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8 Best PRINCE2 Books to Pass PRINCE2 Certification Exam

8 Best PRINCE2 Books to Pass PRINCE2 Certification Exam

Q: 1. Can you do self-study for PRINCE2?

Yes, you can opt to self-study for PRINCE2 courses. The certification will be issued to you only if you can validate your knowledge and skill by passing the respective exam.

Q: 2. Is PRINCE2 good for beginners?

PRINCE2 Foundation certification is ideal for beginners as it does not require experience or prior knowledge of project management. It is an effective way to get a foothold in the field of project management.

By Kevin D.Davis

Updated on Apr 12, 2022 | 8 min read | 9.0k views

As Project Management keeps growing in importance across different industries across the world, the need for qualified project management professionals is on the rise. There are plenty of organizations looking to hire qualified project managers to lead a range of challenging projects across many industries. There are plenty of PRINCE2 course online and offline available for aspiring project managers or professionals looking to get ahead in their project management careers. Choosing a project management course will have to do with your experience level, area of interest etc. PRINCE2 is one of the most popular project management certifications that is widely recognized. There are more than a million certified PRINCE2 practitioners across over 150 countries.

Adding a credible certification is the best way to fast-track your project management career. PRINCE2 is an option that is beginner friendly, since the Foundation course does not have any prerequisites. Anyone who can pass the PRINCE2 Foundation certification exam can get certified. While you are advised to take a course by a Certified Partner of AXELOS, you can also opt to self-study if you are confident in your project management knowledge and experience. PRINCE2 is not only about the principles, themes, and processes. It is a methodology that provides benefits which can be experienced in real projects. You are also encouraged to tailor PRINCE2 to suit your projects since projects vary in their size and complexity. You should also have a good understanding of the PRINCE2 framework. Whether you have enrolled in a course or not, you should refer resources to clarify doubts and enhance your understanding before attempting the exam.

There are different resources you can rely on starting with AXELOS. Apart from checking the procedure and getting comfortable with the exam format, you can also refer to their blogs in their resource hub or even listen to their podcast. Apart from that you could get assistance from your training provider. You can also pick from a range of books that will help you understand the PRINCE2 methodology better and prepare you for the exam.

List of PRINCE2 Books

You will find many PRINCE2 books available that will help you understand PRINCE2 framework. To make your decision easier, we have shortlisted eight books for the PRINCE2 certification and Exam preparation. These books are not listed here based on any rankings. You can pick one or more books depending on your requirement and interests. Please consider the changes to PRINCE2 that were released in 2017 and later branded as the 6th edition. If you are referring to older books or books before 2017 you will need to understand what has changed since then.

Book Name	Author
PRINCE2 Study Guide: 2017 Update, Third Edition	David Hinde
PRINCE2 for Beginners: PRINCE2 self study for Certification & Project Management	Bryan Mathis
PRINCE2 Foundation Study Guide	Frank Turley
PRINCE2: A Practical Handbook, Third Edition	Colin Bentley
PRINCE2 For Dummies	Nick Graham
PRINCE2 for Value-Driven Project Management: AXELOS Full License AXTMC033	Pankaj Sharma
Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2 2017 Edition	Nigel Bennett (The Stationery Office)
PRINCE2 Agile	AXELOS

1. PRINCE2 Study Guide: 2017 Update, Third Edition by David Hinde

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First published in 2012, and updated to cover the 2017 changes, this book is a trusted resource for professionals who are looking to pass both PRINCE2 Foundation and PRINCE2 Practitioner exams. It comes with mock questions and access to online exam preparation software apart from tips and techniques to pass the PRINCE2 exams. Before taking the PRINCE2 Foundation training, this book may give you the perspective needed for how to use PRINCE2 in your projects.

David Hinde is a PRINCE2 trainer who has experience of working on large-scale PRINCE2 projects for organizations like BBC, Deloitte, and the UK Government. He has also trained thousands of PRINCE2 professionals.

2. PRINCE2 for Beginners: PRINCE2 Study Guide for Certification & Project Management by Bryan Mathis

This book is an effective way to understand the PRINCE2 methodology in a practical manner. This is more suitable if you are new to PRINCE2, and you are looking for a PRINCE2 Foundation book. This was published in 2014, and hence will not cover the 2017 updates.

Bryan Mathis is a Project Manager with over 15 years of experience. He has worked with both traditional and agile approaches to project management. He has managed software development projects for both product and service-based organizations.

3. PRINCE2 Foundation Study Guide by Frank Turley

This book focuses specifically on PRINCE2 Foundation Certification course. This book does not cover the 2017 updates.

Frank Turley is a PRINCE2 Trainer and Coach. He has trained over 13,000 professionals.

4. PRINCE2: A Practical Handbook, Third Edition by Colin Bentley

PRINCE2: A Practical Handbook is a resource that will help you understand the application of PRINCE2 methodology and how to tailor PRINCE2 to different projects through real-world case studies. This is one of the more authoritative PRINCE2 Practitioner books as it is written by someone who was key to the development of the PRINCE2 methodology.

Colin Bentley has been a Project Manager since 1970. He wrote the first PRINCE2 manual in 1996. He was also the Chief Examiner in PRINCE2 for the Association for Project Management Group (APMG) and Lead Reviewer for the 2009 PRINCE2 manual. He has also authored a book called ‘The PRINCE2 Practitioner: From Practitioner to Professional’ where he highlights the application of the PRINCE2 framework.

5. PRINCE2 For Dummies by Nick Graham

If you need a book that explains to you PRINCE2 concepts in an easy-to-understand format this will be an apt choice for you.

Nick Graham has been involved with Project consultancy for over 15 years. He has worked in both the public sector and private sector. He is a member of the Association for Project Management (APM). If you are looking for a book that will help you clear PRINCE2 exams, Nick has authored another book called ‘Passing the PRINCE2 Exams for Dummies’.

6. PRINCE2 for Value-Driven Project Management: AXELOS Full License AXTMC033 by Pankaj Sharma

This book contains sample question papers along with the answer keys, and case studies to narrate how PRINCE2 is applied and adapted to real projects. This book has also been licensed by AXELOS.

Pankaj Sharma has 18 years of experience in Project Management, and Program Management in projects spanning manufacturing, human resources, and healthcare. He has coached professionals in organizations like Microsoft, IBM, Accenture, Deloitte, HCL, TCS, Indian Defense Forces, and India’s Ministry of Railways.

7. Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2 2017 Edition by Nigel Bennett (The Stationery Office)

Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2 is especially relevant for professionals who want to understand the 2017 update in PRINCE2 methodology. The 2017 update focuses on scalability and flexibility.

The Stationery House was born out of the privatization of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office in 1996 inheriting a 200-year-old publishing legacy.

8. PRINCE2 Agile by AXELOS

Agile practices and methodologies have been gaining more acceptance over the last few decades. PRINCE2 Agile explores using PRINCE2 methodologies in an Agile environment. While there are separate certifications for PRINCE2 Agile courses, it is important for every PRINCE2 practitioner to know how to tailor PRINCE2 to their unique project needs.

This is a PRINCE2 Agile book published by AXELOS. Know more about the concepts covered in this book with our project management training courses.

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Certification and Beyond

PRINCE2 certifications are issued on passing the designated exam for each course. The learning from each course will also be applied in each project and your proficiency in PRINCE2 will depend on how well you can apply and tailor the PRINCE2 methodology to your projects. PRINCE2 Certifications are not simply proof of your understanding of the methodology, they also prove your ability to implement and tailor the framework to meet project and organizational requirements. The KnowledgeHut PRINCE2 Foundation online course focuses on training participants with real-world examples and relatable scenarios, this book will be a good addition to this approach to understanding concepts.

You will also find additional resources in the form of videos on the AXELOS channel, podcasts, audiobooks, events, webinars etc. Immerse yourself in the AXELOS and PRINCE2 environment and interact with other project managers to improve your practical understanding of concepts and how to implement them in your projects. You can also rely on your training provider to guide you to additional resources and familiarize yourself with the project management circles in your region. You will also understand how to progress after you have achieved your PRINCE2 credentials.