PRINCE2® Manual Published in German for the first time
18 April 2008, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, UK………For the first time, the full PRINCE2® manual has been published in German. PRINCE2 is the UK's most prominent standard process for managing all types of projects. Owned by the UK Office of Government Commerce, and launched in its current version in 1996, it is rapidly becoming an international standard, with organisations around the world using it as their preferred approach to managing projects.
Angelika Hamilton, who led the translating team, said, "This is a very exciting time for PRINCE2 as it finally becomes more accessible to project managers in Germany. Although candidates have been able to take exams in German for some years, this is the first time they have access to the full methodology in their native language."
Dr. Roland Krieg, CIO, Fraport AG, said: "Since 2001 we have used PRINCE2 2001 for our IT Projects. The focus on products, the flexibility of the method and the use of "management by exception" that takes its lead from the business case has helped us and our customers to implement new software and work processes in an effective manner."
Organisations using The Project Management Institute's Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (the PMBOKâ„¢ Guide) as their preferred guidance will be interested to learn that there is a high level of compatibility between PRINCE2 and the PMBOK, although there are some differences in the terminology used.
PRINCE2 is owned by the Office of Government Commerce (OGC) in the UK, which is also the owner of ITIL®, widely used and accepted in Germany and the rest of Europe. In the last 12 months over 20,000 people have taken either the PRINCE2 Foundation or Practitioner Examinations. Currently more than 700 people a week take one or other of these exams.
Martin Rother, Chairman of the PRINCE2 Deutschland e.V. and Managing Director of QRP M.M.I. GmbH was a reviewer of the manual. He said: "The German translation of the PRINCE2 manual is a big milestone. PRINCE2 will now be easily accessible within the German-speaking community and can become the de-facto standard for conducting projects here too. I'm sure that from now on we will participate much more in the future development of the best practice in project management since the language barrier is gone."
Before the actual translation process APMG involved the ATOs with German training material in the development of a translation list for the key project management terminology, thus enabling consensus building and a harmonised approach for the training of PRINCE2 in the German market.
Melanie Molitor, lead trainer of arxes, said: "The publication of the PRINCE2 manual in German is very welcome to us. Through our training programme, we are aware of the acceptance PRINCE2 is gaining. We expect the German Manual to become another accelerating factor. We value the work with the translation team - especially on the glossary - during our own accreditation stage for PRINCE2"
Claudia Kary, the Managing Director of the ATO Profeo Ltd, Switzerland, says: "We train a lot of delegates using the English terminology, but it is very welcome to have an alternative for those customers who prefer to work with German literature and up to now have not had access to the official manual in their own language. The availability of the official manual in German will establish a fully accredited reference book for use in classrooms, ensuring top quality information for all students.
Oliver Buhr of Copargo Gmbh, an affiliate of Insights BV in the Netherlands, says: "It was very valuable to be consulted during the translation of key terminology used in the manual and I have been delighted to be involved in the process."
The PRINCE2 Manual is also being released in French and Dutch. It is already available in English, Chinese, Danish, Polish and Spanish. A glossary of PRINCE2 terms is also available in 15 languages.
For more information
The German manual is available from APMG-Benelux and APMG-Business Books and costs 99 Euros: www.apmg-businessbooks.com
