The Marriage Between PRINCE2 Foundation and PRINCE2 Practitioner

Because today is Valentine’s Day, I thought we could take a romantic look at the differences between the PRINCE2® Foundation and PRINCE2® Practitioner courses.  So, in the first part of this post I will explain what these differences are and will then follow this explanation with a rather light-hearted and romantic comparison.  After all it is a romantic time of the year! 

So, without further ado; there are two stages to the training for PRINCE2®; Foundation and Practitioner.  You can take each course separately or combine the two.  Before we talk about combining the two courses, however, let’s firstly look at the Foundation course.

PRINCE2® Foundation

There are no prerequisites for the PRINCE2® Foundation course, the aim of which is to provide you with a working knowledge of PRINCE2®.  Over three days you will become familiar with the language, terms and phrases of PRINCE2® and you will gain an understanding of the principles, themes, processes and techniques.  You will be introduced to the structure of PRINCE2® and you will learn how to initiate and direct a project.  There will be some homework involved and at the end of the three days you will sit an examination.

The Foundation course will allow you to feel comfortable and confident in a PRINCE2® project management environment.  It is ideal for those new to project management but is also a handy certification for consultants and contract staff.

PRINCE2® Practitioner

The prerequisite for PRINCE2® Practitioner is normally PRINCE2® Foundation, but Project Management Professional (PMP), Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) or International Project Management Associate (IPMA) levels A to D would also be acceptable.

A two-day course, PRINCE2® Practitioner builds on the knowledge you have gained from the Foundation course.  You will be taught the basics of applying PRINCE2® methodology and you will learn to apply and tailor the principles in context. 

The first day will revolve around examination workshops.  You will apply PRINCE2® principles to start and complete a scenario project.  You will learn how to direct PRINCE2® to address the requirements of the project and any issues that may arise.  By doing so you will gain a comprehensive understanding of the relationship between the principles, processes and themes of PRINCE2®.

PRINCE2® Practitioner is suitable for the more experienced staff members such as the Project Manager, General Manager and Programme Manager.

The differences between PRINCE2® Foundation and Practitioner in romantic terms

PRINCE2® Foundation can be compared to the start of a romantic relationship; the engagement period if you like.  Both delegate and partner spend time getting to know the language.  By learning the language delegates can communicate better in a PRINCE2® environment, just as a couple grow more confident in their relationship.

In all relationships there are little hiccups, lovers’ tiffs.  On the Foundation course these hiccups come in the form of homework.  Once the tiffs have been resolved the relationship grows stronger.  Similarly, once the homework has been completed, the PRINCE2® delegate will feel stronger and more confident when sitting the examination.  The certification at the end of the examination is the ‘kiss and make up’ once the tiff has been resolved!

Once you have learned the language of PRINCE2® and understand how to use it at Foundation level then the next step is to ‘marry’ your knowledge with the practical application taught at Practitioner level.   Again, there will be little hiccups in the form of homework and an examination, but once you have passed the examination and have gained your practitioner status you can become a PRINCE2® member and claim your digital badge.  This badge is the ‘marriage licence’, the benefits of which I explained in ‘PRINCE2® Roadshow: Qualification and Examination Update’

To be certified at Foundation level and then to ‘marry’ it up with the Practitioner certification is a match made in heaven.  It opens a whole new world of employment possibilities, career advancement and financial rewards, but for more information on these opportunities have a look at ‘What jobs can I get with a PRINCE2® qualification?’