What does PRINCE2 conjure up for you?  Prince Harry?  Our Number 2 Prince, after William, guaranteed to hit the headlines regularly as he stretches his wings and learns the ropes of being in the public eye?

 

Or the artiste formally known as PRINCE…finding yet another persona?

 

Or do you immediately think “Ah yes – Project Management! – how fascinating!”

 

I’ve come across some people who think PRINCE2 is the best thing since sliced bread, and swear by its structure and process to manage projects in a very precise and pure way.  Others see it as obstructive and convoluted, hindering the normal workings of everyday business.  

 

For those who work in the world of project management it is probably a pre-requisite for success, and at the heart of business.  But what about the NHS? Does it have a place?

 

I think it does – with reservation.  It is, after all, just a tool, and one of many in our toolkit. It’s there to help, not hinder, and shouldn’t be seen as something to slavishly follow, becoming an end in itself.

 

It can provide structure and order and sense in a world that is changing constantly, and help to ensure all the different elements are dealt with in the right order, and should save time, energy and effort – if it is applied appropriately.

 

So don’t dismiss it out of hand – understand what it can and can’t do – and make it work for you when it is useful.

 

Meanwhile – I’m working on PRINCESS1 – a methodology for my 3 year old granddaughter to manage her little sister.  I think I might have hit on something that all big sisters should have.