Project controls - part 1

In this lesson

1. 0:00 Introduction to project controls
2. 0:28 Understanding milestones and their purpose
3. 2:00 Control gates and decision criteria
4. 3:08 Avoiding scope creep and slippage
5. 4:20 Prince2 methodology overview
6. 5:06 Prince2 processes and stages
7. 7:16 Key themes for Prince2 success

About this lesson

You'll explore two essential concepts: milestones (clearly identifiable events marking project progress) and control gates (stricter milestones requiring specific criteria to be met before proceeding). Understanding these helps you avoid common pitfalls like scope creep and schedule slippage that can drain resources and delay delivery. This video introduces Prince2 (Project in Control Environments version 2), a structured methodology originally developed by the UK government for large, complex public sector projects but now widely adopted across private organisations. You'll discover the key Prince2 processes—initiation, planning, delivery, boundary management, controlling, closing, and directing—and the seven core themes that underpin successful project governance: business case, management structure, product-based plans, risk identification, progress tracking, quality assurance, and issue management. By mastering these control mechanisms, you'll be equipped to manage projects effectively, maintain stakeholder confidence, and deliver results within scope and schedule constraints. This is essential knowledge for Strategic Business Leader (SBL) and other management-focused qualifications where project delivery directly impacts organisational success.

Duration: 9m