Here is what a client said about PRINCE2 after we had trained their Project Managers in the method: 

1. Estimations are more accurate as a result of using Product Breakdown Structures and involving the delivery teams in estimating for their own products

2. Use of more detailed product descriptions with Quality Criteria means less ‘burnt’ resources through reworking the products to incorporate client comments after completion

3. Use of Work Packages means that the teams are bought in to the delivery requirements and thus delivery is more reliable

4. Use of Work Packages means that the content of each work module is more tightly defined:

   • Better allocation of appropriate resources
     
   • Better adherence to quality requirements
     
   • Better reporting from the delivery teams to the management teams
     

5. Use of PBS, PFD and Work Packages in combination means more accurate planning and better resource usage across the whole company.

6. The teams report by Work Package, the project managers by Highlight Reports, all work to agreed tolerances. As a result, the project managers can focus on key project and client issues and the company management can focus on key corporate and business issues. Everyone feels more empowered and the company has been able to move on to develop corporate growth and development strategies as they are no longer tied up in the day to day of trying to keep existing business on track.     

7. Defining Roles and Responsibilities at the beginning of a project means better allocation of resources and smoother processes throughout.

8. Use of Lessons Learned report has spread knowledge across the company and reduced repetition of errors across different projects.    

9. Use of shorter stages means better control and visibility throughout a project.

10. Better ability to forecast time overruns, and to define the cause, means that we now get paid, without upsetting our clients, when projects run over for reasons that are beyond our control. Due to both use of shorter stages and incorporating dependencies into the PID.

11. As all projects now use PRINCE2 the company has better overall visibility of resources usage and can plan – and sell – accordingly, improving utilisation across the board (utilisation = profit).

12. Use of Quality Criteria ensures more appropriate work, faster sign-off, enables controlled scope creep and thus avoids resource creep eating into profitability

13. Better use of Risk Management means that the inevitable glitches in applications now have much less impact on the rest of the company, the company’s profitability, the client relationship and the development team. Client confidence is higher and thus the company retains better control of their projects.

14. The project managers are now respected as a management team, thereby getting better support from the teams which makes it easier to produce better work – which gains better support from the teams which makes it easier to produce better work … a virtuous circle

15. Project managers are better motivated and more professional in their outlook.