Something big is going to happen with PRINCE2 very soon now. The old version is undergoing an update, or as those responsible call it, a “radical evolution”. And it looks like this could be very interesting.

PRINCE2 is often attacked for being overly bureaucratic, or too complicated, or needing too much documentation. This update, which will be release on 16th June 2009, is tackling these complaints head on.

The biggest change has to be the introduction of a set of seven principles for PRINCE2:

• Business justification – A PRINCE2 project has continued business justification
• Learn from experience – PRINCE2 project teams learn from previous experience (lessons are sought, recorded and acted upon throughout the life of the project)
• Roles & responsibilities – A PRINCE2 project has defined and agreed roles and responsibilities with an organisation structure that engages the business, user and supplier stakeholder interests
• Manage by stages – A PRINCE2 project is planned, monitored and controlled on a stage by stage basis
• Manage by exception – A PRINCE2 project has defined tolerances for each project objective to establish limits of delegated authority
• Product focus – A PRINCE2 project focuses on the definition and delivery of products, in particular their quality requirements
• Tailor – PRINCE2 is tailored to suit the project’s size, environment,
  complexity, importance, capability and risk

This is an important development for PRINCE2. Not because the principles are new – they’re not. They’re the same principles that good PRINCE2 Practitioners have been using all along. But this is the first time that they have been set down and expressed as part of the methodology.

There is more information in Andy Murray’s presentation on the PRINCE2 update. Andy is the Lead Author for the update, and you can read more on the PRINCE2: 2009 Author Blog.