Andy Murray
I am the Executive Director of the Major Projects Association (MPA).
I am a Chartered Director, a Fellow of the Institute of Directors (IOD) and a member of the Association For Project Management (APM). I am the Deputy Chair of the the APM Governance SIG's committee. I was the co-lead author of P3M3 v3, the lead author of PRINCE2 2009, a contributing author to the IPA's Project Initiation Routemap, a contributor to APM BoK v6 and Directing Change and I'm sponsor for the update to Co-Directing Change.
-
1.1 Building the team, defining the objectives behind the scenes
Andy Murray was appointed before the rest of the authoring team for PRINCE2 Version 7. Much of the preliminary research was already completed by AXELOS and subsequently by People Cert. Upon Murray's involvement, a comprehensive dossier was already prepared for his examination. This preparation st...
-
1.2 Terminology and reducing complexity
Andy Murray, in the context of editing the PRINCE2 V7 edition of the PRINCE2 guidance, emphasizes the importance of clarity and simplicity in terminology. Their approach champions plain English, leaning on dictionary definitions as the primary source for terms. If elaboration is required, ISO sta...
-
1.3 Sustainability as a performance target
Andy Murray, while discussing the PRINCE2 V7 project management guidance, elucidates the concept of setting performance targets and managing them effectively. PRINCE2 recommends the use of tolerances, offering a margin for flexibility in project controls. This prevents managers from overreacting ...
-
1.4 Sustainability as a performance target, the logic of inclusion
Andy Murray, in his discussions regarding the PRINCE2 V7 project management guidance, addresses the crucial inclusion of sustainability as a core performance target. Given the pressing global concerns around the environment and climate change, he emphasizes the importance of embedding sustainabil...
-
1.5 Focusing on application of the method in seeking lessons
Andy Murray, the Lead Editor of PRINCE2 V7, delves into the updated methodologies within PRINCE2's project management approach. Highlighting the evolved 'Learning from Experience' principle, he emphasizes the transition from a "push" to a "pull" model for disseminating lessons learned. Instead of...
-
1.6 Lack of follow-up leads to documentation not being updated.
In this insightful segment, Andy Murray, the Lead Editor of PRINCE2 V7, sheds light on the pragmatism of project management. He stresses that the core approach is to achieve the desired results with the least amount of work. Highlighting human tendencies, he notes that if reports are not being re...
-
PRINCE2 V7 Behind the scenes with Andy Murray
Andy Murray is the lead editor for the latest version of PRINCE2, Version seven.
Andy collaborated with other PRINCE2 authors, the examination team at Peoplecert, and global reviewers to develop the PRINCE2 V7 guidance, which will be accessible from September 2023 onwards. Like the last version,...
-
2.1 Unravelling the complexities of people in projects and organizations
Andy Murray discussed the unique perspective introduced to him by Jo. Instead of seeing projects as isolated entities, Jo presented them as part of an intricate ecosystem, likening the relationships and communication dynamics within and between organizations to mycelium. This analogy piqued Murra...
-
2.3 People factors influence how PRINCE2 is applied
Andy Murray highlights the significant influence people have in shaping project outcomes, even more so than technical challenges in specific areas of work. He uses this to demonstrate the profound impact human factors can have on the implementation of a method. While the core principles of the me...
-
2.5 Developing the PRINCE2 V7 people chapter
Andy Murray emphasizes the value of recognizing and utilizing the quieter phases in projects. While planning is essential, it's equally important to acknowledge that projects have lulls. He cites an example from the scenarios, which details how these quieter periods can be strategically used to i...
-
PRINCE2 V7 in-depth into the "people" chapter with Jo Lucas and Andy Murray
In an insightful discussion between key figures behind PRINCE2 V7, Andy Murray, the Lead Editor, and Jo Lucas, the author of the 'People' chapter, the duo delved deep into the pivotal role of human resources in project management. Lucas passionately conveyed that the significance of managing and ...
-
3.1 How scenarios in PRINCE2 V7 are used in the book and exams
Andy Murray, the Lead Editor of PRINCE2 V7, shared insights on the thought process behind structuring the manual. A significant concern during its development was the concept of "cognitive load", which refers to the total amount of mental effort being used in working memory. The team was aware th...
-
3.3 Choosing scenarios for the PRINCE2 V7 book
Andy Murray, the Lead Editor of PRINCE2 V7, discussed the process of integrating scenarios into the new edition. He began by creating a matrix to envision how different scenarios could be combined. Recognizing the need to distribute these scenarios across the chapters, he ensured that they were a...
-
3.5 Examination team input into the scenario development
Andy Murray, the Lead Editor of PRINCE2 V7, discussed feedback received during the development of the PRINCE2 V7. Referring to earlier comments by Scott, Murray emphasized the importance of consistency in the presented scenarios. One significant piece of feedback received from the exams team pert...
-
What is a major project?
What is a major project?
-
Are large projects just small sized companies?
Andy tells us about major projects and how they need special consideration.
-
Transitions from one state to another in organisations and projects
Andy Murray talks about major projects and how these have unique challenges and considerations.
-
How to manage the change of politics for large government projects
The changing politics in large projects needs to be carefully managed.
-
The complexity cliff
Andy Murray, the Executive Director of the Major Projects Association, underscores the complexities inherent in handling major projects and offers insights on managing these complexities.
Andy advocates for two primary approaches:
Simplification: This involves stripping down a project to its es...
-
Can we sell tranches of investment to government policymakers
Andy Murray, the Executive Director of the Major Projects Association, speaks to an audience that includes many practitioners. Here's the content breakdown:
Practitioner Perspective: He starts by acknowledging the practitioner's point of view, suggesting that they have significant experience and...