Author: Mark Whitfield

Welcome to my site! After graduating in Computing in 1990, I accepted a position as a programmer at a Runcorn based software house specialising in electronic banking software, namely sp/ARCHITECT-BANK on Tandem Computers (now HPE NonStop). This was before the internet became more prevalent and so the notion of enabling desktop access to company accounts for inter-account transfers and book keeping was still quite a cutting edge idea (and smartphones only ever hinted at in Space 1999). The company was called The Software Partnership (which was taken over by Deluxe Data in 1994). I spent 5 years in Runcorn developing code for SP/ARCHITECT for various banks like TSB, Bank of Scotland, Rabobank and Girofon (Denmark) to name but a few. I then moved onto a software house in Salford Quays for further bank facing projects. After a further 23 years in the IT industry and now a Senior IT Project Manager (both Agile and Waterfall delivery), I thought I would echo out my Career Profile in this corner of the internet for quick and easy access.

Time Boxes for the 5 Scrum Events

Time Boxes for the 5 Scrum Events
Time Boxes for 5 Scrum Events
Time Boxes for Scrum Events

PRINCE2 and Waterfall, an Overview and Comparison

PRINCE2 is a structured project management framework, whereas Waterfall is a linear-sequential software development lifecycle (SDLC) methodology. While people often compare them, they are not mutually exclusive. PRINCE2 tells you how to manage a project, while Waterfall defines how to build the product.

PRINCE2 & Waterfall Overview and Comparison
PRINCE2 & Waterfall –
Overview and Comparison

Here is a detailed overview and comparison of both.

Overview of PRINCE2

PRINCE2 (PRojects IN Controlled Environments) is a process-based method for effective project management. It provides a highly structured framework that focuses on business justification and clear roles.

  • Core Logic: Divided into 7 Principles, 7 Themes, and 7 Processes.
  • Structure: Focuses on high-level management, governance, and organization.
  • Flexibility: Product-based planning allows it to wrap around any delivery method.
  • Roles: Explicitly defines responsibilities (Project Board, Project Manager, Team Manager).

Overview of Waterfall

Waterfall is a traditional development methodology where a project moves sequentially through distinct phases. Each phase must be completed before the next one begins.

  • Core Logic: Requirements → Design → Implementation → Verification → Maintenance.
  • Structure: Linear, rigid, and heavily reliant on early stage documentation.
  • Flexibility: Extremely low; changes to requirements are costly once development begins.
  • Roles: Focuses on execution roles (Business Analysts, Developers, QA Testers).

Key Structural Differences

PRINCE2 and Waterfall, an Overview and Comparison
PRINCE2 and Waterfall, an Overview and Comparison

How They Work Together

PRINCE2 is frequently used to govern Waterfall projects.

  • The Management Layer: The Project Board uses PRINCE2 to manage budgets, risks, and business justification.
  • The Specialist Layer: The technical team uses Waterfall to execute work packages (e.g., designing, coding, testing).

Which One Should You Choose?

  • Choose PRINCE2 if: You need robust corporate governance, clear stakeholder accountability, and a way to manage high-budget, high-risk projects.
  • Choose Waterfall if: Your product requirements are completely fixed, the technology is well-understood, and the physical architecture cannot be easily changed (e.g., construction).

Project Management Office PMO Roles, Responsibility

The Project Management Office PMO Roles, Responsibility
Project Management Office PMO Roles, Responsibility

The Six Layers of Risk Management

Six Layers of Risk Management
The Six Layers of Risk Management
The Six Layers of Risk Management

Benefits Realisation in Change Management and ADKAR

Benefits Realisation in Change Management and ADKAR
Benefits Realisation in Change Management and ADKAR
Benefits Realisation and Change Management plus ADKAR

Business Analysis in 12 weeks

Business Analysis in 12 weeks
Business Analysis in 12 weeks

Questions every Business Analyst should ask before writing requirements

Questions a Business Analyst should ask before writing the requirements
Questions every Business Analyst should ask before writing requirements
Questions every Business Analyst should ask before writing requirements

12 Pillars of Project Management

12 Pillars of Project Management
12 Pillars of Project Management
  • Stewardship: Act with integrity, care, trustworthiness, and strict compliance to responsibly manage assets, finance, and social impacts.
  • Team: Foster a highly collaborative, respectful, and trusting project team environment to optimize productivity and collective learning.
  • Stakeholders: Engage proactively and effectively with all impacted individuals or groups to advance value delivery and counter opposition.
  • Value: Maintain a continuous focus on outcomes and intended business benefits rather than tracking empty operational outputs.
  • Systems Thinking: Evaluate and respond dynamically to internal and external system interactions to recognize how different project parts interconnect.
  • Leadership: Demonstrate adaptable, ethical leadership behaviors across all team members, regardless of formal titles or authority status.
  • Tailoring: Adapt the management framework iteratively based on context, unique project objectives, scope, governance, and environmental constraints.
  • Quality: Embed rigorous evaluation and acceptance criteria directly into project processes and deliverables to satisfy required expectations.
  • Complexity: Continuously identify, evaluate, and navigate project complexities arising from erratic human behaviors, system interactions, or ambiguity.
  • Risk: Optimize response mechanisms to systematically mitigate negative threats while proactively capturing positive project opportunities.
  • Adaptability & Resilience: Build structural flexibility into plans to rapidly recover from sudden setbacks and accommodate shifting environments.
  • Change: Prepare and support stakeholders for the targeted future state to avoid change fatigue and successfully implement new behaviors.