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Planning Large Projects and ProgramsThe techniques explained so far in this section on Mind Tools support a pragmatic, commonsense approach to planning and managing small and medium-sized projects. A warning: this approach will only scale up to a certain extent – larger projects will reach a complexity where pragmatic management generates a level of inefficiency and waste which can start to threaten the project. For larger projects, Project Management becomes a technical discipline in its own right. To run projects as efficiently as possible, Project Managers need to be trained in methodologies such as PRINCE2 (an increasingly widespread UK government standard which stands for "PRojects IN Controlled Environments") or an equivalent, and need to apply an appropriate subset of these methodologies. PRINCE2 is powerful in that it completely clarifies people's roles in projects, ensures that lines of communication are clear, makes sure that project risk is actively managed, sets up appropriate controls, establishes baseline costs, schedule and scope, and so on. In this, it embodies and codifies much of project management best practice. This link takes you to the formal, authoritative, but very dry PRINCE 2 Manual (only available from Amazon.co.uk). PRINCE 2: A Practical Handbook is probably an easier way to understand the standard, and is available from Amazon.com. Similarly, a range of different software tools can be applied. More advanced project management methodologies and supporting software tools are beyond the scope of Mind Tools – this is where sites like ITToolkit.com take over. MindTools.com - Join Our Community! Spread the Word:
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