PRINCE2 7 – Progress: making a good practice better still

Progress in PRINCE2 7^th edition – a practice not a theme

In PRINCE2 7^th edition, what were the “themes” are now “practices.

And how themes were aspects of project management to be addressed continually through the project lifecycle, practices are described as being applied consistently.

While project managers need to keep a continual eye on progress, the act of collating and summarising data to create progress or highlight reports was not always continual, but rather a periodic “ritual”.

As a practice, progress needs to be applied consistently throughout a project for decision makers to have information which is both backward and forward looking but also to know whether a project still has continued business justification.

But before getting into the detail about what’s new in PRINCE2’S progress practice, it’s important to note that it retains much of the previous edition's concepts. When planning what to change, it’s necessary to appreciate the positives of what’s already there. And as the underlying precepts of the progress chapter from the 6^th edition still have enormous value, why reinvent the wheel?

However, changes to the exception procedures and the addition of the digital and data management approach are both necessary and valuable.

Exception procedures – calming the project management nerves

The exception procedures in PRINCE2 needed a proper “home” in the guidance.

In simple terms, if you’ve got a broken stage in your project, then people need to hear about it. And, surely, it should fit within the progress chapter rather than anywhere else.

Previously, it was an area that delegates on training courses often found challenging. But understanding it is vital, as not monitoring what is going on around you in a project has the potential to be a major inhibitor of progress and could result in a serious mess.

The procedure around exceptions is necessary – certainly for those new to project management, so they have something to follow. But even for the more experienced practitioners, it’s a reminder of the need to report these things in a sequence. Without the procedure, what would they do?

Above all, it’s something that should calm the nerves of any project management professional.

The data and digital management approach – pinpointing the right information

This new management product within the progress practice outlines how digital technology supports us with project control and links directly with how you measure and report progress.

This is about knowing where the data is, what it is and how you should be using it to exert the right controls and use information to report on progress.

In a world awash with digital data, this signposts people to the right digital information to ensure accurate reporting.

What else is new in the progress practice?

• Plan, do, check and act (diagram)

This new diagram is a welcome inclusion for how to do effective progress management.

Essentially, it says – before you leap in – you need to plan based on the situation and how you need to respond; then you enact the plan (do), validate it (check) and move into planning the next stage, or amend things if they’re going less well (act).

• A common format for the practice chapters

Each practice chapter – progress included – follows a common format covering its purpose, key relationship with principles, guidance for effective use, etc.

This gives practitioners ease of access when seeking the source of guidance; allowing them to recognize where to dip into a chapter for specific information, which cuts down time – not least when they’re in a hurry.

Overall, how does progress retain its value in the PRINCE2 method? I don’t think there’ll ever be a time when it’s not needed in best practice project management.  

And, in this 7^th edition, the inclusion of more modern elements will likely spark ideas in practitioners about the art of the possible in delivering progress now and in the future.