Austria edition – comes 6 years after the 6

must work and communicate with, and people who will use the outputs of the project to realize the expected outcomes and benefits.

Organizational and project ecosystemsWithout all these stakeholders working and communicating well together, the project will become a failure. PRINCE2 7th edition describes both the organizational ecosystem (the existing organizational elements and external relationships), and the project ecosystems (those elements of the business directly involved in, or impacted by the project, and the associated users and suppliers.Crucially, the success of the project will depend on how well the project establishes relationships with the organizations that support its delivery, and how well it fits into the organizational ecosystem to deliver the change.^{Change management}One very interesting part of PRINCE2 7, is its emphasis on

change management

. Change management has always been regarded as requiring a separate set of skills and support infrastructure from projects. In fact, there are a whole range of

PRINCE2 6

th

edition had 7 themes, namely

business case

, organization, quality, plans, risk, change, and progress. In the 7th edition, themes are now known as ‘Practices’, and some of the names have been changed slightly. The new practices are business case, organization, quality, plans, risk, issues, and progress.One part of the chapters about the Practices that has been changed is the dropping of the previous ‘minimum requirements’ for each theme, and the addition of one technique for each practice. In addition, there are the addition of multiple supporting techniques, such as best-case, expected-case, and worse-case scenarios for the benefits in the business case.In addition, each theme now has a section about applying the practice in real-life which come with multiple scenarios based upon real-life case studies. These are a welcome addition for students preparing to sit their

PRINCE2 certification

examinations.The final welcome change in the 7th

edition is that the management product outlines are now included within each practice chapter, making it easier for readers to understand which

management products

are relevant to each practice.

Addition of new management approaches

Since the 6

th

edition, PRINCE2 has had the concept of a ‘management approach’ which is a plan for managing a specific aspect of

project management

. In version 6, these were: risks, change control, benefits, quality, and communications. In PRINCE2 7th edition, three new ones have been added: digital and data, commercial, and sustainability management approaches.

Digital and data management approach

With the advent of digital data and the related issues of security and privacy of data, the 7

th edition provides a digital and data management approach which describes how digital technologies will be used to support project management

and project work. It also describes how data and information will be created, used and managed across the project.

Commercial management approachA strange omission in previous editions of PRINCE2

, but a very welcome addition in the 7th edition is the commercial management approach. This covers all aspects of commercial management on the project, including market engagement, contract management, and procurement.

Previous editions always described PRINCE2 as operating with a customer/supplier context, with the supplier either part of the customer organization commissioning the project, or an external organization operating under a contractual arrangement. However, previous versions never described any part of the commercial aspects to

project management

.Whilst the 7th

edition does not provide detailed guidance for how to manage contracts or procurement, it does offer high level pointers to the important things that must be considered.

Sustainability management approach

: Project managers should be skilled in developing realistic timelines, managing project milestones, and keeping projects on track.

Risk management

1. : Identifying and proactively addressing potential risks and developing strategies to mitigate them.
2. Resource allocation
3. Start anytime: Ensuring optimal use of team members, budget, and materials throughout the project.AgilePM Practitioner certificate
4. Communication and leadership
5. Not included: Project managers should be able to clearly communicate project goals, delegate tasks, and motivate team members to achieve objectives. These skills also help with stakeholder management and reporting.Practitioner

   Product manager skills

Interactive contentProduct managersCombined

, on the other hand, require a different skill set to guide product development and strategy. Key skills for product managers include:See course

12-month accessMarket research and analysis

: Product managers should be able to conduct thorough market research, identify customer needs, and understand market trends.

Learners who prefer flexibility & self-studyStrategic thinking

: Developing product roadmaps, making informed decisions, and prioritising features based on market demands and business goals.AgilePM Foundation holders or experienced project managers who want to apply AgilePM in realistic project scenarios and complex environments.

Engaging, interactive e-learningUser experience and customer focus

About our e-learning design: Product managers need to have a strong understanding of their target audience and create products that resonate with them.None

Our PMI-ACP e-learning is built for busy professionals. Short, focused lessons, practice questions, and real-world examples help you connect theory to your daily agile work and stay motivated through your study plan.Technical understanding

Course: While coding skills may not be essential, product managers should have a basic understanding of technology and development processes to communicate effectively with development teams and make informed product decisions.5 day or 43 hours This course follows the PMI-ACP exam domains and gives you a clear, practical understanding of how agile works in real projects. You’ll move from agile principles through to planning, delivery, and continuous improvement.Overlapping skills for both roles Understand agile principles & mindsetIn addition to the distinct skills mentioned above, there are also skills that are important for both project and product managers. These skills include:Instructor-led, self-paced

Problem-solving

Explain the values, principles, and behaviours that underpin agile ways of working.: Both roles often involve solving complex problems, whether during project execution or product development.Both exams included

Apply value-driven deliveryStakeholder management

: Navigating complex organisational structures and maintaining support for initiatives.Includes both exams

Agile values and principles from the Agile Manifesto