Generally I say they compliment each other. PMP is very transportable between companies and industries.
However, PRINCE2 requires a company or a division to adopt the approach to implement projects successfully. It is very hard for a PM to run a PRINCE2 project in isolation. The premise of the approach is the PM reports to a Project Board. The Project Board owns the project and the business case that causes the project to be in existence. The PM then operates within tolerances set by the board for scope, time and budget.
Very popular in the UK and is being adopted by some companies here in Australia.
Mark Price PerryBusiness Driven PMO Evangelist| BOT InternationalOrlando, Fl, United States
Dear Sriram, good post and very nice reply by Mr. Goh. I would only add that it is a good idea to get the certification for any and all areas of "certifiable" knowledge, skill, or capability that you and your organization perform work, support, or are involved with. Cheers. -- Mark Perry, VP of Customer Care, BOT International Saving Changes...
George JucanManaging Partner| Organizational Perfomance Enablers NetworkWoodbridge, Ontario, Canada
I think that the question refers to a comparison between PMI’s PMBOK and OGC's PRINCE2, as PMP is a certification issued by PMI.
First, PMBOK is a guide and PRINCE2 a methodology. This means that PMBOK is a collection of recommendations, standards, things that “are true in most cases, most of the time”. It is not binding, but a map to get from start to finish, with many roads to get from one point to another. It’s like a highway where you can choose the lane you’re comfortable driving in. A guide describes “how things could be done”, whereas a methodology indicates “our way of doing things” – clear, step by step, no questions asked.
On the other hand, PRINCE2 is a methodology, with a clear and rigorous process, steps and templates. If you follow it you know exactly what your next step is. The same is true for the many PMBOK-compatible or PMBOK-aligned methodologies. There are some generic ones, but almost every major North-American company (can’t speak for the rest of the world) has defined its own methodology, usually aligned with PMBOK. But there are some that are not aligned with PMBOK, and PRINCE2 is one of them. Far from me to say that they are not good because are not compatible with PMBOK – I personally found very valuable concepts, ideas and methods in non-aligned methodologies that I adopted for my own practice.
We should also remember their origins: PMBOK started by documenting best practices in a variety of business areas, like construction, engineering, defense, chemical etc. and extended to investigate all (or most) other areas including IT, whereas PRINCE2 is a method created strictly for IT projects and then expanded to be applicable in other areas. Nobody admits it, but my impression is that PRINCE2 was created to fend off critics of ITIL/ITSM limitations (loved by operations people, hated by project people – generally speaking, exceptions exist).
I’ll conclude restating that there can be no direct comparison between PRINCE2 and PMBOK because of the difference of the abstraction level – it’s the same like comparing data with metadata. PMBOK is a guide you can use to even create your own personal methodology, whereas PRINCE2 is a ready-made methodology, templates and all.
Saving Changes...
Matt HillsConsultant| DQPD LtdBodmin, United Kingdom
Hi Sriram,
The responses given answer your first two questions. In reply to your third, I'd suggest that if you work, or intend to work, in the UK as a project manager then PRINCE2 certification is highly desirable. If you want to work in the public sector in the UK, then PRINCE2 certification is pretty much mandatory, as many recruiters will discard non-PRINCE certified applicants as a matter of course.
Saving Changes...
juan vigoproject manager, Presidente de ATI.| ATI, www.habilidaddirectiva.esGetafe, Spain
In my opinion Prince2 is a more concrete methodology that PMP.
PMP is more generally knowledgement of the project, building, production, and PRINCE2 it´s more for TI project. Saving Changes...
Anonymous
Check www.projectingit.com for a good article on prince2 and pmp. PMP is popular in US while Prince2 is popular in UK and europe. Saving Changes...
I would respectfully disagree with Mr. Jucan's statement that Prince2 is not aligned with PMBOK. Prince2 is fully PMBOK compliant. It may use some different terminology but as you have correctly stated that PMBOK is a guide. Prince2 was also developed by practising project managers and does promote best practices.
As both a PMP and an Authorized Prince2 Trainer I am very confident in saying the two work very well together. Prince2 fills in some of the detail gaps in the PMBOK and PMBOK has things in it that Prince2 does not cover (as it recognizes that there are other publications that cover this material). Saving Changes...
John ReilingSeeking new opportunities | AcroVision Business Systems, Inc.Mendham, Nj, United States
First, it helps to add structure to any project, and mastery of either or both is very helpful. While there were some good points made, I could add that the PMBOK is more a a framework, while PRINCE2 is more prescriptive of what to do.
PMP/PMBOK is too broad, and sketchy . Skips at specifics, Only certifies any SW professional's "general knowledge" of what are the steps in a development life-cycle, and little bit of everything. When it comes to implementation projects, it is worse.
Prince 2 is specific, and detail oriented. Especially, the Communications management and risk management model of PRINCE2 is excellent.
My understanding is that PMP is good for SW development companies, when they want to promote Business Analysts, Systems Analysts or Tech Architects to PM positions. For user institutions - those who acquire ready made or get it developed on contract, PRINCE2 certification only is useful.
Saving Changes...
I found PRINCE2 to be more of a project management governance methodology rather than a full PM methodology. It is silent on a number of areas covered by PMBoK and doing only a PRINCE2 course will not make you a fully fledged project manager.
I suggest that you need to understand the full range of PM tools and techniques, many of which are covered in PMBoK, and then do the PRINCE2 course, you will get more out of it.
The only reason to get a PRINCE2 certification is to demonstrate to employers that you can apply that particular methodology.
