Blog posted by: Ian Chen, Senior Data Project Manager, Ramsay Health Care, Senior Data Project Manager, 09 October 2023.
Based in Sydney, Australia, Ian Chen has become one of the first people in the world to gain the new PRINCE2 7 Practitioner certification. Ian is a senior project manager at Ramsay Health Care, a large international private healthcare provider. Ian initially managed all projects in Ramsay Australia's Data and Insights department and now focuses on delivering Ramsay Data Hub and Machine Learning projects. Prior to this he worked as a Data Project Manager for Telcos and at various start-ups.
Ian said: “I'm naturally a very curious person and an electrical engineer with software specialization. I found that people I worked with had difficulty organizing their work. I'm a problem solver and a people person, so I naturally gravitated towards a project management career. Over the last few years, I have been awarded ProPath Portfolio Director certification by completing the entirety of PeopleCert's project and programme management certification portfolio.
“All the manuals are integrated holistically. Each one addresses a different chapter in the story but cross-references the others. I'm empowered to apply best practice because I know I have the requisite knowledge and the agility to adapt to any business conditions.”
Ian has found that his broad knowledge of best practice allows him to clearly articulate and communicate complex problems to stakeholders and deliver outcomes in a controlled environment. As a highly qualified practitioner, Ian is highly trusted by senior management to deliver and rarely second-guesses his decisions. He had this to say on the new PRINCE2 7 training and certification:
“PRINCE2 7 deals with change management and transformation much more than previous editions. These are key factors in delivering projects. The new manual's wording is much more succinct and concise, removing anything that didn't add value. This will help newcomers to understand the key concepts as it is easier to read, less prescriptive and more adaptable. I am certified in other project management methods but find myself predominantly using PRINCE2 in my workplace, as I find it much more applicable and tailorable than any of the alternatives.
“The new PRINCE2 manual is much easier to understand, with clearer language and vastly improved diagrams. They have invested real effort into making the diagrams succinct, readable and comprehensible. This is a big improvement. The new guidance also provides scenarios and examples to illustrate the learning. Two [EJ1] new aspects in particular - one on sustainability, and the other covering digital and data management - are highly applicable to my job role. Given that projects are temporary, you are encouraged to think about how to make deliverables reusable and ensure they provide ongoing benefits beyond the life of the project.
“No other certification I've done has mentioned sustainability, data and digital before. Having a textbook that speaks to me in 2023 with updated terminology, is really important. These new aspects are [EJ2] appropriate to the current business climate. Everything is digital these days - even traditionally ‘physical' industries such as construction are increasingly digital. PRINCE2 7 acknowledges that practically all project managers are now working with digital workflows and management tools, such as Kanban boards and Jira. Most project managers use agile or a hybrid waterfall/agile system,” he said.
Ian believes PRINCE2 7 can be useful for people who may not be in a dedicated ‘project manager' role. All businesses undergo constant change and project management is an aspect, in some form, of most people's roles. PRINCE2 allows all departments to operate more effectively, with less waste, and take a structured approach to delivering outcomes, rather than ‘winging it' and hoping for the best. Even if an organization has no official project management office (PMO), training teams in PRINCE2 leads to a de facto, virtual PMO across the organization.
“PRINCE2 also helps tremendously in managing business-as-usual operations. It addresses risks and issues, as well as major assignments and deliverables. Having the training helps you understand the context, and programmes you to apply best practice as you work. The training kicks in as you encounter new risks and issues,” he added.