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Simple Projects = Simple PRINCE2! 

 October 12, 2023

By  Dave Litten

Simple Projects – keep PRINCE2 at arms length?

You’d think that simple projects really do not need a method – just make an activity list and tick ’em off!

Well, unless failure is an option, that is just darn wrong….don’t take my word for it, listen to what PRINCE2 says:

“Tailoring PRINCE2 appropriately is using “full PRINCE2″, and NOT just omitting elements.”

Hmm, so what do we do about all of those pesky principles, themes and *gulp* processes on a simple project?

Fitting/squeezing PRINCE2 into a simple project

So if your pants are too small, do you let them out (nope), or do you trim down what you eat, and maybe take a bit of exercise?

Well let’s start with the 7 PRINCE2 Principles on simple projects:

I’m not going to go through them in detail here, but I want to ask you a question…

If a method for losing weight suggested that as a general principle, you should take some regular exercise – would you ignore that principle?

If another principle of loosing weight suggested that you should eat smaller portions – would you ignore that principle too?

I think you get the point….ALWAYS include all seven of the PRINCE2 Principles in your simple projects.

One of the PRINCE2 Principles is to ensure continuing business justification. So when you tailor PRINCE2 for your simple projects would you not care whether it made any business sense whatsoever?  Of course not. For small projects business justification may simply be your boss telling you “I want this project delivered” – well that’s a business justification – right there!

Which brings me to the PRINCE2 Processes for Simple Projects…

Yes, you’ve guessed it, you will want to use ’em all….

PRINCE2 for Simple Projects – Good News for the Processes!

You’ve probably checked out this diagram for simple projects before:

Simple Prince2 Stages

What’s that? You know the complicated one in the Manual, but you haven’t seen this simplified one before?

You didn’t know that you must use all the processes, BUT sometimes only once for simple projects, and you can also simplify the heck out of ’em?

Check out – it’s just two stages, the initiation stage for simple projects may only take a day or two, and the delivery stage may only take a week or two?

It gets better.

Starting Up a project. Two deliverables are the Project Brief and the Initiation Stage Plan.

How condensed could you make those for PRINCE2 simple projects ? One page for the brief and two pages for the initiation stage plan (at an extreme could you explain them verbally to get the go-ahead to the Initiation Stage?)

Okay, how about the *gulp* Project Initiation Documentation – even the name is big!

Basically it contains

  • the business case (just do it?)
  • the project plan (you’ve got to have a schedule, resources and costs plus one or two controls right? so a few pages and a few hours at the most to create them.)
  • The 4 approaches for risk, quality, configuration management, and communication. (so for simple projects – probably low risk so use your diary, quality, only need the Project product description), configuration management your diary and a place to file it, plus how are you going to deal with changes, and communication – mostly verbal and a simple regular email might just do it…)

Feeling better yet? PRINCE2 for PRINCE2 simple projects – they were made for each other!

Let’s just take controlling a stage process as an example for when its used on simple projects (and I won’t use PRINCE2-specific activity terms here – just to make my point):

  • Give out work
  • Get agreement that it’s going to be done
  • Get regular feedback on progress
  • Report to management as needed
  • compare progress against the plan
  • Take corrective action to keep on track
  • escalate for serious problems
  • Tell management when you’re finished

Let’s see, apart from compare progress against the plan, all the others on simple projects could be done verbally…

And you are following and tailoring a PRINCE2 process to the letter!

Still think PRINCE2 is bureaucratic for simple projects?

Didn’t think so.

Note. Treat the activities inside every PRINCE2 process as a list of this that MAY need to be done, and then decide HOW you’re gonna do them for your simple projects!

Oh yes, and those pesky PRINCE2 Themes.

You ARE going to use all of them – but in a simple way for your simple projects. Simplify documents, combine them, verbal delivery when appropriate.

Take the Plans Theme for simple projects – just as an example.

We have already agreed that your plan document is going to be simple (check out the above diagram, there is only one delivery stage, so the project plan and the delivery stage plan are one and the same document.

You are going to use the PRINCE2 project based planning technique aren’t you?

YES – but…

What if you only have one product (the project end-product). Then you don’t need the Product Breakdown Structure and you don’t need the Product Flow Diagram – you only need to create the Project Product Description!

Let me take you back pre-project to the Starting Up a Project process.

Could you create a simple document called the project plan, but just include enough information in it for a basic project brief and initiation stage plan? Once you’re in the initiation stage, embellish it to become the project plan for your simple projects. Not so hard Eh! and we are still using the PRINCE2 method…

Final thought – how many folks do you need on a PRINCE2 Simple Project?

Well, it could be that one person fills all the roles on the project board, then you’ll need the project manager who does all the project support, and….well, that could be it for the Project Management Team.

…and the Team Manager and the specialist team members? The project manager could take the role of team manger, and they could also do the specialist work (I’m talking small and simple projects here). So I guess it could be two or three individuals.

Again, who said PRINCE2 was bureaucratic?

I hope I have given you some thoughts to chew on and encourage you to use the Powerful PRINCE2 method for all your simple projects.

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Dave Litten


Dave has spent 25 years as a senior project manager for USA multinationals and has deep experience in project management. He now develops a wide range of Project Management Masterclasses, under the Projex Academy brand name. In addition, David runs project management training seminars across the world, and is a prolific writer on the many topics of project management.

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