2 Principles
PRINCE2 is designed so that it can be applied to any type of project, taking account of its scale, organization, geography and culture. It is designed to contribute to the success of a project without burdening it with bureaucracy.
The PRINCE2 principles provide a framework of good practice for people involved in a project and were developed from lessons taken from both successful and failed projects. The seven principles are:
• Continued business justification PRINCE2 requires that there is a justifiable reason for starting the project; that justification is recorded and approved; and that it remains valid, and is revalidated, throughout the life of the project.
• Learn from experience PRINCE2 project teams learn from experience: lessons are sought, recorded and acted upon throughout the life of the project.
• Defined roles and responsibilities A PRINCE2 project has defined and agreed roles and responsibilities within an organization 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.
• Focus on products A PRINCE2 project focuses on the definition and delivery of products, in particular their quality requirements.
• Tailor to suit the project PRINCE2 is tailored to suit the project environment, size, complexity, importance, team capability and risk.
To be following PRINCE2, these principles must be adopted when managing a project. Minimum requirements set out in the themes and processes must also be satisfied. These minimum requirements describe what must be done, rather than how it is done.
The PRINCE2 principles are complementary to an agile way of working. Some are ‘very much agile’, such as continued business justification, learn from experience, focus on products, manage by stages, and manage by exception, the last being synonymous with giving people autonomy and empowerment. For more information, see the AXELOS guide, PRINCE2 Agile.