CRACK

PRINCE2
IN 7 DAYS
A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE

Table of Contents

What is PRINCE2?

Principles of PRINCE2

PMP vs. PRINCE2

Who Should Take PRINCE2?

PRINCE2 Certifications

Exam Preparation 7 Days Plan

PRINCE2 Foundation Course Exam structure and strategy

PRINCE2 Practitioner Exam Exam structure and strategy

Practice Tests

What is PRINCE2?
PRINCE2 (PRojects IN Controlled Environments) is a process-based project
management methodology which was developed by the government of
United Kingdom and has become a de facto standard for all government
information systems projects. However, the standard is widely recognized in
the private sector, in the UK and internationally.
When preparing for your PRINCE2 certification, it is important that you
have the official PRINCE2 manual or an appropriate condensed study
material. When you register with an authorized training organization such as
Simplilearn, you are provided with such material, mock tests and other
resources which will be valuable before, during and after the exam.

Principles of PRINCE2?
PRINCE2 project management standard is driven by seven principles which
have been formulated considering past project execution experiences. These
principles form the basic characteristics of the PRINCE2 methodology and
processes.

Business Justification
Any PRINCE2 project must have continued business justification i.e. a reason to start
and remain viable throughout the project lifecycle.

Learn from Experience

Each project should maintain a Lessons Log so as to avoid reinventing the wheel for
future projects.

Roles & Responsibilities

Users, business stakeholders, and business interests must be considered while defining
roles and responsibilities of the people involved in the project.

Manage by Stages
Each stage in the project should be planned, monitored, and controlled.

Manage by Exception
Each project should have pre-defined tolerances to create the boundary limit of
delegated authority.

Focus on Products
Proper definition of product quality and delivery must be mentioned.

Tailor to Suit the Environment

Methodology must be tailored to suit the projects environment, importance, capabilities,
and risks.

PRINCE2 defines various aspects of project management and leaves the decision of management
tools and frameworks to the task managers. GANTT Charts, PERT charts, and Critical path analysis
are the possible tools that can be used.

PMP vs. PRINCE2

Contrary to popular belief PRINCE2 and PMP are not competitors; they are
two totally different project management techniques. While PMP is a
perspective methodology that is knowledge-based, PRINCE2 is a descriptive
methodology that is process-based. PRINCE2 has a series of processes
defining what needs to be done, when, how, and by whom. While PMP
defines the role of a Project Manager, PRINCE2 defines the role of everyone
involved in a project. PMP is better known in the USA, Canada, Middle East,
and Australia while PRINCE2 is popular in UK, Europe, and even Australia.
Though quite different, PMP and PRINCE2 complement each other really
well. In fact many professionals prefer to be trained and certified in both so
that both methodologies can be used to the fullest. For such professionals,
Simplilearn offers the Complete Project Management Pack which has
PRINCE2, PMP and 7 other Project Management online courses.

recognized and
Globally
demanded, the PMP

demonstrates that you have

the experience, education
and competency to
successfully lead and
direct projects.

- PMI Official Website

Practitioner examination
The
assesses whether a candidate
could apply PRINCE2 to
running and managing a
non-complex project within
an environment supporting
PRINCE2.

- APMG-International
PRINCE2 Certification
leaflet

Who Should Take PRINCE2?

PRINCE2 applies to all types of projects, be it engineering, IT, business,
finance, construction, and health care, alongside IT. Unlike other project
management methodologies, PRINCE2 focuses on non-IT related fields as
well and caters to all professionals involved in the project. Product managers,
engineers, business analysts, trainers, and people working in non-managerial
domains can take up this certification.

PRINCE2 Certifications
PRINCE2 certification program includes two levels of qualification:
Foundation and Practitioner. Each level of the course is role-specific.
Professionals in supporting roles of a project should take up Foundation
training and for professionals in a lead role, Practitioner certification is
recommended.

PRINCE2 Foundation
The Foundation program provides an introduction to PRINCE2 methodology and
terminologies, apart from shedding light on documents, roles, and stages in PRINCE2.
For professionals involved in supporting roles of projects (marketing, administration, and
technical job), the Foundation level of training would suffice but it is always advisable to
complete the Practitioner certification along with the Foundation level as continuous
preparation will aid in better understanding of concepts and improve your chances of
clearing the Practitioner exam.

PRINCE2 Practitioner
After PRINCE2 Foundation, the next level of certification is Practitioner which requires
PRINCE2 Foundation certification as a pre-requisite. The Practitioner program is highly
recommended for all project managers or professionals (product managers and business
analysts) in leading roles of a project. This training teaches a practical approach to
PRINCE2. The Practitioner course focuses on how to execute and manage different
aspects of a project within a PRINCE2 environment. The training provides a
comprehensive overview of the relationship between PRINCE2 principles, products,
processes, and themes that are involved.

Exam Preparation
Once you have decided to take the PRINCE2 examination, it is important to
have the right study plan so that you cover all the important topics during
your preparation. This guide contains a consolidated study plan which will help
you during the preparation. Take out 1-2 hours/day for the exam preparation
and within a week, you will be ready for the actual examination. Please note
that the Practitioner Exam is open-book so candidates can carry a copy of
PRINCE2 manual to the exam. Most ATOs including Simplilearn offers you a
copy of manual to be used during the exam or you can buy your own copy
from official site.
This preparation plan was prepared after carefully analyzing the study patterns of PRINCE2
aspirants trained by Simplilearn and consulting our trainers. Following instructions presented in this
guide will help you create your own study plan and prepare you for the certification exam in the most
effective way.
However, to ensure you thoroughly understand the application of PRINCE2 to projects, training
from accredited training providers like Simplilearn can prove to be useful. The exam tips and tricks
mentioned during the training sessions will surely help you in your endeavor.
You can attend classroom sessions conducted by Simplilearn at various locations. If you do not have
time to attend classroom sessions, you can opt for Online or Virtual Class which will give you the
required Contact Hours and enable you to prepare as per your convenience. For more details on
eligibility, exam format, application tips and other specifics, please visit Simplilearns PRINCE2
page here.

The study plan mentioned in this eBook is prepared by carefully examining the official
PRINCE2 manual. The handbook provided by Simplilearn during the training includes
all key chapters from the official manual. You should use a condensed study material
or the official PRINCE2 manual during preparation.

DAY 1

On the first day, you must spend time understanding the PRINCE2 environment as a
whole along with the principles, variables, characteristics, etc.

The Introduction Chapter

(20-25 mins)

The certification exam will have questions on the characteristics of a PRINCE2 project,
the six variables, the structure of PRINCE2 and what PRINCE2 is not.

Principles of PRINCE2

(30-40 mins)

It is very important to understand all seven PRINCE2 principles. Drawing a table listing
down principles and themes will help in your preparation for the exam.

DAY 2

Weve listed down important tables that you need to study closely when preparing for
your PRINCE2 certification. These tables can be found in the official PRINCE2 manual.

Introduction to PRINCE2 Themes

(10-15 mins)

The certification exam will feature questions based on the seven themes of PRINCE2.
These themes are further integrated into each of the seven processes of PRINCE2.

Business Case

(25-30 mins)

The important sections from this chapter include the relationship between Output, Outcome
and Benefit, PRINCE2 approach to Business Case, contents of a Business Case and a
Benefits Review Plan. Remember to read table 4.1 from the PRINCE2 manual
(Responsibilities relevant to the Business Case). When studying this chapter, it helps if you
have an actual business case for reference. Simplilearns PRINCE2 training gives you access
to Industry-based case studies that will help you understand the concepts better.

Organization

(35-40 mins)

The PRINCE2 principle of defined roles and responsibilities states that a PRINCE2 project
will always have three primary categories of stakeholders. Understand various levels of
management within the project management team and go through all the main roles of the
project management team, including but not limited to the Project Manager, Senior User,
Senior Supplier and Executive. You can expect questions based on this theme so it is
important to develop a comprehensive understanding between the roles and responsibilities
of each.

DAY 3

Quality

(40-45 mins)

Table 6.1 in the PRINCE2 manual helps you understand the relationship between Project
Assurance and Quality Assurance; other important sections from this chapter include Quality
Management Strategy, the Project Product Description, Product Description and the Quality
Review Technique. Table 6.3 in the PRINCE2 manual summarizes the responsibilities in the
Quality Theme.

Plans

(25-30 mins)

Plan and Quality are complimentary themes in PRINCE2. The most important topics of this
chapter include the different levels of plan and the PRINCE2 approach to plans. Table 7.1
gives a summary of the responsibilities in the Plans Theme.

DAY 4

Risk

(30-35 mins)

Important topics covered in this section include the Risk Management Strategy, especially the
risk management procedure, and the different risk responses. Understanding the definition of
the various risk responses helps prepare both for the Foundation as well as Practitioner
certification exams. Understand the risk owner and risk actionee roles.

Change

(25-30 mins)

Important sections include different types of issues, the configuration management strategy
including the configuration management procedure and the issue and change control
procedure. Table 9.3 summarizes the responsibilities relevant to the Change theme.

DAY 5

On Day 5, you can complete the final theme-Progress and begin with PRINCE2 processes.

Progress

(40-45 mins)

Important sections from this chapter include exceptions and tolerances, Project Board
controls and Project manager controls, the relationship between management stages and
technical stages. Tables 10.1 and 10.2 will be very helpful during the Practitioner certification
exam.

Introduction to PRINCE2 Processes

(20-25 mins)

There are 7 processes in PRINCE2. Draw up a table containing who uses various processes,
what are the major management products of each process and what are the possible triggers
for each process. Read the PRINCE2 recommended sections in each process from the
PRINCE2 manual.

DAY 6

On the sixth day of preparation, you must spend quality time in preparing the 7 processes
and also tailoring the PRINCE2 environment to projects. Ideally, understanding and
memorizing each process will take about 15 minutes each.

PRINCE2 Processes

(15 min each)

Thoroughly go through each of the below mentioned processes and read the purpose of
each process. Read all sections which contain "PRINCE2 recommends the following actions".

Starting up a Project Process

Directing a Project Process

Initiating a Project Process

Controlling a Stage Process
Managing Product Delivery Process
Managing a Stage Boundary Process
Closing a Project Process

Tailoring PRINCE2 to Project Environment

(20-25 mins)

Read the comparison between tailoring and embedding. Table 19.2 Examples of projects of
different scales.

DAY 7

The last day of preparation must be dedicated to solving practice tests. The best way to
prepare for the real exam is with mock tests. Please attempt full-length PRINCE2 mock
tests and try to time yourself during the test. This will give you a clear picture of your weak
areas that need additional preparation.
PRINCE2 training from Simplilearn offers multiple, full-length practice tests so that you

become familiar with the exam structure and pattern before taking up your certification
exam.

PRINCE2 Practitioner Exam & Exercises

(60-70 mins)

Analyze the types of questions in the Foundation and Practitioner exam. Solve Sample
questions. You can take practice tests from Simplilearn to analyze your preparation for the
exam. When practicing with mock tests, it is equally important that you evaluate wrong
answers and understand gaps in your preparation.

PRINCE2 Foundation Course Exam structure and strategy

The exam board (APMG International) specifies that successful candidates
should understand:
Benefits of adopting PRINCE2 in their projects.
Purpose of PRINCE2 roles, management products, and themes.
PRINCE2 principles
Purpose, objective, and context of PRINCE2 processes.

Exam Structure
The PRINCE2 Foundation exam is intended to show the understanding about the basic principles
and terminology of the method.
Exam is one hour long.
Consists of 75 questions, out of which 70 questions are live. 5 questions to be trial and not
counted in scores.
The questions are multiple choice format with four options : A,B,C,D (usually).
The pass percentage is 50 percent. That means you need to score 35 marks or more to pass.
Exam is a closed book which means you cannot carry manuals or any other printed materials.

Exam Strategy
Once you have completed preparation for the Foundation exam, the next big step is to manage your
time during the examination. Heres a strategy that can help you while taking the exam.

Glance through the Questions

(30 mins)

Give yourself a bare minimum of 25 seconds to read each equation and answer the
ones you are confident of.
By doing this, you might have at least solved about 30-35 questions.

Give it a Second Try

(25 minutes)

This time around, read and answer the questions that you had left unanswered
in the first try.
However, you mustnt spend more than 30 seconds while trying to answer these
questions.
This will save you of 5 minutes, which you can spend on questions whose answers you are
pretty unsure of. When in doubt, eliminate possible incorrect answers and then try guessing
the right one (remember there are no negative marks).

Exam Tricks and Tips

Practice sample exams available as part of your training program. As the questions are
compiled from a limited question bank, the tested method to clear the Foundation exam is
to practice as many sample questions as possible.
Keep your revision notes well-organized. Use different visual methods to differentiate
between various chapters.
Memorize the PRINCE2 processes, components, PRINCE2 techniques,
alongside the relation between processes, components, and techniques.
You can learn more tricks and tips which will be helpful in your preparation by taking up
PRINCE2 Foundation training at Simplilearn.

PRINCE2 Practitioner Exam Exam structure and strategy

Candidates taking the Practitioner Exam should:
Understand relationships between roles, management products,
principles, themes, procedures, and techniques.
Be able to apply PRINCE2 principles, themes, and processes to a
project within PRINCE2 environment.

Exam Structure
The pre-requisite to appear for the Practitioner exam is to clear the Foundation examination.
All Practitioner-level candidates should have sound knowledge of the practical applications of
PRINCE2 processes and principles.
Exam will be conducted for 2.5 hours.
It is an open book exam. You will be allowed to carry a copy of the official PRINCE2
manual with you.
You need to score 44 marks or more (i.e. 50%) out of 80 marks, to clear the examination.
Questions will be based on 8 of the 10 syllabus areas with 6 theme-based questions and 2
process-based questions.
A Scenario booklet, question booklet, and answer sheets will be given to you during the
examination. Scenario booklet will have details about a specific project while the question
booklet will have 80 questions.
Five question styles are followed in the Practitioner exam.
Multiple Choice: Pick the answer from the options available.
Matching: Link items from the two lists with one another.
Sequencing: Put all events in correct sequence.
Multiple Response: Pick two answers from the options available.
Reason/Assertion: Decide if a given assertion and reason statement is true or false.

Exam Strategy
Once you have thoroughly prepared for the examination, the next important step is to manage
your time effectively during the exam. You will have about 150 minutes for giving the exam. Heres a
strategy that can help you while taking the exam.

Read the Scenario Booklet

(5 minutes)

First and foremost, read the scenario booklet thoroughly. Highlight or underline the
key things. If possible, tag things such as reason, events, matching, etc.
Do this for 5 minutes.

Answer all at once

(136 minutes)

You can allocate equal amount of time for all questions in all syllabus areas.
This means, you have 17 minutes for each syllabus area.
Make sure that you answer all the 10 questions in each syllabus area.

Final Revision

(9 minutes)

Even after spending substantial amount of time on each syllabus area, you will still
be left with 9 minutes.
Check all the answers you have written during this time.

Exam Tricks and Tips

Remember, you can carry the manual along with you for the exam. Make sure you write all
your notes, process diagrams, and key points on the manual itself.
Make a note of the product symbols on the manual, if you have trouble interpreting the
product breakdown structure. You can lose marks, if you dont pay attention to this area.
Make sure you fill at least 80% of the oval space provided for answers.
Do not use a pen to fill-in your answers. Scanners wont identify them.
You cannot lose marks for writing any wrong answer, so make sure to attempt all questions.
While preparing for the Practitioner exam, make sure you know the Glossary section of
PRINCE2 Manual correctly.

You can learn more tricks and tips that will be helpful in your preparation by taking up
PRINCE2 Practitioner training at Simplilearn.

Practice Tests
Once you have thoroughly prepared for the examination, it is time to take
practice tests. Simplilearns practice test will give you a clear idea about the
actual examination. Click on the Practice Tests to start practicing for the same.

Have you been working in the project management domain for a long time? Itll greatly help
your career if you are certified in other areas of project management as well. In addition to
PRINCE2, Simplilearn offers a variety of courses in Project Management.

CAPM
Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) Certification is an entry-level
credential in project management offered by the PMI. The CAPM test evaluates
professionals' fundamental knowledge and terminology and processes in
project management.

PMI-ACP
PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP) certification conducted by the PMI is
offered to professionals establishing Agile skills.

PgMP
PgMP is a professional certification offered by the reputed PMI that demonstrates
ones ability to manage complex and multiple projects.

ITIL
One can gain operational efficiency through multiple IT Service Management
certification trainings which helps in delivering the desired service level.

PRINCE2 training from Simplilearn gives you the right guidance

and flexibility to prepare as per your convenience.

Classroom
Sessions

29 Hrs
e-Learning content

90 Days
e-Learning Access

45 PDUs Offered

PRINCE2 participant
hand book

Courseware Approved
by APMG & PEOPLECERT

20 downloadable
e-books

Doubt
clearing sessions

Good Luck!

For more information on our PRINCE2 course, please click here or write to
support@simplilearn.com