfolio.  How? We do so by organizing free events where professionals can network with peers, share lessons and experiences and ask finally their questions to the experts from the field. This FREE workshop will help you learning more about a method and the benefits for you and your organization: the EVENING format has been developed to meet your needs to have a learning moment after working hours. TITLE OF THE EVENT: "Mapping Roles and Responsibilities: AgilePM Evening Workshop" ABOUT THE EVENT: Agile continues to take the project management world by storm. No longer confined to software development, Agile approaches have become popular with a wide variety of organisations that need to be more flexible and responsive to deal effectively with the ever-increasing pace of change. In this workshop, a special focus will be put on the roles and responsibilities within an AgilePM typical project: people working together effectively are the foundation of any successful project. AgilePM recognizes this and assigns clear roles and responsibilities to each person in a project, representing all the interests involved: business, technical, management, process. The goal is to break down potential communication barriers.  Furthermore, we will map the AgilePM roles compared to the roles structure present in other Agile frameworks such as Scrum, and compared to other Project Management methods such as PRINCE2. Follow this link to access the full program of the workshop. ABOUT THE EXPERT: David Maegerman is Project Management specialist with over 10 years of Project Management experience, performing various roles in different types of projects. As a Project Manager, he delivered IT solutions as well as sales/marketing projects in the distribution and insurance industry. He’s a multilingual trainer for PRINCE2 and Agile Project Management, able to perform courses in English, Dutch and French Inscription: to enroll please follow this link and fill in the form.

WHERE & WHEN?

Once you have a good Project Management method in place, you might end up realizing that this is not enough. Why this happens? And what do you, and/or your organization, should know about the integration of Project Management with Programmes and Portfolios? What about a strong support structure like a PMO office?

With this series of 2 webinars, QRP International wants to introduce you to the concept of PPM (or P3) Management, where Projects, Programmes and Portfolio are all well connected, and being aligned deliver more value to the organization overall.

Have you missed the webinars? NO WORRIES! Keep reading to access the recording of both webinars!

TITLE OF THE SERIES: PPM Implementations: How to integrate Project, Programme and Portfolio Management

ABOUT THE EXPERT: Mr. Niels Van Bemmelen is "Organisational Change Management Specialist". Niels has 20 years of experience in projects and programmes for organisational change. He has been involved in complete business change projects in challenging international environments. As project manager, business analyst and in assurance roles Niels has worked in projects in finance, public sector, tourism and education. He is a multilingual accredited trainer and consultants for PRINCE2, MSP, MoP, P3O, PRINCE2 Agile and Change Management and he teaches in English, Dutch and Italian.

ABOUT THE WEBINARS:

• WEBINAR 1: What is the PPM Framework and Why You Need it: Project, Programme and Portfolio Management, Benefits and Challenges: General picture on Project, Programme and Portfolio Management, plus zoom-in into PRINCE2, MSP, and MoP, giving an introduction and adding some details to what they are and how they work. We'll answer the questions “What is Project Management? What is Programme Management? What is Portfolio Management?”

WATCH THE VIDEO!

• WEBINAR 2: How to implement PPM and set up of a PMO structure: A Portfolio, Programme and Project Office model will equip an organization with the structures, tools and techniques it needs to ensure it has the right programmes and projects in place and ensures consistent delivery of programmes and projects across the organisation. This may be provided through a single permanent office which may exist under several different names e.g. PMO, Portfolio Office, Centre of Excellence, Enterprise or Corporate Programme Office. It may otherwise be provided through a linked set of offices (portfolio office, programme offices, project offices), both permanent (enabling/supporting business objectives and consistency of delivery) and temporary (enabling/supporting specific programmes and projects), providing a mix of central and localized services.

WATCH THE VIDEO!

ON THE SAME TOPIC: in our "Articles & Case Studies" section you can also find:

• PPM Implementation: Where to start? Top-Down or Bottom-Up? - Read More
• The Integrated Governance of Projects, Programmes and Portfolios - Read More

The importance of good governance in the delivery of capital investments has been recognized by the Office of Government Commerce (OGC) for some time. For instance, OGC published a pamphlet entitled ‘The eight common causes of project failure’ which refers to problems such as ‘Lack of clear senior management … ownership and leadership’ along with ‘Lack of effective engagement with stakeholders’, both important facets of project governance. Establishing effective project governance can be an issue, however, and when an organization is running numerous projects and programmes within one or more portfolios, ensuring effective integrated governance can be a challenge. Keep reading to find out the latest article added to our "Knowledge Center". We hope you enjoy! TITLE: The Integrated Governance of Projects, Programmes and Portfolios ABOUT THE ARTICLE: The purpose of this White Paper is to present an integrated approach to the governance of projects, programmes and portfolios. It aims to demonstrate how the logic behind concepts such as ownership and accountability can be used to ensure a consistent approach to governance across an organization. This study addresses issues like "business as usual and management of change", "identity the right accountable resources", "decision-making processes at project and portfolio levels". In particular, this APMG White Paper highliths 5 problems with the understanding of governance:

1. Failure to meet the needs of senior management
2. Lack of understanding of the true purpose of capital investment governance
3. Insufficient understanding of the principles of governance
4. Lack of clarity around integration of project, programme and portfolio governance
5. Lack of clarity around tailoring of governance arrangements

The paper also features interesting images and schemes that easily explain the governance elements and relationships, like the "Governance Triangle" which shows the difference between "RUN" the business and "CHANGE" the business. ABOUT THE AUTHOR:  Ross Garland is an expert in project governance and project assurance. He is a published author on project governance and has written white papers for the UK Cabinet Office Best Management Practice website. He was an official reviewer of the OGC's Management of Portfolios guidance. He regularly presents at conferences and has been a guest lecturer for tertiary education bodies. TO READ AND DOWNLOAD THE FULL ARTICLE: simply follow this link! ON THE SAME TOPIC: in our "Articles & Case Studies" section you can also find:

• The 2 Biggest Benefits of PPM Implementations - Read More
• PPM Implementations: How to Start? Top-Down or Bottom-Up Approach? - Read More

"There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure." When talking about success, LEARNING is surely a key element. We all know that there are several different styles of learning, but we also all know that the best and easiest way to learn is get involved: simply "to teach" is not enough. This is why we strive to keep our "Articles & Case Studies" section always up-to-date with contents about Project, Programme and Portfolio Management best practices, in order to provide you with the information, examples, scenarios directly from the field or from the experts. Keep reading to find out the latest article added to our "Knowledge Center". We hope you enjoy! TITLE: 5 Ways PRINCE2 can be Agile ABOUT THE ARTICLE: “AGILE” seems to be the word of the moment in project management, just like if a miraculous way of keeping control of project has been suddenly invented. But AGILE practices started in the 1990 and at present there are about 13 agile approaches used in project management. PRINCE2 Project Management offers the double advantage to support of a full project lifecycle -from the emergence of an idea (pre-projet) to the benefits assessment (post project)- while also providing an agile framework for any type of project. How? How can PRINCE2 be also used in an Agile way? The expert trainer and consultant Antoine Breton gives the answer in this article he wrote for QRP, in which he identifies 5 elements of PRINCE2 that prove its in-featured agility:

1. the agile “Project Product Description”,
2. the appropriate use of the “Change” theme,
3. the use of workshop practices and daily stand-ups meeting,
4. the iterative development and incremental delivery,
5. planning, the backbone of the project.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Antoine Breton has 30 years of experience in project management and technical Operations. He has been an agile management accredited trainer for the past 10 years on “Best Practices” in agile project and programs management: PRINCE2, DSDM - AGILE PM (Project Management and SCRUM) and AGILE PgM (Program Management). He performs consultancy work for embedding PRINCE2 and AGILE within organisations. He delivers training and support for the implementation of best practices. He is able to perform missions in English, and French. TO READ AND DOWNLOAD THE FULL ARTICLE: simply follow this link! ON THE SAME TOPIC: in our "Articles & Case Studies" section you can also find:

• PRINCE2 or Agile? How to skillfully use the right tool, at the right moment - Read More
• A Response to Uncertainty? Discover the Agile Approach - Read More
• 3 Steps to Start Your Projects - Read More