History

PRINCE

PRINCE2 started out in the 1970s as a method called PRINCE (stands for PRojects IN Controlled Environments). PRINCE was a UK government method for managing IT projects. It contained IT-specific terminology.

PRINCE 2nd version

In 1996 the 2nd version of PRINCE – or PRINCE 2 – was released as a generic project management method. All of the IT terminology was removed. From then, it started to be used to manage all types of projects.

AXELOS and PRINCE2

Prior to 2013, PRINCE2 was Crown Copyright. It was owned by H.M. Government in the UK. In 2013, AXELOS was formed by H.M. Government and Capita plc as a joint venture. PRINCE2 is now owned by AXELOS which contracts the accreditation of training organizations and trainers to PeopleCert - the exam board.

Modern trends in project management

The guidance is updated every few years to reflect recent developments in project management. The most recent changes were in 2017 when the official manual was updated. All related training courses on this web site are based upon the 2017 version.

PRINCE2 Agile

One example of how the method has been updated to reflect recent trends in project management include the launch in 2015 of PRINCE2 Agile guidance. This described how the governance and control provided by PRINCE2 could be integrated with popular Agile development methods such as Scrum.

AXELOS now has 2 PRINCE2 Agile qualifications – Foundation and Practitioner – which candidates working in Agile environments can study towards.

Popularity of PRINCE2

Since 1996, PRINCE2 has established itself as the world’s most popular project management methodology and certification. More than 1.6 million examinations have been sat worldwide. Of these, approximately 2/3rds are Foundation-level exams, and 1/3rd are Practitioner-level exams.

Methodology

PRINCE2 (PRojects IN Controlled Environments) is a project management methodology.

It provides a step-by-step procedure to deliver projects. Guidance is described in the official PRINCE2 manual (Managing Successful Projects Using PRINCE2® 2017 Edition).

It is used widely in all sectors – public, private, and third sector – and in many different countries.

Benefits

Certification

All our accredited PRINCE2 training courses come with exams. The two certification levels are:

Foundation

• Suitable for aspiring/current project support staff
• 60 minutes
• 60 multiple-choice questions
• Score 33 or more to pass
• This qualification is a prerequisite for taking the Practitioner training course and exam.

Practitioner

• Suitable for aspiring/current project managers
• 150 minutes
• 68 multiple-choice questions
• Score 38 or more to pass.

For more information about PRINCE2 certification, visit the AXELOS web site.

What you will learn

Foundation course

The Foundation training course covers the following subjects.

• Essential terminology;
• The 7 principles of PRINCE2;
• The 7 themes of PRINCE2;
• The 7 processes of PRINCE2; and,
• Prepares students to sit the Foundation exam.

Principles

The principles are the underlying good practices upon which everything is based. The principles are:

• Continued business justification;
• Learn from experience;
• Defined roles and responsibilities;
• Manage by stages;
• Manage by exception;
• Focus on products;
• Tailor to suit the project.

The first 1.5 days of the Foundation training course covers the themes:

Business case theme

On any project, it is important that the organization gets a return on its investment of time, money and resources in the project. This is done by performing a cost-benefit analysis which weighs up the costs, timescales and risks of the project, versus the benefit.

Students learn how and when a business case is used on a project.

Organization theme

It is important that everyone involved in a project clearly know who takes decisions and their level of authority.

Students learn about the 9 different project management team roles and responsibilities.

Quality theme

The project must deliver outputs which meet the user’s specifications. Quality therefore must be planned.

Students learn how quality is planned and managed throughout the project.

Plans theme

Plans are used by each level of the project management team. Plans describe what will be delivered, at what cost, when and by whom.

Students learn about the different levels of plan who uses them, and how they are created.

Risk theme

Lots of things can go wrong on projects. Anything which is uncertain about a project is a risk.

Students learn how to identify, estimate, respond to, manage and report on risks.

Change theme

Not managing changes effectively is a common reason for projects to fail. Changes are inevitable on projects, so there must be systematic approach for managing them.

Students learn a procedure for effective change management on projects.

Progress theme

Projects never go according to plan. Therefore, plans and forecasts must be revised as the project progresses. Revised forecasts are used to justify the continued investment in the project.

Students learn about the different project controls, how and when they are used on the project.

Processes

On day 2 of the Foundation class students learn about the 7 processes.

For each process, students learn:

• Who performs the process;
• When the process occurs;
• The inputs and outputs of each process;
• The decisions which occur in each process.

Practitioner course

The Practitioner-level training course provides students with a deeper understanding of:

• How the principles relate to the themes and processes;
• The composition and use of the recommended management products;
• How to tailor the themes and processes; and,
• Prepares students to sit the Practitioner exam.

Timings

For our PRINCE2 courses in London, the timings are:

Foundation

• Mon-Tue 9:30am to 5:00pm

Practitioner

• Wed-Thur 9:30am to 5:00pm
• Fri 9:00am to 12:00

Foundation & Practitioner

• Mon-Thur 9:30am to 5:00pm
• Fri 9:00am to 12:00

Eligibility

Foundation 

Prerequisites: none.

Practitioner

Prerequisites: 

• PRINCE2 Foundation Certification; or,
• PMI® Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)®; or,
• PMI® Project Management Professional (PMP)®; or,
• IPMA®, IPMB®, IPMC® or IPMD®.

The marks IPMA®, IPMB®, IPMC® and IPMD® are registered trademarks of IPMA in Switzerland and other countries.

Location

All our PRINCE2 courses in London take place at the following venue:

Knowledge Train

14 Charterhouse Square,
London,
EC1M 6AX,
United Kingdom.

Knowledge Train

14 Charterhouse Square, Barbican, London EC1M 6AX

4.8 223 reviews

London venue

Knowledge Train, 14 Charterhouse Square,
Barbican, London, EC1M 6AX, UK.

What's included?

• Official manual (Managing Successful Projects using PRINCE2 (except Practitioner-only course);
• Tuition from expert instructors;
• Course materials in a variety of formats to suit different learning styles;
• Exams taken on paper on completion of the course;
• Certificate issued by the exam board after passing the exam(s).

FAQs

How long does it take to complete a PRINCE2 course?

• Foundation – 2 days classroom, or 20 hours online;
• Practitioner – 2.5 days classroom, or 15 hours online.

How much does it cost to do PRINCE2?

• Foundation certification with exam - £549 upwards (classroom), £449 upwards (online);
• Practitioner certification with exam - £549 upwards (classroom), £449 upwards (online);
• Foundation & Practitioner certification with exam - £799 upwards (classroom), £799 upwards (online);
• All prices exclude VAT.

How do I get PRINCE2 certified?

1. If you hold one of these qualifications, sit the Practitioner exam straightaway:
   • PRINCE2 Foundation;
   • Project Management Professional (PMP)^®;
   • Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)^®;
   • IPMA Levels A^® to D^®;
2. Otherwise, sit and pass the PRINCE2 Foundation exam (1-hour, 60 questions, 55% pass mark);
3. Sit and pass the PRINCE2 Practitioner exam (2.5-hours, 68 questions, 55% pass mark).

Are PRINCE2 exams difficult?

The best way to judge if PRINCE2 exams are difficult is by looking at exam pass rates. In the UK, the national average pass rates are:

• Foundation - 97%;
• Practitioner - 73%.

So, approximately 1 person in 30 will fail Foundation, and 1 person in 4 will fail Practitioner.

What is the pass rate for PRINCE2 Practitioner?

The UK national average pass rate for PRINCE2 Practitioner is 73%. However, several factors can affect this including:

• Quality of the learning experience and training materials;
• Experience and skill of trainer;
• Commitment and preparation of student;

Since 2012, Knowledge Train’s Practitioner exam pass rates have averaged 83%.

Is the PRINCE2 Practitioner exam multiple-choice?

The Practitioner exam contains two styles of multiple-choice questions:

• ‘Standard classic’ – select one answer from a range of options;
• ‘Matching’ – link each item in one list to the correct item in a second list.

Questions are based upon a fictional project case study.

How many questions are on the PRINCE2 Foundation exam?

The Foundation exam contains 60 multiple-choice questions. The candidate must select one of 4 options. There is only one correct answer. There are 3 question styles:

• ‘Classic’ – e.g. “Which is the purpose of the risk theme?
• ‘Missing word’ – e.g. ‘Identify the missing word. The [?] is responsible for approving stage plans.’
• ‘List’ – e.g. ‘Which two statements about tailoring are CORRECT?’

What is PRINCE II certification?

People often confuse the spelling of PRINCE2. We’ve seen all the following ways of spelling:

• PRINCE TWO;
• PRINCE ii;
• PRINCE2 II;
• PRINCE 2;

PRINCE2 certification refers to the qualifications at Foundation and Practitioner levels.

What is PRINCE2 Agile?

PRINCE2 Agile is a recent development in that it combines the governance and structure of PRINCE2 with the flexibility of Agile.

Certification is similar to PRINCE2 in that it contains 2 qualifications - Foundation and Practitioner. Foundation is a prerequisite for sitting the PRINCE2 Agile Practitioner exam.

Is PRINCE2 agile or waterfall?

PRINCE2 can be either agile or waterfall depending upon how it is tailored. It is often assumed that PRINCE2 project management is waterfall because it is seen as a traditional project management method. However, it can be used alongside Agile development methods which on their own, do not provide the project management aspects.

What is the difference between PMP and PRINCE2?

PMP^® (Project Management Professional) is a qualification popular in the USA from the Project Management Institute. It tests a student’s knowledge of the PMBOK^® Guide, the American project management standard.

Compared to PRINCE2 which requires no experience, PMP certification requires considerable hours of previous project management experience.

“PMP“ and the “PMBOK” are registered marks of Project Management Institute, Inc.

Where are your PRINCE2 courses?

Our PRINCE2 course London venue is: 14 Charterhouse Square, London EC1M 6AX. It's the same venue for both weekday and weekend PRINCE2 training courses. 

What's the best PRINCE2 course in London?

We'd like to think our PRINCE2 courses are the best in London, but you'd be foolish to take our word for it. Instead read what our students say about us by reading their Google reviews. 

We put together an article about how to select the best PRINCE2 training so that you make the best choice.