| PRINCE2 and ITIL are both standardised management | | | | Operation and Continual Service Improvement. Like the |
| methodologies, formulated by the UK government and | | | | PRINCE2 Project Lifecycle, ITIL describes Service |
| subsequently adopted by public and private sector | | | | Management as a series of stages, but unlike |
| organisations throughout the UK, Europe and | | | | PRINCE2, ITIL places considerable emphasis on the |
| increasingly in the USA, Asia, South Africa and the | | | | maintenance, monitoring and improvement of the |
| Middle East. Both methodologies are described in | | | | services developed during the earlier stages of the |
| standard textbooks and are available as accredited | | | | lifecycle. |
| courses, with examinations and certificates | | | | Intermediate-level ITIL qualifications explore these |
| administered by the APMG. | | | | stages in greater detail. Some modules also examine |
| PRINCE2 (PRojects IN Controlled Environments v. 2) | | | | specific Service Management processes (for example: |
| provides a generic project management framework | | | | Risk Management, Knowledge Management, Request |
| based on best practices (or 'Components') devised by | | | | Fulfilment), which are clustered according to the roles |
| teams of professional and experienced project | | | | with which they are associated. This enables individuals |
| managers and subject to constant revision (there is | | | | employed in an IT services capacity, but not |
| currently a movement towards replacing the term | | | | necessarily as the Service Manager, to study |
| 'best practices' with the less absolutist 'good practice', | | | | methodologies and best practices more applicable to |
| in order to recognise the importance and necessity of | | | | their responsibilities. |
| continual improvement. | | | | There is considerable cross-over between project |
| There are two tiers to the PRINCE2 qualification: | | | | management and service management. Both |
| PRINCE2 Foundation and PRINCE2 Practitioner. The | | | | disciplines require the ability to assume both a |
| Foundation-level qualification is essential for anybody | | | | macroscopic and an in-depth perspective on the goals |
| who might work on a project run according to | | | | of the team, the business and the industry. Both |
| PRINCE2 guidelines, as it provides a basic | | | | PRINCE2 and ITIL teach holistic approaches to the |
| understanding of the PRINCE2 concepts, practices and | | | | goals of the project/service manager, beginning with |
| terminology. It is also recommended for anybody who | | | | the need-based development of a strategy and |
| needs to have a grasp of what project management | | | | providing broad frameworks for organising progress |
| is about and what the industry standards are. | | | | towards a defined goal. In addition, both methodologies |
| PRINCE2 Practitioner is designed for project | | | | insist on a constant business-focus, in order to prevent |
| managers. The qualification demonstrates analytical | | | | degeneration into activity for its own sake, rather than |
| abilities, as well as knowledge and a sound | | | | as a tool for the fulfilment of customer need. |
| understanding of industry standards and practices. It is | | | | However, there are important differences between |
| necessary for anybody working on a PRINCE2 | | | | PRINCE2 and ITIL. The necessarily temporary nature |
| project, and is also an extremely useful resource of | | | | of a project means that PRINCE2 does not cover the |
| processes and procedures for project managers to | | | | support and development required of an IT Service |
| draw on when managing non-PRINCE2 projects. | | | | Manager after the design and implementation of the |
| The IT Infrastructure Library (or 'ITIL') is an IT-specific | | | | initial product. On the other hand, ITIL does not |
| service management framework. The essential | | | | sufficiently train Service Managers to bring projects to |
| difference between project management and service | | | | a satisfactory close, its focus being rather on the |
| management is that a project has by definition a | | | | provision of long-term services. While an IT Service |
| temporary lifespan, while an important aspect of | | | | Manager may make do with ITIL on a day-to-day |
| service management is maintaining and developing the | | | | basis, the project-specific training provided by |
| services that are currently provided. An IT Service | | | | PRINCE2 is essential when independent projects are |
| Manager may embark on a project within the context | | | | required within the context of long-term service |
| of the role, but a Project Manager will not provide | | | | provision. And correspondingly, while a project |
| operational maintenance in the long-term, unless the | | | | manager may have many of the skills required to |
| nature of the role is fundamentally altered. | | | | move into Service Management, it is the ITIL |
| There are various, independent qualifications available | | | | qualification that offers the requisite understanding of |
| in ITIL. The basic Foundation certificate is a prerequisite | | | | how a high standard of services may be maintained |
| for all other levels, and provides an introduction to the | | | | after the initial product has been developed. |
| 'Service Lifecycle': Strategy, Design, Transition, | | | | |