| PRINCE2® is a structured method for project | | | | your score - but when you take it you won't |
| management developed and owned by UK | | | | know which ones so you need to answer all of |
| government body The Office of Government | | | | the questions. |
| Commerce (OGC). It is widely used in the UK and | | | | To pass you need to score 35 out of 70 available |
| around the world as a framework for project | | | | marks. |
| management and is generally accepted as | | | | You will be given a question paper and a separate |
| representing "best practice". It is used by many | | | | sheet for marking your answers. You must use |
| UK government departments and also by many | | | | pencil, not pen, to complete the answer sheet. I |
| private sector organisations. It is intended as a | | | | think this is because APMG use automated reading |
| standard approach for any type of project. In | | | | technology that partly uses electronic mark |
| 2009 the method was thoroughly revised and | | | | reading - graphite is a good electrical conductor |
| updated to reflect the experience of users and | | | | whereas as ink is not. You can annotate the |
| current thinking. | | | | question paper as you wish - using pen, highlighter |
| The method is fully defined in the OGC manual | | | | or anything else. For example you may wish to |
| Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2®. | | | | mark a possible answer if you are unsure and |
| This article is intended to help you to take and | | | | come back to it later. |
| pass the PRINCE2® Foundation Examination. It | | | | You must hand in the question paper as well as |
| covers the basic structure and format of the | | | | your answers when you're finished - the exam |
| exam. Future articles will include more on | | | | board insist that all papers are returned to them. |
| preparation, revision and exam technique. I will | | | | They don't want to see them on sale on eBay! |
| also be publishing articles about the PRINCE2® | | | | Your paper will usually be marked by the trainer / |
| Practitioner Examination and use of the method in | | | | invigilator straight after the close of the exam. |
| practice. | | | | You will normally be given a "provisional" result as |
| The exam leads to the first level PRINCE2® | | | | soon as this has been done - although |
| qualification - Foundation. It is awarded by APMG - | | | | arrangements may vary. It is "provisional" |
| the official worldwide examining body. It is | | | | because your result has to be formally confirmed |
| designed primarily as a test of your knowledge of | | | | by the exam board - they will check your |
| the method and terminology. (The Practitioner | | | | answers when they are sent on afterwards. |
| exam that follows is meant to be more a test of | | | | Some trainers have the unfortunate practice of |
| understanding and application of PRINCE2®). It is | | | | announcing results publicly to everybody on the |
| a recognised qualification and specfied as either | | | | course. Something that I completely disagree with. |
| mandatory or desirable for many project | | | | Some even do so in reverse order, starting with |
| management jobs. The syllabus is entirely based | | | | "The lowest scoring candidate is ..... "! If you have |
| on the PRINCE2® manual mentioned above. | | | | concerns about this check beforehand. If |
| You can take the exam as part of a training | | | | necessary you should insist that you are given |
| course or at one of APMG's open exam centres. | | | | your result privately. |
| According to the guidance issued by APMG: | | | | This may be stating the obvious but - ensure that |
| 'This level is aiming to measure whether a | | | | you have all that you need beforehand. Pencil, |
| candidate would be able to act as an informed | | | | spare pencil (+spare spare pencil?), eraser, pencil |
| member of a project management team using | | | | sharpener. You might also need a pen / highlighter |
| the PRINCE2® method within a project | | | | to annotate the question paper. Plus refreshments |
| environment supporting PRINCE2®. To this end | | | | to suit you - Red Bull is a favourite of some! |
| they need to show they understand the principles | | | | If you pass you have a recognised qualification - |
| and terminology of the method.' | | | | PRINCE2® Foundation. You can breathe a sigh |
| AMPG Website - Foundation Exam | | | | of relief - you will never have to take the exam |
| It is "closed book" so you cannot refer to the | | | | again according to current regulations. APMG will |
| manual, notes or any other material. | | | | issue you with a certificate in due course and add |
| You have one hour to complete it - most | | | | you to their register of successful candidates. |
| candidates find that they can do so fairly | | | | If you fail - it happen sometimes - you will |
| comfortably within this time limit. You do need to | | | | normally be given the chance to re-take either |
| take care though - one hour can pass very | | | | immediately or the next day. You also have the |
| quickly! | | | | option of re-taking at any future date when an |
| It consists of 75 questions in a multiple choice | | | | exam is scheduled. My advice to candidates is |
| format. Each normally has four choices - A, B, C, | | | | generally to re-take the following day if possible. |
| D - and only one correct answer. | | | | Most candidates do pass this exam - the current |
| Five of the questions in each paper are "trial | | | | pass rate is 95.93% (source: APMG October |
| questions" used by the exam board APMG to | | | | 2009). The secret is good preparation and sound |
| test new questions. These do not count towards | | | | exam technique. More on that in future articles. |