PRINCE2® Professional

Overview

The PRINCE2 Professional qualification involves the assessment of a candidate’s ability to apply the PRINCE2 method to the management of a non-complex project. The PRINCE2 Professional qualification will involve the application of the PRINCE2 method and syllabus and other globally recognised project management competencies. Candidates will be assessed on their ability to run a project in such an environment.

Who is this course for?  What will the course enable you to do?

The PRINCE2 Professional qualification is for individuals who wish to demonstrate that they can apply their project management experience and PRINCE2 in a practical and effective way. The PRINCE2 Professional qualification is therefore appropriate for experienced Project Managers, Project Co-ordinators and Project Team Leader.

This assessment Centre will form the natural progression on the development path for qualified PRINCE2 Practitioners wishing to demonstrate and attain recognition of their ability to manage a PRINCE2 project.

Suitable candidates will have experience of managing non-complex projects or will have been a team member of a more complex project. All candidates must be a ‘Registered’ PRINCE2 Practitioner. 

Timetable

The residential assessment is completed over 2½ days.

All candidates are required to book into the venue by 17:30 on the evening prior to the event starting. A welcome meeting will start at 18:00 where the assessment centre approach will be explained. Dinner will be provided at 19:00 and the first session of the assessment will take place from 20:00 to 21:00.

Full Day 1 will start at 08:30 and finish at 19:45 when dinner will be provided. Full Day 2 will start at 08:00 and the candidates will complete the assessment centre and be able to leave by 16:00.

A full timetable will be given to candidates with all necessary case study materials on the first day of the assessment.

Assessment centre pre-reading and practical details

• There is no pre-reading associated with this event.
• Candidates must be familiar with the latest version of the PRINCE2 guidance: “Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2” (Fifth Edition, ISBN: 978-0113310593).
• Candidates are required to bring with them the latest version of the PRINCE2 guidance.
• This is a 2½ day residential assessment centre that is intensive and long days. A timetable is provided below – please pay particular attention to the requirement for the evening before.

Accreditations and exams

There are no exams associated with this assessment centre as candidates will be assessed purely on their project management ability and their knowledge of PRINCE2.  Throughout the 2½ days candidates are provided with opportunities to demonstrate evidence of their competence in managing a project using the PRINCE2 method, whilst providing evidence of broader competencies of a Project Manager.
Evaluators collect evidence of a candidate’s competence through observation of group activities and exercises. Candidates are observed discussing and solving problems relating to the project Case Study. In addition, all candidates are interviewed by their Evaluator(s) on an individual basis during the Assessment Centre.
The following rating scale used will be to assess a number of performance criteria:

• Level 0: Failed to present any relevant evidence.
• Level 1: Basic evidence, with one or two directly relevant examples
• Level 2: Good evidence, with three or more directly relevant examples
• Level 3: Extensive evidence, with six or more directly relevant examples

The scoring is not about a candidate’s performance but about the reliability of the evidence demonstrated by a candidate.
To be awarded the PRINCE2 Professional qualification, a candidate must gain at least a rating of 1 for each of the performance criteria and an average score of 1.6 or greater across all performance criteria.

Outline

The PRINCE2 Professional qualification assesses a candidate’s capability to manage a non complex PRINCE2 project across all aspects of the project lifecycle. The PRINCE2 Professional qualification is not designed to assess overall competence as a Project Manager as this is not possible out of context of the project environment. It is an assessment at a given moment in time in a specific, somewhat artificial, but generally realistic environment.
The capabilities required of the candidate in applying their knowledge and experience to a non complex project across its lifecycle are shown below. Candidates should note that they must not only demonstrate knowledge of PRINCE2 and project management, but also the capability to apply and use that knowledge. For the purpose of the PRINCE2 Professional qualification, the assessment of a candidate’s capabilities takes place within the boundaries of a Case Study and the Assessment Centre.
Each candidate is assessed against the following performance criteria. 

• Prepare the Project Product Description
• Prepare the outline Business Case
• Design the project management team structure
• Tailor corporate strategies
• Perform product-based planning
• Apply the risk management procedure
• Apply the communication management procedure
• Plan the project
• Refine the Business Case
• Prepare the Benefits Review Plan
• Prepare an End Stage Report
• Capture lessons learned
• Prepare a Work Package
• Apply the issue and change control procedure
• Plan and conduct the Closing a Project process
• Prepare End Project Report (Including Lessons Report)
• Interpersonal Skills
• Manage team performance
• Manage own performance