HERMES
Why the private sector rarely works with HERMES
HERMES, PRINCE2, PMI, IPMA and Scrum: which methods companies use and what they can learn from HERMES
HERMES is the standard in Swiss public administration. In the private sector the name is heard less often. The Federal Chancellery does stress that HERMES is also used in companies, especially in heavily regulated ones. But there is no list of users, because the method can be used without registration. What is certain: other names dominate in companies. Why is that, and is it justified?
What companies use instead
| Approach | Publisher | Current version | What it regulates |
|---|---|---|---|
| HERMES | Federal Chancellery, Switzerland | 2022 edition, 3rd printing, as of 9 March 2026 | project management method with phases, roles, outcomes and templates |
| PMI (PMBOK Guide) | Project Management Institute, USA | 8th edition, November 2025 | standard with six core principles and seven performance domains, processes as a non-binding recommendation |
| PRINCE2 | originally the British government, today PeopleCert | PRINCE2 7, 2023 | process method with principles, practices and processes, according to PeopleCert combinable with agile methods, Lean and ITIL |
| IPMA (ICB4) | International Project Management Association | ICB4 | competence standard for individuals with 29 competence elements in three areas: People, Practice and Perspective. Does not prescribe a method. |
| Scrum | Ken Schwaber and Jeff Sutherland | Scrum Guide, November 2020 | framework for team collaboration in short iterations, developed in the early 1990s |
Important for the comparison: these approaches are not on the same level. HERMES and PRINCE2 are methods that describe a procedure. The PMBOK Guide is a standard that summarises principles and practices. IPMA describes what a person must be able to do and explicitly leaves the method open. Scrum regulates the work within the team, not the project as a whole. In practice they are therefore often combined.
What the figures show
In practice, mixed approaches are gaining ground, worldwide and in Switzerland:
- Worldwide: According to the global survey of the Project Management Institute, the share of hybrid approaches rose from 20 per cent in 2020 to 31.5 per cent in 2023. Traditional, plan-driven approaches are still the most common, but fell from 58 to 43.9 per cent over the same period.
- Switzerland: According to the SwissQ study 2022, 56 per cent of respondents plan their software development in a hybrid way, that is, with a combination of a phase model and agile methods. As examples of such phase models, the study explicitly names waterfall and HERMES 5.
- Success: The PMI survey shows that traditional, agile and hybrid approaches can be associated with comparable project results. What matters is that the approach fits the particular context.
Five reasons why companies rarely choose HERMES
Data on these reasons is only partly available. Where a statement is based on an assessment from practice, this is stated explicitly.
- The image. HERMES is regarded as an administration method and as laborious. The Federal Chancellery itself speaks of persistent prejudices. In my assessment, many only know the complete version for large projects, not the sizing or HERMES One.
- The reach. HERMES is a Swiss method. Anyone working with teams in Germany, India or the USA needs a standard that everyone knows. PMI and PRINCE2 are widespread internationally, PRINCE2 in more than 200 countries according to PeopleCert.
- The certificates. Assessment from practice, without reliable figures: companies often hire project managers on the basis of certificates, such as PMP, IPMA or PRINCE2. These certificates are better known in the labour market and also recognised abroad.
- Agility. In IT departments, Scrum or SAFe is a given. Until the 2022 edition, HERMES seemed cumbersome alongside them. In my assessment, it is little known in the private sector that HERMES today embeds agile teams as a black box.
- The company's own method. Assessment from practice, without reliable figures: many larger companies have their own project model, assembled from elements of various standards. They do not need a ready-made method but adapt their model themselves.
The origin is not the problem
One argument falls short: that HERMES does not fit companies because of its origin in public administration. PRINCE2 also comes from the public sector, namely from Great Britain, and is used in companies worldwide. In my assessment, the difference lies above all in international reach, not in suitability.
What companies can learn from HERMES
Even those who do not work according to HERMES can adopt a good deal. These elements are regulated particularly clearly in HERMES:
- A project sponsor by name. HERMES requires a single person, not a committee. This person steers the project and decides at every milestone.
- A real initiation. Before execution, solution options are compared and risks, legal basis and protection needs are clarified. Only then is a decision taken.
- Discontinuation as a normal option. HERMES names reasons to stop a project after initiation. In my experience, in many companies a project that has been started simply carries on.
- Releases with budget. At every milestone, the project sponsor releases the funds for the next phase. That forces regular decisions.
- Clear boundaries to development. Project management must not interfere in the self-organisation of agile teams, and the teams report at clearly defined points.
My conclusion
The question is less whether a company chooses HERMES, PRINCE2 or PMI. The PMI survey shows that different approaches can be associated with comparable project results. What matters is that the approach fits the particular context. What matters more is whether it answers the basic questions of every method: Who decides? When are decisions taken? When is the project stopped? For Swiss SMEs that work with authorities, municipalities or companies close to the Confederation, HERMES has an additional advantage: both sides speak the same language. And the method is freely available.
Further reading: HERMES project management for SMEs and municipalities · HERMES and Scrum: how they work together
Sources: eCH interview with Martin Schwaar (in German) · HERMES Reference Manual Project Management, 2022 edition (in German) · PMI, PMBOK Guide, 8th edition · PMI, Pulse of the Profession 2024, blog post on the study · PeopleCert, PRINCE2 7 · IPMA, Individual Competence Baseline ICB4 · Scrum Guide 2020, German · SwissQ Trends & Benchmarks 2022, Netzwoche (in German) · guteprojekte.ch, comparison of methods (in German)