PMP and PRINCE2: Different Standards

Posted by Alona in For the LadiesMar 2nd, 2011 | no responses

PRINCE2 (which stands for Projects in Controlled Environments) is the U.K. equivalent to the North American PMP certification. It is derived from an earlier method known as PROMPTII, a U.K. government standard for information systems project management. It is the guidebook for designing and supervising development projects, including steps to take in the event that the project veers away from carefully laid plans, and winds up in need of some adjustment.

This Is How They Do It

Believed to be used in as many as 50 countries, PRINCE2 provides a common code and language to which all parties involved in the project must adhere. Having everyone on the same page gives the stakeholders and venture capitalists the confidence to put up the tremendous amounts of money involved in such projects from inception to completion. Planning, controlling and adapting is the name of the game, and PMPs and their European counterparts are the rock stars of their own universe.

Similarities and Differences Across the Pond

Just as the CEO of any large company has to have a wide skill in order to manage all aspects of the business is his or her charge, and are subject to the whimsy of shareholders, project managers are brought in because of their ability to understand the entire scope of an operation, from the hourly workers to the primary investors. On either side of the pond, those who wish to attain such lofty status in the business community must study and prepare to pass the exam.

There are differences not only in the approach of the two different entities, but also in the exams themselves. Unlike in the U.K., the PMP certification requirements exam consists of 200 multiple-choice questions (whereas the PRINCE2 exam has an extensive essay-based portion). PRINCE2 Practitioners must retake the exam every 5 years, whereas the PMP test must be taken every 3 years. Further PMP accreditation is also contingent upon a certain number of development units having been managed by the candidate.