The PRINCE2 portfolio of best practice: an armoury of skills and knowledge to manage change

Sue Hopgood, Senior Lecturer, Project Management, MKC Training Services Ltd at Royal School of Military Engineering and PRINCE2 Master

It’s often hard to explain what business as usual is in the British Army, but I sum it up like this: it’s about ensuring soldiers are ready, trained and resourced to fight.

In the army, a war could be considered a project, with a start and finish. However, there are many other projects the army undertakes, such as building a school in Cyprus, or a camp in Belize.

But no matter the situation soldiers may face, the army is constantly looking ahead to the future skills and resources they need to respond should risk turn into reality. Being ready also means soldiers need to be “suitably qualified and experienced personnel”.

The PRINCE2 portfolio qualifications formalize their existing knowledge through internationally-recognized certifications and, together, they provide a structured pathway for those who wish to progress towards the PRINCE2 Master designation.

Turning experience into qualification

Experience comes in all forms across the army; for example, many who come to my courses don't realize initially that they are already using agile ways of working and applying many of the principles that underpin PRINCE2 Agile in their day-to-day work.

The same is true for their appreciation of risk management, which is ingrained into army culture; doing everything possible to minimize downside risks during their deployments. For example, I recently trained army diving instructors in project management to ensure that changes to their training curriculum are implemented more effectively and safely.

However, the army can also be more risk tolerant, such as working with other organizations to explore and develop new technologies to help future soldiers. For example, I taught one unit about agile ways of working as they are operating right at the edge of chaos; investigating how new or emerging technology can deliver emerging army requirements. This means prototyping and testing at speed and advancing the technology considerably.

Good for the army; good for the tax payer

Millions of tax-payer pounds are spent making sure that soldiers can be transported, housed and fed wherever they need to go. The army has multiple infrastructure-related projects to build, maintain or improve camps, airfields and training areas.

Another focus for army projects is equipment. It can take decades to develop and perfect new equipment, so being well-trained in project management, programme management, management of risk and agile practices, are critical capabilities for soldiers posted into these projects (which can include engineers, but also army doctors and dentists working in field hospital projects).

The PRINCE2 portfolio gives soldiers posted into these projects the language and flexible toolkit they need to communicate with their suppliers and stakeholders. If they can spot risks and issues and resolve them at the planning stages, they can save the taxpayer a lot of money.

Confidence and skills to manage all forms of change

In my view, studying the PRINCE2 portfolio gives soldiers the confidence to make informed decisions and explain the reasoning behind them.

That confidence extends across roles and disciplines. Whether someone is a mechanical engineer, clerk of works or military plant foreman, they leave with practical techniques that can be applied in their own area of responsibility.

I think confidence is one of the most important outcomes of completing PRINCE2 portfolio certifications. Knowing how to apply internationally recognized methods, and when to tailor them to the situation, helps people approach change with greater clarity and assurance.

Credibility beyond the army

PRINCE2 certifications provide soldiers with internationally recognized credentials that support collaboration with allied organizations such as NATO and SHAPE (Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe).

Rather than prescribing a single way of working, the portfolio provides flexible, complementary guidance that helps practitioners understand the relationships between projects, programmes, portfolios and risk management, and apply the most appropriate approach for their context. They also equip personnel with transferable qualifications that are valued by civilian employers, helping ease the transition into corporate roles after military service.

Many organizations, particularly small to medium-sized businesses (SMEs), face continual change as they respond to economic, political and competitive pressures. A structured, flexible set of best-practice methods can help them manage that change more effectively, regardless of their size or level of management maturity.

PRINCE2 Master - legitimate “bragging rights”

I’ve taken a lot of professional exams in my working life, but this is the first one that I’ve properly bragged about in decades. I’ve spent more than 10 years sharing my knowledge with current and aspiring project and programme professionals, and I’ve actively pursued CPD opportunities to keep my knowledge current and relevant.

Taking PRINCE2 Portfolio Management and PRINCE2 PMO Management has filled the final gaps in my knowledge and, as a result, I’ve already added more depth to my training and can respond more confidently to my students' questions. I can also ask more targeted questions regarding the change activities in my own organization and in the organizations that I train. Again, it’s all about having greater confidence and I certainly feel that in my day-to-day work.

The PRINCE2 Master designation recognizes the breadth of my knowledge and experience, and I’m proud to say that I’ve achieved something that - yet - so few others have. I say ‘yet’, because I have a feeling this designation will become a popular one. It certainly says to the project, programme and portfolio community that here is someone with a broad understanding of the whole industry.