Project systems and methods Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Project systems and methods - Essay Example PRINCE has been able to stem this tide of failure, principally through the introduction of structures and standards that have gained wide acceptance. It has also become one of the icons of best practices in project management in the information technology sector, especially in Europe. The PRINCE 2 methodology has a project cycle made up of five distinct phases. These include (i) project definition and organization (ii) planning (iii) control (iv) risk management and (v) change management. The project definition and organization phase delineates roles required to get the identified problem(s) addressed. It also seeks during this phase to identify requisite personnel that can best fulfill the roles identified. The mechanism and processes for carrying out these roles or functions are also stipulated. Issues pertaining to ownership of outcomes that can possibly affect project completion are also sorted out. A major drawback of this phase and the entire methodology for that matter, is that enough room is not given for problem identification and deliberation. It sets out to identify roles for people before the actual problems and the solutions devised for them are tested on a pilot basis. A major deficiency of this kind often spills unto successive phases of the project. The planning phase designs the project after taking technical considerations into account. What is developed at this stage is carried out on a pilot basis to enable the strengths and weaknesses associated with it to be identified. The feedback received is used in fine-tuning the document and in developing technical and resource plans for the project. It is important to point out here that what may have been considered a problem initially , which necessitated the development of the project, may differ remarkably from what may emerge from the pilot stage. If at this stage roles have already been identified and personnel assigned, it is quite clear that they may not be suitable for the roles assigned them. The control phase considers the procedures and processes for instituting effective control of the project. It defines control and decision points and the means for achieving them. It therefore outlines how and when project team meetings and reporting times should be done. The last two phases, namely risk and change management assess the potential sources of risk and how they could be mitigated. It also looks at what can possibly prevent the project from realizing its goals and maps out measures for addressing them. Pacelli (2004) has identified risk and issue management as an important but often easily overlooked aspect of successful project management. As a technique for managing projects, PRINCE 2 scores high marks for its implementation phase, as its sets out detailed processes and procedures for ensuring project success. Other merits associated with the methodology can be summarized as follows:- * It encourages the use of a common vocabulary, procedures, processes and documentation. This results in standardized projects when the PRINCE 2 software is used. * Its standards have wide acceptance in the information technology industry, especially in Europe. *It encourages the application of Jo Owen ( 2002)'s concept of 'Management by walking away". This approach gives project personnel ample