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
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.
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
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).
The Project Management Templates by Mark Whitfield constitute a comprehensive toolkit of over 200 editable resources designed to accelerate project delivery across Agile, Waterfall, and PRINCE2 frameworks.
The structural breakdown of the core templates is organised by functional category, specific template, integrated Microsoft Office tool, and operational description:
1. Project Planning & Scheduling
Detailed SDLC Project Plan
MS Tool: Microsoft Project (.mpp)
Description: A master schedule structured around the Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC) from development through testing, deployment, and Early Live Support (ELS), easily toggled between Agile Scrum and traditional Waterfall.
PRINCE2 7th Edition Project Plan
MS Tool: Microsoft Project (.mpp) & MS Excel (.xlsm)
Description: Fully annotated task list aligned with the 7th edition principles, colour-coded by activity type (blue for artifact creation, brown for management decisions, purple for updates).
Detailed Waterfall Project Planner
MS Tool: MS Excel
Description: A portable, license-free alternative to MS Project featuring baseline versus forecast tracking, an integrated Gantt chart view, and automated progress charts.
Plan on a Page (POaP)
MS Tool: MS PowerPoint & MS Excel
Description: High-level, executive-ready roadmaps containing over 30 slide variations used to communicate project timelines, key milestones, and work streams to senior stakeholders.
1. Project Planning & Scheduling POAP MS PowerPoint Templates2. Project Planning & Scheduling MS Project Templates3. Project Planning & Scheduling MS Excel Templates
2. Operational Control & Governance
Comprehensive RAID Log & Charts
MS Tool: MS Excel
Description: A highly detailed central registry featuring distinct tabs to track Risks, Actions, Issues, Opportunities, Dependencies, Lessons Learned, and Change Requests alongside visual metric dashboards.
Basic RAIDs Tracker
MS Tool: MS Excel
Description: A scaled-down, simplified version of the master RAID log optimized for quick turnarounds, minor bids, and low-complexity projects.
RACI Matrix
MS Tool: MS Excel
Description: A governance sheet mapping project deliverables against specific team roles to clarify who is Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, and Informed.
Agile Story Dependency Tracker
MS Tool: MS Excel
Description: A specialised log to document and track blocker stories tied to external suppliers or client-side dependencies that risk driving scope changes.
1. Operational Control & Governance MS Excel RACI Template
3. Financial & Resource Management
Project Financial Tracker
MS Tool: MS Excel
Description: A financial controller mapping internal and external forecast costs against actuals, factoring in margins, variances, supplier fees, and expense categories.
Resource, Sickness, & Leave Tracker
MS Tool: MS Excel
Description: An operational matrix monitoring annual leave, sickness, and training schedules to adjust resource availability and capacity within the master schedule.
1. Financial & Resource Management MS Excel Templates
4. Agile Delivery Metrics
Agile Burn Down & Burn Up Charts
MS Tool: MS Excel
Description: Manual data-table tracking solutions designed to visualise sprint or release velocity for teams operating without access to enterprise tools like Jira.
1. Agile Burn Down Chart in MS Excel Template Example2. Agile Burn Up Chart in MS Excel Template Example
5. Communications & Administration
PRINCE2 Management Products
MS Tool: MS Word (.doc)
Description: A full portfolio of standard documentation masters including Project Initiation Documents (PID), Project Briefs, Highlight Reports, and Business Cases.
Project Status Report
MS Tool: MS Word & MS PowerPoint
Description: Weekly and monthly progress reporting templates featuring structured sections for milestones, blockers, financial status, and RAG indicators.
Kick-Off Deck & Mobilisation Kit
MS Tool: MS PowerPoint
Description: Onboarding and alignment slide decks designed to define scope, establish ground rules, and guide teams through project initiation.
Meeting Minutes Template
MS Tool: MS Word
Description: An action-oriented meeting layout tailored for capturing critical decisions, owners, and deadlines uniformly.
1. Communications & Administration MS Excel Status Report Template Example
A Plan on a Page (POAP) is a concise, visual summary of a project’s core elements. It distills complex, granular project details into a highly accessible, single-page format.
It acts as an executive summary rather than a replacement for comprehensive, detailed project plans. Example, tailorable Agile and Waterfall MS PowerPoint POaP project templates can be purchased at this link.
Plan On a Page also known as a POAP
🎯 Primary Purpose
Executive Communication: Provides busy stakeholders and C-level management with rapid visibility into a project’s status without overwhelming them with data.
Alignment: Ensures teams, sponsors, and stakeholders share a unified understanding of project goals and direction.
Focus & Risk Management: Keeps the strategic vision front-and-center, prevents teams from getting “lost in the weeds,” and allows leaders to spot high-level risks early.
Decision Support: Serves as a quick reference guide during steering committee and status meetings.
A Plan on a Page (POAP) is a concise, visual summary of a project’s core elements
📝 Content Summary
To fit on a single page, a POAP strips away tactical daily tasks and focuses only on the most critical strategic and timeline components:
Project Vision & Scope: A concise statement of what the project aims to deliver.
Objectives & KPIs: Specific, measurable targets and Key Performance Indicators to measure success.
Visual Timeline: A high-level roadmap, Gantt chart, or phase-based breakdown (e.g., Discovery, Execution, Launch) displaying major milestones.
Project Health/Status: Current RAG (Red/Amber/Green) status or progress tracking.
Resource & Budget Allocation: High-level overview of assigned budget and key personnel.
Risk & Dependencies: Notable blockers, constraints, or critical assumptions.
Governance & Contacts: The project sponsors, managers, and the best way to get support.
All POAP templates can be purchased by clicking on the link on the website banner
Agile project management is an iterative, adaptive approach that breaks projects down into small, manageable cycles called sprints or iterations. Instead of planning the entire project upfront, teams continuously deliver functional increments, gather immediate feedback, and adapt to changing requirements. It prioritizes team collaboration, customer involvement, and rapid value delivery over rigid documentation and sequential phases.
Comprehensive Timeline Breakdown by Era and Year
Era 1: The Foundational Seeds (1950s – 1980s)
Before “Agile” existed as a formal term, engineers and researchers laid the groundwork through lean manufacturing and early iterative computing.
1957: IBM begins utilizing incremental development concepts under Gerald M. Weinberg.
1958: Software for Project Mercury (NASA’s first human spaceflight program) is developed using rapid half-day iterations.
1970: Dr Winston Royce publishes a paper describing the Waterfall methodology. Paradoxically, he presents it as high-risk, yet it becomes the dominant, rigid corporate framework for decades.
1980: Toyota refines “Just-In-Time” logistics and visual management system concepts, which later directly inspire Kanban and Lean software practices.
1986: Authors Hirotaka Takeuchi and Ikujiro Nonaka publish “The New New Product Development Game” in the Harvard Business Review. They introduce a holistic, “rugby-style” team approach, coining the term “Scrum”.
1988: Dr Barry Boehm introduces the Spiral Model, formalizing risk-driven, iterative lifecycle planning.
Era 2: The “Lightweight” Revolt (1990s)
Driven by frustration over the high failure rates and slow delivery of Waterfall, software pioneers independently build faster, more flexible frameworks.
1991: James Martin formalizes Rapid Application Development (RAD), highlighting timeboxing, prototyping, and active customer involvement.
1993: Jeff Sutherland, John Scumniotales, and Jeff McKenna deploy the very first operational Scrum process at Easel Corporation.
1994: The Dynamic Systems Development Method (DSDM) is launched in the UK, providing one of the earliest structured frameworks for iterative project delivery.
1995: Ken Schwaber and Jeff Sutherland co-present the formal Scrum Framework to the public at the OOPSLA conference.
1996: Kent Beck introduces Extreme Programming (XP), introducing core engineering mechanics like pair programming and test-driven development (TDD).
1997: Jeff De Luca and Peter Coad design Feature-Driven Development (FDD) to focus strictly on client-valued functional results.
Era 3: The Manifesto Moment (2000 – 2001)
The pivotal pivot point where separate iterative movements unite into a single, cohesive global movement.
2000: Pre-meeting alignment occurs. Martin Fowler publishes his definitive article on Continuous Integration (CI), and Extreme Programming teams begin adopting Scrum’s three-question daily standup format.
February 2001: The Agile Manifesto is Born. Seventeen software development pioneers meet at a ski resort in Snowbird, Utah. They discover common ground, author the Manifesto for Agile Software Development, and establish the 4 Core Values and 12 Principles.
Late 2001: The Agile Alliance non-profit is established to safeguard, evolve, and distribute Agile education globally.
Era 4: Mainstream Adoption & Scaling (2002 – 2019)
Agile shifts from a rebellious IT trend into a standard corporate expectation, requiring frameworks that can scale across massive enterprises.
2002: Ken Schwaber co-founds the Scrum Alliance to offer standardized certifications (like Certified ScrumMaster), dramatically accelerating global adoption.
2003: Mary and Tom Poppendieck publish Lean Software Development, cleanly mapping Toyota’s manufacturing efficiencies directly onto digital projects.
2009: The Software Craftsmanship Manifesto is created to ensure technical excellence and code quality are not forgotten during rapid business sprints.
2011: Dean Leffingwell releases the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe), allowing massive corporate enterprises to align hundreds of agile teams across entire portfolios.
2015: Global project management authorities officially pivot; AXELOS releases PRINCE2 Agile, and the Project Management Institute (PMI) introduces Agile certifications into its core curriculum.
Era 5: Modern Continuous Agility (2020s – Present)
Agile transcends IT entirely, cementing its place as an overarching organizational strategy for business survival in an uncertain world.
2020: The Scrum Guide receives its most significant structural update, streamlining language, eliminating prescriptive micro-management, and focusing intensely on a single, unified team working toward a singular “Product Goal”.
2021–2023: Business Agility explodes. Non-technical departments—including HR, Marketing, Legal, and Finance—broadly restructure their workflows into iterative agile backlogs to manage volatile hybrid work environments.
2024–Present: AI-Driven Agility becomes standard practice. Project management tools use generative AI to automatically draft user stories, estimate team velocity, and dynamically rewrite project sprint backlogs based on real-time market shifts.
A Capgemini Engagement Manager is a senior-level, client-facing role responsible for end-to-end delivery of complex business and technology transformation programs. They bridge strategy and execution, acting as a trusted advisor to clients while maintaining operational and financial control over projects.
Engagement Manager, from 2016
Key Responsibilities
End-to-End Delivery: Overseeing projects from start to finish, ensuring milestones, SLAs, and contractual obligations are met on time and within budget.
Stakeholder Management: Acting as the primary client point of contact while aligning cross-functional and globally distributed delivery teams.
Risk & Governance: Identifying potential roadblocks, proactively managing risks, and ensuring strict adherence to project governance standards.
Business Growth: Spotting opportunities for additional business and supporting bid activities for account expansion.
Mark Whitfield, Engagement Management EM Level 2 Exam Passed 2017
Ideal Candidate Profile
Experience: Typically requires a degree in Business, Engineering, or IT, combined with at least 5+ years of experience in project management or service delivery within a B2B environment.
Skills: Strong commercial acumen, proficiency in formal methodologies (e.g., Agile, ITIL), and the ability to lead diverse, multinational teams.
C&CA UK’s Communications & Engagement Award Winner 2022, Cloud & Custom Applications, Mark Whitfield
Mark Whitfield’s Project Management Templates offer a comprehensive, fully editable toolkit of over 200 documents spanning the entire project lifecycle. Designed for PRINCE2, Agile Scrum, and Waterfall methodologies, the suite helps project managers streamline planning and tracking. The toolkit is available on platforms like Mark Whitfield’s Project Templates and Etsy – ProjectTemplatesSoft.
Here is a detailed breakdown of the templates by type:
1. Planning & Scheduling Templates
These templates help structure timelines, resource allocation, and task dependencies.
MS Project Plans (.mpp): Detailed, annotated files spanning full Software Development Life-Cycles (SDLC) and PRINCE2 7th Edition. Includes sprint overviews for Agile teams.
Excel Detailed Plans: Full Gantt chart and task tracking for users who do not have MS Project. Includes self-populating columns for baseline variance, actual effort, and RAG (Red/Amber/Green) status.
Plan on a Page (POaP): Over 30 PowerPoint slide designs that simplify complex project timelines, allowing you to present the overarching plan to clients and executives without overwhelming them with micro-details.
2. RAIDs Log Templates
These core tracking documents help manage the unknowns and variables of your project.
Basic RAIDs Log: Simple trackers for Risks, Assumptions, Issues, and Dependencies.
Comprehensive RAIDs Log: Highly detailed sheets with separate tabs to track supplier details, individual deliverables, Change Requests (CR), and out-of-scope (OOS) tasks.
3. Financial Management Templates
Designed to maintain tight control of your budget and forecast.
Monthly Finance Tracker: Simple sheets to monitor monthly forecasts, actuals, annual leave, and monthly variances.
Project Cost Tracker: Full-featured financial spreadsheets providing rate lookups, margin calculations, expense logs, and built-in charts for financial reporting.
4. Governance & Project Controls
These templates form the administrative and structural backbone, primarily based on the PRINCE2 methodology.
Project Initiation Documentation (PID): Includes templates for the Business Case, project approach, roles & responsibilities, and team structure.
Reports: Standardized documents for Checkpoint Reports, Highlight Reports, End-Stage Reports, and Exception Reports.
Logs & Registers: Tailored templates for Lessons Learned, Quality Management, and Configuration Item Records.
5. Stakeholder & Team Management Templates
Focused on communication and team alignment.
RACI Matrix: A tracker to define exactly who is Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, and Informed for each project task.
Stakeholder Analysis: Charts and planning tables designed to measure stakeholder “influence vs. impact” so you know exactly how to manage expectations.
Mobilisation Kit: Onboarding documents and team kickoff presentations to get new resources up to speed quickly.
6. Agile & Specialized Execution Templates
Agile Dependency Tracking: Tools designed specifically to monitor user stories that have hard dependencies on external suppliers or stakeholders.
Burn Down / Burn Up Charts: Visual aids in Excel to track sprint velocity and project progression against deliverables.
Benefits Realization Plan: A spreadsheet that evaluates the project’s completed deliverables against the organization’s original business goals and financial targets.
All templates are designed for use across desktop, tablet, and cloud platforms. Purchases on his site come with lifetime free upgrades for any additions he makes to the package.
You can review or download the targeted, one-page CV for Mark Whitfield (Senior Project Manager specializing in HPE NonStop systems) via the Mark Whitfield CV PDF link.
Mark Whitfield, High-Level Project Management Summary
The high-level, scannable overview of his professional profile is outlined below:
Executive Profile
Role: IT Senior Project Manager / Delivery Lead
Background: 30+ years of experience delivering highly complex technology, business transformation, and infrastructure projects.
Core Skills: Cloud migration (hybrid), legacy ATM software modernisation, Point of Sale (POS) implementations, and software development lifecycles (SDLC).
Methodologies: Agile, Waterfall, PRINCE2 Practitioner, and ITIL certified.
Core Expertise & Competencies
HP NonStop & Legacy Integration: Deep technical roots in Tandem Computers/HP NonStop development, TAL programming, and high-volume transaction environments.
Global Delivery: Managed large-scale IT and system monitoring rollouts across the UK and international markets (e.g., Saudi Arabia).
Stakeholder Management: Experienced in bridging the gap between highly technical development teams and high-level business stakeholders.
For direct access to his official templates, articles, and full professional journey, you can visit the PROject Templates Website.
Mark Whitfield, a Manchester-based Senior IT Project Manager, has completed extensive professional training throughout his career, focusing on project management methodologies, delivery software, and technical tools.
Core Project Management Methodologies :
PRINCE2 Practitioner: Certified as a registered PRINCE2 Practitioner in May 2011 via the ILX Group (Gold e-Learning).
Agile SCRUM Training: Attended in-house training with RADTAC in May 2011.
Advanced Engagement Management (Level 2): Completed at Capgemini in November 2017.
Project Management Fundamentals: Completed “Fundamentals of Successful Project Management” in February 2000 through Skillpath in Manchester.
Managing Multiple Projects: Attended “Managing Multiple Projects, Objectives and Deadlines” in October 1999/1998 via Skillpath.
Software & Cloud Platforms :
AZ-900 Microsoft Azure Fundamentals: Certified in February 2022.
Microsoft Project: Completed the Microsoft Project ’98 Certification Series in May 2000 through the IIL UK Education Centre in Reading.
Microsoft Excel Expert Skills: Upgraded skills via a 2017 Expert course and a July 2024 Udemy refresher.
Technical & Programming Courses :
Tandem / HP NonStop: Completed Tandem Guardian Principles (1993), Tandem Performance Analysis (1995), and Tandem TAL Programming (1995).
C / C++ Programming: Attended “C++ for Non-C Programmers” with Comtec Computer Training in March 1997.
Database Querying: Completed “Querying Microsoft SQL 2000 with Transact SQL” via QA Training in March 2009.
Web Applications: Attended “Developing MS ASP Web Applications using MS Visual Studio .NET” in January 2007.
Marketing & Communication Training :
Writing for the Web: Completed in May 2009 with gbdirect (iTrain Education in London).
Brochure & Document Design: Attended a SkillPath Seminar on designing marketing brochures and reports in April 2006.
Mark Whitfield is a highly experienced, SC-cleared Senior Project Manager and IT professional with over 31 years of experience in both public and private sectors, specializing in software development, cloud migration, and IT systems delivery.
He is currently associated with Capgemini (since 2016) and runs a project management resource website, PROject Templates.
Joined Capgemini in 2016 having worked at ascending points in software development lifecycle projects for over 31 years
Key Qualifications & Experience:
Roles: Senior Project Manager, Engagement Project Manager, Delivery Manager, and former programmer.
Methodologies: PRINCE2 Practitioner, skilled in both Waterfall and Agile (SCRUM) approaches.
Sector Experience: Extensive experience in finance and banking, including ATM software swap-outs, cloud migration (Azure, AWS, Power Platform), and POS monitoring systems.
Background: Graduated in Computing in 1990; worked as a developer (COBOL, SQL, Tandem / HPE NonStop) before transitioning to project management.
PRINCE2 Practitioner, skilled in both Waterfall and Agile (SCRUM) approaches
Professional Highlights:
Delivered major projects for clients such as Barclays, Bank of England, HSBC, Royal Mail Group, UK & Welsh Government, Heathrow, and Jaguar Land Rover.
Led complex IT infrastructure projects and business transformations.
Maintains mark-whitfield.com, offering over 200 project management templates, trackers (RAID, budget, benefit, cost etc.), and many plans for Agile / Waterfall projects including 30+ Plan On a Page (POaP) and MS Project MPP examples (click on Blog above for a summary).
Provides specialized templates for PRINCE2 7th edition and MS Project (MPP).
December 2022 – C&CA UK’s Communications & Engagement Award Winner – Cloud & Custom Applications – Capgemini UKNovember 2017 – Advanced Engagement Management Course – Level 2 ExamJune 1990 – Higher National Diploma in Computer Studies, Distinction
Mark Whitfield is a highly experienced, SC-cleared Senior Project Manager and Engagement Manager specializing in complex IT software development lifecycle (SDLC) projects, digital transformation, and cloud migrations.
Currently based in Greater Manchester, UK, he has over 31 years of experience in the IT industry, working with major blue-chip companies across various sectors, including UK Government, retail banking, aerospace, and utilities.
He is a certified PRINCE2 Practitioner, skilled in both Agile SCRUM and Waterfall methodologies.
Mark specializes in bridging technical teams and business stakeholders, delivering complex IT systems under challenging conditions.
His career spans from early roles as a developer on Tandem Mainframe Computers (HPE NonStop) to senior management positions focusing on cloud resources, API integrations, and CRM platform implementations.
Key Strengths: Cloud Migration (Azure/Dynamics 365), Payment Systems (ATM/POS), and API-led connectivity.
Detailed Career Timeline:
Nov 2023 – Feb 2024 (UK Government – Capgemini): Acted as Client-Side Technical Delivery Manager for a £1m+ Fish Export Service (FES) to CHIP project, facilitating Azure-based API updates for UK-Northern Ireland trade.
Nov 2022 (UK Government – Capgemini): Managed two Microsoft Dynamics 365 Azure Cloud projects, including a £0.4m Dynamics 2016 migration and a £0.54m CRM platform discovery/build.
Feb 2022 (UK Utility Industry – Capgemini): Managed a £0.5M project migrating legacy document management systems to an Azure-based Enablon product.
2020 (UK Gov – Capgemini): Senior PM for a £375k Agile proof-of-concept (POC) project migrating legacy applications (MS Access/Oracle) to Microsoft Azure and Dynamics 365.
Oct 2018 – June 2019 (MuleSoft): Served as Delivery Manager overseeing 5+ UK accounts for MuleSoft Anypoint Platform (API-led connectivity) implementations.
Oct 2017 (Automotive Industry – Capgemini): Managed a £430k Digital Readiness project and a £670k Customer Portal/Online Sales project (Agile).
May 2017 (Local Govt – Capgemini): Led a £400k telecommunications project (CCaaS) for the Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI) program.
Jan 2017 (Aerospace/Def – Capgemini): Senior Project Lead for two £1.3M projects with high-governance and gated deliverables.
Jan 2016 – Present (Capgemini UK): Joined as an Engagement Manager (A8), working on projects including Apple iOS app development for UK Air Traffic (NATS) and a £4.3M data center migration for Postal Services.
Dec 2014 – Jan 2016 (Betfred Limited): IT Senior Digital Project Manager for online/mobile payment gateways and sports book platforms.
Sep 2013 – Dec 2014 (Wincor Nixdorf): Senior Project Manager for a £5+ million ATM/POS software swap-out at a UK retail bank.
2013 (Retail Banking – Riyadh): Delivered an RTLX transaction tracking project (BASE24 Classic) at a Saudi Arabian bank.
1995 – 2013 (Insider Technologies): Worked on Strategic Technical Initiatives and bank-facing projects on the HPE NonStop platform (Tandem) for products Reflex 80:20, Reflex ONE24, RTLX and XPERT24.
1990 – 1995 (The Software Partnership/Deluxe Data): Commenced career as a programmer specializing in electronic banking software on Tandem Computers (HPE NonStop), sp/ARCHITECT-BANK
Education:
1988 – 1990: Higher National Diploma (HND) in Computing, Distinction/Overall First, Bolton Institute of Higher Education (now University of Greater Manchester from 2024).
Mark Whitfield, SC Cleared Senior Project Manager, Manchester
Mark Whitfield is a Senior IT Project Manager and Engagement Manager with over 30 years of experience in the software development lifecycle (SDLC), specializing in digital transformation, payment systems, and HPE NonStop (Tandem) technology.
He is SC cleared (valid until 2031) and currently works at Capgemini UK, having transitioned from a technical programming background to senior project leadership roles.
He is also the creator of PROject Templates, providing a comprehensive, editable suite of over 200 project management tools built over 24+ years of experience.
Comprehensive Career Timeline by Era
1. Technical Foundations & Mainframe Development (1990–1995)
1990: Graduated in Computing at University of Bolton; started as a programmer at The Software Partnership (later Deluxe Data), Runcorn.
1990–1994: Specialised in electronic banking software (sp/ARCHITECT-BANK) on Tandem Mainframe Computers (HPE NonStop), developing in COBOL85 and NonStop SQL for major banks.
1994: Developed batch billing modules for Barclays Business Master II (BBM II) on-site in Knutsford and Poole.
1995–2013: Worked at Insider Technologies Limited as Senior Development Engineer/ Project Manager.
1997: Conducted volume testing/benchmark software for CRESTCo (now Euroclear) on new S7000 hp NonStop nodes.
2002: Managed and attained the first HP OpenView Operations 2-way Smart Plug-In (SPI) certification for the HPE NonStop platform.
2000s (Early): Developed RTLX (Real-Time Log Extraction) for BASE24 POS and ATM transaction monitoring, collaborating with banking clients like HSBC and Global Payments.
2013: Delivered a large BASE24 transaction tracking project at Al Rajhi Bank in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
ProjectTemplatesSoft is an established Etsy shop specializing in professional-grade project management tools and documentation templates. Based in the UK, the shop focuses on providing structured frameworks for methodologies like PRINCE2 and Agile, catering to project managers, consultants, and business owners who need “ready-to-use” industry-standard assets.
Plan On a Page POaP example template in Microsoft PowerPoint (35+)
Example of many POaP Plan On a Page templates for tailoring in MS PPT
Full Overview
The shop’s primary value proposition is bridging the gap between complex theoretical frameworks (like PRINCE2) and practical, everyday project execution. Their products are designed to be fully editable and professionally formatted to save users hundreds of hours of manual document creation.
Example Agile Sprint Burn Down Chart template in MS Excel
Platform Focus: Primarily Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Word.
Target Audience: Project managers (PMs), PMO leads, small business owners, and consultants.
Key Methodology Support: PRINCE2 (Project in Controlled Environments) and Agile Project Management.
Unique Selling Point: Includes annotated walkthrough guides and practical examples within the templates to help users “tailor” tools to their specific projects.
Example of many MS Excel Budget Finance tracker templates to tailor
Detailed Breakdown of Template Offerings
The shop provides a wide range of assets, typically categorized by project phase or methodology:
1. Waterfall & PRINCE2 Specifics
These templates focus on structured, sequential project delivery.
PRINCE2 MS Excel Plans: Fully annotated and editable project plans that follow the PRINCE2 methodology.
Waterfall Project Planners: Comprehensive tools that often include Gantt charts and resource cost trackers.
Document Bundles: Frequently includes “FREE Upgrades and additions” and a variety of MS Word templates for formal reporting and governance.
Example template charts for the MS Excel Budget / Cost trackers
2. Project Control & Tracking Tools
Highly functional spreadsheets for day-to-day oversight:
Resource & Cost Trackers: Specialized Excel sheets for monitoring budget vs. actual spend and personnel allocation.
Action & Task Trackers: Simple but effective tools for logging team responsibilities and deadlines.
Example of many MSP MPP Microsoft Project Plan templates to tailor
3. Agile & Lean Assets
For teams operating in iterative environments:
Agile Project Templates: Specific documents for sprint planning and backlog management.
Kanban Boards: Visual task management layouts within Excel or Google Sheets environments.
Example Agile Burn Up Chart template in MS Excel
Why Users Choose ProjectTemplatesSoft?
Expert Craftsmanship: Reviews highlight that the seller is knowledgeable and provides active support for project management questions.
Comprehensive Documentation: Unlike basic planners, these often come with Word walkthrough guides, ensuring the buyer knows how to actually use the tool in a professional setting.
Cost Efficiency: Buying a pre-built, professional bundle is significantly cheaper than hiring a consultant to build a PMO toolkit from scratch.
Mark Whitfield’s Project Management templates are a comprehensive, editable suite of over 200 documents designed for Agile, Waterfall, and PRINCE2 methodologies, based on over 30 years of project delivery experience. Available through his website (click banner link above), Etsy, Flevy and Eloquens, these templates are designed to be used across the project lifecycle—from initiation to closure—and include lifetime free updates and additions.
Many POaP Plan On a Page examples
Full Overview of Mark Whitfield Template Bundle
The bundle, priced at around £38.00 (as of April 2026), provides tools for MS Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and MS Project (.mpp).
1. Planning & Scheduling
MS Project (MPP / MSP): Includes full PRINCE2 7th Edition, Agile Scrum, and SDLC (Software Development Life-cycle) plans.
Excel Detailed Plans: Includes Gantt chart tracking for users without MS Project.
Plan on a Page (POaP): Over 30 PowerPoint examples for executive summaries.
Example Plan On a Page POaP
2. PRINCE2 & Governance
Full set of over 200 documents including Project Initiation Document (PID), Business Case, Work Packages, Risk Management Strategy, and Configuration Item Records.
Reporting: Highlight reports, exception reports, and end-stage reports.
PRINCE2 Delivery Plan in MS Excel Example
3. Tracking & Risk Management
RAID Logs: Comprehensive trackers for Risks, Assumptions, Issues, and Dependencies (includes simple and detailed versions).
Finance Trackers: Simple and full project finance trackers (forecasting, actuals, variance, rate lookups).
SDLC: Detailed Software Development Life-cycle plans.
Deployment/Runbook: Execution and release planning documents.
Agile: Burn down and burn up charts.
Example Agile Scrum Burn Down Chart
Detailed Timeline by Project Life Cycle
Templates provide detailed MS Project (.mpp) and Excel schedules that map out the standard project life cycle over time. The plans include notes and color-coded tasks (black: standard task, blue: artifact creation, brown: decision/event, purple: artifact update).
Mark Whitfield’s project management templates are a comprehensive collection of over 200 editable Microsoft Office resources designed for Agile, Waterfall, and PRINCE2 7th Edition delivery. Built from over 30 years of project delivery experience at blue-chip companies like Capgemini, Barclays, and HSBC, these tools focus on practical, functional utility rather than “flashy” design.
Core Template Categories
The bundle is primarily provided in MS Excel, MS Project (.mpp), MS PowerPoint, and MS Word formats.
Planning & Scheduling:
Detailed Project Plans: Pre-configured MS Project (MPP) and Excel templates for SDLC, PRINCE2, and Agile Scrum.
Plan on a Page (POaP): Over 35 PowerPoint and Excel slide examples for high-level executive summaries.
Gantt Charts: Built-in tracking views for both MS Project and Excel.
Tracking & Control:
RAID Logs: Comprehensive registers for tracking Risks, Actions, Issues, and Dependencies, often including charts and automated dashboards.
RACI Matrix: Templates to define team roles and responsibilities (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed).
Finance Trackers: Detailed spreadsheets for monitoring forecasts vs. actuals, margins, variances, and expenses.
Reporting & Governance:
Status Reports: Weekly and monthly templates in Word and PowerPoint for internal and client health reporting.
Agile Specifics: Burn Down and Burn Up charts in Excel for teams without access to tools like Jira.
PRINCE2 Management Products: Standard documents including Project Briefs, PIDs, Business Cases, and Lesson Logs.
Key Features and Insight
Lifelong Support: A one-time purchase includes free upgrades and additions for life.
Full Customisation: All files are fully editable, allowing project managers to tailor them to specific project sizes and methodologies.
Methodology Neutral: Templates are designed to work for traditional Waterfall (PRINCE2) or modern Agile Scrum environments, with specific notes on how to transition between them.
Visual Dashboards: Many Excel templates include built-in charts and pivot tables to provide instant visual readouts of project health, such as financial variance or RAID status.
Mark Whitfield is a highly experienced SC cleared Senior IT Project Manager and Engagement Manager with over 30 years in the IT industry, specializing in both Agile and Waterfall delivery for large-scale blue-chip companies, digital projects, and payment systems. After starting as a programmer, he transitioned into project management, eventually working with Capgemini and establishing a professional templates resource site.
SC cleared Senior IT Project Manager and Engagement Manager
IT Project Management Overview
Key Expertise: Senior IT Project Management (Agile / Scrum / Waterfall / PRINCE2), Delivery Management, Business Transformation, and SC clearance.
Sector Focus: Banking, Finance, Transportation (Heathrow, NATS), Retail, Government (Local Regional Government – LRG), Aerospace & Defence, and Gambling.
Technical Background: Programming in COBOL85, Tandem TAL, SQL, C, C++, Java, and experience with HPE NonStop (BASE24) systems.
Tandem TAL Programming certificate, 1995
Tools & Methodologies: PRINCE2, Agile SCRUM, Microsoft Project (MPP), Excel RAID logs, and Jira.
Value Proposition: Focuses on improving revenue, cost, and Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) through structured SDLC methodologies.
Detailed Historical Timeline
Era 1: Programming & Technical Development (1990–1995)
1990: Graduated in Computing and joined The Software Partnership (later Deluxe Data) in Runcorn as a programmer specializing in electronic banking software (sp/ARCHITECT) on Tandem Computers (now HPE NonStop).
1990-1995: Developed code (COBOL85/NonStop SQL) for major banks, including TSB, Bank of Scotland, Rabobank, and Girofon.
1993 (May): Completed Tandem Guardian Principles Course.
Tandem Guardian Principles Course, 1993
1994: Deluxe Electronic Payment Systems acquired The Software Partnership.
1995 (June): Completed HP NonStop Performance Analysis and Tuning.
Deluxe Electronic Payment Systems acquired The Software Partnership in 1994HP NonStop Performance Analysis and Tuning, 1995
Era 2: Specialized Software & Product Management (1995–2013)
Insider Technologies Limited (ITL) in Salford Quays
1995 (August): Joined Insider Technologies Limited (ITL) in Salford Quays as a senior programmer, later moving into product / project management.
1995-2013: Focused on monitoring (Reflex) and batch scheduling (MultiBatch) software for HPE NonStop systems, serving clients like Barclays and Alliance & Leicester.
2000 (May): Completed Microsoft Project ’98 Certification and began training other ITL project managers on scheduling best practices.
2007: Insider Technologies products (Reflex) integrated into FIS solutions.
2013: Published work in the HP NonStop journal “The Connection”.
HPE NonStop journal “The Connection” – article for the Insider Technologies product, RTLX
Era 3: Senior IT Project Management (2013–2016)
2013-2014: Worked at Wincor Nixdorf as an IT Project Manager (PRINCE2 / Agile Scrum) on a £5m+ LBG Self-Service Software Replacement (SSSR) program for Lloyds Banking Group, migrating ATM systems from HP NonStop to AIX.
2014-2016: Joined Betfred as a Senior Project Manager, delivering payment gateways, sportsbook, and virtual gaming projects in Agile SCRUM for mobile and online platforms.
Era 4: Engagement Management & Public Sector (2016–Present)
2016 (January): Joined Capgemini UK as a client-facing Engagement Manager (SC cleared).
2016 (August): Founded Mark Whitfield Consultancy Ltd, managing independent IT, network, and improvement projects.
2016-2018: Led Waterfall / Agile projects for automotive, local government, and postal services.
2018-2019: Augmented into MuleSoft as a Delivery Manager for the Anypoint Platform.
2023-2024 (Nov-Feb): Served as Technical Delivery Manager for a UK Government account, overseeing a £1m+ Fish Export Service (FES) to Common Entry Health Document (CHED) Inspection Portal (CHIP) project.
2026: Continued to provide project management thought leadership and template resources for Agile/Scrum/PRINCE2.
Agile Scrum Burn down Chart template in Microsoft Excel Microsoft Project MPP MSP Project Plan Template examplesPlan On a Page POaP templates plus MPP MS Project and MS Excel Project Plan templates
Key Projects & Clients
UK Gov / Capgemini: Fish Export Service (FES) Cloud Migration.
Mark Whitfield is a highly experienced SC-cleared Senior IT Project Manager and Engagement Manager with over 30 years of experience in the software development lifecycle (SDLC), specializing in Agile and Waterfall delivery for financial, automotive, and public sector clients. He has a strong background in HP NonStop (Tandem) systems and currently works for Capgemini.
Mark Whitfield, Senior IT PM and Project templates author
1990–1994: The Software Partnership (Runcorn): Programmer specializing in electronic banking software (sp/ARCHITECT-BANK) on Tandem Computers.
1994–1995: Deluxe Data (formerly TSP): Lead Analyst/Programmer, focusing on software investigation, design, coding, and on-site installation for clients like TSB, Bank of Scotland, and Rabobank.
Development & Technical Specialization (1995–2013)
1995–2013: Insider Technologies Limited: Spent 18 years progressing from Senior Development Engineer to Project Manager for Strategic Technical Initiatives.
Key Roles: Managed Reflex 80:20 and Reflex ONE24 product development, technical pre-sales, and consultancy. Developed diagnostic software for monitoring payment systems (BASE24).
Notable Project: Managed a bid to replace legacy ATM tools at LloydsTSB (5000 ATMs) with Reflex ONE24.
Banking & Digital Project Management (2013–2016)
2013–2014: Wincor Nixdorf: Project Manager in the Professional Services Banking Division, managing a £5m+ work stream for Lloyds Banking Group’s Self-Service Software Replacement (SSSR) programme.
2014–2016: Betfred: Senior Digital Project Manager for the Online and Mobile Division, delivering payment gateways and sportsbooks for iOS, Android, and Windows.
Senior Engagement Management (2016–Present)
2016–Present: Capgemini UK: Engagement Project Manager responsible for delivering both Waterfall and Agile digital projects.
2016 (Approx.): Assigned to a UK-wide Air Traffic organization (NATS) for Apple iOS app delivery.
2018–2019: MuleSoft (Secondment): Served as a Delivery Manager for the Anypoint Platform.
Current Focus: Cloud Migration (Hybrid) of 130 apps for UK Government.
Agile Management: “Mark provided an excellent barrier between us (developers) and a difficult client…ensuring that we followed the agile principles” — Callum Marriage (Developer).
MuleSoft/Capgemini Engagement: “Customers loved him. His was extremely detailed oriented and understood the often-complex needs…never became flustered in high pressure situations” — Delivery Manager, MuleSoft.
Betfred (2015): “I would highly recommend Mark for his ability to successfully multi-task under significant pressure… [he] produced a very comprehensive handover document” — IT Compliance Analyst, Betfred.
Capgemini/JLR Project: “Mark was able to do a good planning, with the correct resources, on time delivery and with good relationship between stakeholders” — Head of Integration Development.
Mark Whitfield’s website (mark-whitfield.com) serves as a professional portfolio and resource hub for his 30+ year career as a SC-cleared Senior IT Project Manager. It offers over 200 editable project management templates for Agile, Waterfall, and PRINCE2 methodologies, alongside career insights and project experience.
Website & Content Overview
Project Management Resources: The site, often known as PROject Templates, provides downloadable templates for planning, scheduling (Gantt charts), project initiation (PID), and project control.
Methodology Focus: Resources are tailored for PRINCE2 (including Agile Scrum), and Agile/Waterfall delivery methods.
Career Portfolio: Features his work history as a Senior IT Project Manager, including roles at Capgemini, Betfred, and various financial institutions.
Technical Specialization: Highlights expertise in HP NonStop systems, digital projects, and payment/transaction systems.
Professional Background: Mentions his experience with major clients such as Jaguar Landrover, Heathrow, Royal Mail, and various banks.
The site is designed for project managers looking for templates to speed up project documentation and for clients looking to review his career accomplishments.
Senior IT Project Manager & Project Templates author – Mark Whitfield
Templates sold on this website are designed for Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint) and MS Project (MPP) and are used for tracking and planning software development lifecycle (SDLC) projects.
Template Breakdown
The templates, often sold in a bundle, include over 200+ editable items aimed at project delivery. Key components include:
Project Planning (MS Project & Excel): Detailed Waterfall project planners with Gantt views, Agile Sprint plans, and Plan on a Page (POaP) examples.
RAID Logs (Risk, Action, Issue, Dependency): Comprehensive Excel trackers for managing risks, issues, assumptions, and dependencies.
Financial & Resource Management: Project finance trackers (forecasts, actuals, variance) and resource trackers for tracking team members and costs.
PROject Templates 