PM² for Project Management provides a methodology for effectively managing projects. It offers practical guidelines, management activities, and best practices that can be tailored to the needs of organisations and teams.
Discover how PM² can help you enhance project performance, improve efficiency and effectiveness through its governance model, lifecycle structure, key activities, and supporting artefact templates. Download the full guide and complementary resources to access the complete methodology.
PM²-PM Overview
The purpose of the PM² Project Management Methodology is to enable Organisations to deliver solutions and benefits to their stakeholders through the effective management of project work.
PM²-PM Project Management enables the effective coordination of project work for the achievement of outcomes.
PM²-PM is part of the PM² Methodologies Suite. It is an open, effective, and lean methodology that organisations can further tailor to their specific needs.
The PM²-PM Methodology provides:
- a project governance structure.
- a project (management) lifecycle.
- guidelines for project management activities.
- project artefact templates.
- guidelines for using the artefacts.
- a set of effective mindsets.
PM²-PM Governance Model
Project governance is the framework within which project management decisions are made. It defines all project roles and their associated responsibilities.
The project management Roles are essentially defined by the management responsibilities assigned to them, whereas responsibilities describe what each role needs to be concerned with, their domain of (management) work and level of authority.
PM²-PM Lifecycle
PM²-PM divides the overall project timespan into smaller periods called Phases. This division is done based on the common characteristics of the management activities executed during that period. In other words, the PM² Phases group together related project management activities and artefacts and help project teams focus on the phase activities and their objectives.
In each of the PM² Phases, specific project management objectives need to be achieved. Based on the degree to which these objectives have been achieved, the project can be allowed to move forward to the next Phase.
Phase Gates
At the end of each phase, the project passes through a review and approval gate. Phase Gates allow the project to proceed in a more controlled way by providing quality control points which contribute to the overall management quality.
This ensures that the project is appropriately reviewed before it moves on to the next phase, with an assessment of whether the activities, outputs and objectives set for that Phase have indeed been achieved.
PM²-PM Activities
The PM²-PM Methodology defines a number of management activities which are to be executed throughout the project lifecycle. Through the execution of these activities, Project Managers (PMs) can apply commonly accepted project management best practices that help them achieve their project management objectives.
PM²-PM presents a wide range of such activities along with guidelines on their application. These guidelines describe the activities (what) and their purpose (why), they present the distribution of the responsibilities for their execution (who), indicate the timing of their execution and their frequency for recurring activities (when), and provide guidelines for their execution (how).
PM²-PM Artefacts
Documentation in projects is an essential enabler for effective initiating, planning, executing, monitoring & controlling and finally closing a programme.
The PM²-PM Methodology proposes the creation of a set of Artefacts that facilitate the definition, management and communication of projects. PM²-PM offers a complete set of projects templates and detailed guidelines on how to use them.
PM²-PM Mindsets
Mindsets are the glue that holds the four PM² pillars together. They provide a common set of beliefs and values for all project practitioners. The PM² Mindsets are the attitudes and behaviours that help organisations and teams focus on what is important in achieving their project and project management objectives. They help project teams navigate the complexities of managing projects within their organisations and make PM² for projects both more effective and more complete.
To remain mindful of the PM² Mindsets, project managers and team members should ask themselves the following important Infrequently Asked Questions (IAQs).
PM²-PM Resources
The PM² methodology provides a wealth of openly accessible resources, including guides, templates, and tools that support every aspect of programme management. Published under an open licence, these materials are free for anyone to download, use, and share.
2025 Edition
- PM²-PM Highlights (2025 Edition) - PDF
- PM²-PM Overview (2025 Edition) - Coming soon
- PM²-PM Guide (2025 Edition) - Coming soon
- PM² Project Initiation Canvas (2025 Edition) - PPT, PDF, Press ready
- PM² Project End Canvas (2025 Edition) - PPT, PDF, Press ready
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