PRINCE2 and PRINCE2 Agile, 2 respected qualifications in the project management field. So what’s the difference among them, and do you really need both of them? Which one’s better?
Let’s break it down.
What’s PRINCE2 Qualification?
PRINCE2(PRojects IN Controlled Environments). This is one of the highly required project management job roles on different job sites.
PRINCE2 is a structured framework in the field that provides a clear path for each process, roles and responsibilities for each individual, a strong focus on planning (stays rigid and doesn’t change often), risk management and business justification (checking if the activity would be beneficial for the company).
This methodology suits,
- Projects with high risk, large scale and long term
- Government, construction, healthcare and finance projects
The industries that this methodology suits better are,
- Construction
- Engineering
- Manufacturing
- Government
- Public sector
- Healthcare
What’s PRINCE®2 Agile?
This qualification teaches you to keep the principles, the roles and structure while allowing delivery with agile techniques (flexible techniques where each part is delivered as iterations)
This certification is valuable for organisations that work with projects that need constant changes in requirements, stakeholder feedback and quick delivery. This framework allows changes and is more flexible than PRINCE®2.
This suits for industries such as,
- IT and Software
- Digital Marketing
- Product Development
- Startups
- Finance
- UI/UX Design
- Consultancy
Now the big question. Do you need both qualifications?
Not really. Most companies are satisfied if you have one qualification because that’s all you need.
Yes, both qualifications together can make you a much better project manager, but earning one certification that suits better with the kind of industry you’re working in right now is worth it.
With one certification, you’ll have 80% of the project management knowledge you will ever need.
However, there are certain times when having both the PRINCE®2 qualification and the PRINCE®2 Agile qualification can come in handy, as follows.
- If you’re switching industries(e.g. from construction to IT or vice versa)
- If you plan on applying for roles like Agile Project manager in the future
- If you want to be employable in any kind of field
- If you’re aiming for senior roles
Which One Should You Take First?
If this is your first PRINCE®2 certification, start with the PRINCE®2 Foundation. This is the first course that gives you a basic and complete understanding of the framework. This qualification alone is recognised among employers, therefore while studying for this course, you can apply for most of the job roles in the project management field even if you’re a complete beginner.
You can then proceed to the PRINCE®2 Practitioner, which teaches you how to apply the knowledge you gained in the foundation in real existing programmes
Or else,
Based on the industry you want to work in, you can either choose PRINCE2 Agile Foundation (you don’t have to do the PRINCE2 Foundation if you’re choosing this qualification) and proceed to PRINCE2 Agile Practitioner,
Which One Is More In Demand?
Based on research and the current trends in the UK and Europe, PRINCE2 continues to exist as the most requested certification.
But there’s a high demand for PRINCE2 Agile in industries like IT, finance, e-commerce and digital transformation roles.
The gradual rise in remote and hybrid roles can also lead to a higher demand in the PRINCE®2 Agile qualification in the future.
