P3.express 2nd edition
The basics
P3.express is a minimalist project management system that is easy to learn, easy to use, and easy to teach. P3.express is a response to the fact that project management systems are so complicated for typical use that most projects can’t benefit from them and end up with intuitive, ad hoc approaches, which are risky and expensive.
This modern, practical method is provided with an open (non- proprietary) license and sponsored by the European Union.
Summary
P3.express uses a cyclical system to make the activities simpler and more regular. There are monthly, weekly, and daily cycles, each of which focused on one aspect of managerial activities.
In addition to the said cycles, a project initiation activity group runs at the beginning and a project closure group at the end.
Finally, there’s a post-project management group: a cycle run after the project is finished, to evaluate the benefits.
Four management documents are used in this process:
• Project Description: It contains basic information, such as purpose, requirements, and stakeholder list.
• Deliverables Map: It’s a breakdown of the deliverables, usually as a mind map.
• Follow-Up Register: It’s a list of all items that need follow-ups, such as issues and risks.
• Health Register: It contains the results of periodic project management peer-reviews and stakeholder satisfaction evaluations.
P3.express complies with the Nearly Universal Principles of Projects (NUPP).
The P3.express manual is available for free and in multiple languages: https://p3.express/manual/v2/
In addition to the manual, there’s a free interactive project simulation that teaches how a P3.express project works: https://p3.express/training/artophile-center/
Target audience
P3.express is for everyone involved in leading projects, especially project managers.
Scope and constraints
P3.express is designed for typical projects that most people are involved with and doesn’t try to cover every possible project because that makes the system too complicated.
Moreover, it doesn’t target 100% of the potential benefits of a structured project management method, but instead aims to cover 80% of those benefits with 20% of the effort.
P3.express is carefully designed to be compatible with both the adaptive (Agile) and predictive delivery methods.