Ever wondered what the relationship is between the 47 PMBOK® project management processes on the one hand and the 10 knowledge areas, process groups and project phases on the other hand? The simple answer is that they are all slightly different views of the same 47 processes. No matter what we do as project managers on our projects we will most probably be busy with one or more of the 47 processes. Please bear in mind that these 47 processes are not the alpha and the omega of project management, but can be considered to be good practice on most projects most of the time.
What do the 47 project management processes describe?
According to the PMBOK® guide project management processes are linked by specific inputs and outputs where the outcome of one process becomes the input to another process but not necessarily in the same process group - a constant loop like the circle of life. Take for instance the process of identifying stakeholders that in practice can rely on inputs from almost any of the other processes and can also be the input to almost any of the other processes such as those involved with requirements, quality, communications, risk, procurement or stakeholder relationships. Each process can also consist of various activities required to execute the specific process and these activities represent the work to be done to complete the project.
What do the 5 project management process groups describe?
It may best to first describe what process groups are not - process groups are not project life cycle phases. It is a logical grouping of the 47 individual project management processes into groups describing the initiating processes, planning processes, executing processes, monitoring and controlling processes, and closing processes. The 47 processes in the process groups may be executed and may be recurring within each phase of a project. Take for instance the initiating and closing processes - each phase of a project needs to be initiated and closed. All of this still does not tell us why we need the process groupings. The process groups reminds us that no matter what we do on a project it will be initiated, planned, executed, monitored and controlled and eventually closed down. These process groups and their processes guide us to apply appropriate project management best practices during the project to drive the project to completion in a controlled manner.
What do the project life-cycle phases describe?
There sometimes seem to be confusion between project phases and process groups and they are then incorrectly seen as one and the same. A project life cycle normally consists of a series of phases and activities that a project passes through from its initiation to its closure and can differ from project to project depending on its area of application. It provides the basic framework for managing the project, regardless of the specific work involved, by defining how the project team envisages to start, plan, organize, carry out and close the project. A phase can contain processes and their accompanying activities from any or all of the process groups or knowledge areas. The detailed planning phase of a project for instance can contain processes from all ten the knowledge areas and from all five of the process groups. One of the easiest ways to distinguish between a process group and a project phase is by considering the process group monitoring and control. Although it is a valid grouping of processes required to track, review, and regulate the progress and performance of the project it does not make sense to have a specific phase for these activities as they are executed from the start to the end of the project.
What do the 10 knowledge areas describe?
The 47 project management processes are grouped into ten separate areas of specialization of which the project manager needs knowledge, specific skills and experience in order to accomplish the project goals. Each of these knowledge areas require the project team to define how aspects from the related processes in the knowledge area will be planned and managed on the project - normally through the use of an appropriate management plan for the specific knowledge area. Again, the knowledge areas defined in the PMBOK® Guide are not the be-all and end-all of project management, but those areas of specialization required by most projects most of the time.
How do they all integrate and interact?
· The five process groups contain the 47 project management processes.
· The 47 processes are made up of activities.
· The activities are the detail of the phases of the project.
· Executing the 47 processes also require knowledge and skills of the 10 knowledge areas.
What do the 47 project management processes describe?
According to the PMBOK® guide project management processes are linked by specific inputs and outputs where the outcome of one process becomes the input to another process but not necessarily in the same process group - a constant loop like the circle of life. Take for instance the process of identifying stakeholders that in practice can rely on inputs from almost any of the other processes and can also be the input to almost any of the other processes such as those involved with requirements, quality, communications, risk, procurement or stakeholder relationships. Each process can also consist of various activities required to execute the specific process and these activities represent the work to be done to complete the project.
What do the 5 project management process groups describe?
It may best to first describe what process groups are not - process groups are not project life cycle phases. It is a logical grouping of the 47 individual project management processes into groups describing the initiating processes, planning processes, executing processes, monitoring and controlling processes, and closing processes. The 47 processes in the process groups may be executed and may be recurring within each phase of a project. Take for instance the initiating and closing processes - each phase of a project needs to be initiated and closed. All of this still does not tell us why we need the process groupings. The process groups reminds us that no matter what we do on a project it will be initiated, planned, executed, monitored and controlled and eventually closed down. These process groups and their processes guide us to apply appropriate project management best practices during the project to drive the project to completion in a controlled manner.
What do the project life-cycle phases describe?
There sometimes seem to be confusion between project phases and process groups and they are then incorrectly seen as one and the same. A project life cycle normally consists of a series of phases and activities that a project passes through from its initiation to its closure and can differ from project to project depending on its area of application. It provides the basic framework for managing the project, regardless of the specific work involved, by defining how the project team envisages to start, plan, organize, carry out and close the project. A phase can contain processes and their accompanying activities from any or all of the process groups or knowledge areas. The detailed planning phase of a project for instance can contain processes from all ten the knowledge areas and from all five of the process groups. One of the easiest ways to distinguish between a process group and a project phase is by considering the process group monitoring and control. Although it is a valid grouping of processes required to track, review, and regulate the progress and performance of the project it does not make sense to have a specific phase for these activities as they are executed from the start to the end of the project.
What do the 10 knowledge areas describe?
The 47 project management processes are grouped into ten separate areas of specialization of which the project manager needs knowledge, specific skills and experience in order to accomplish the project goals. Each of these knowledge areas require the project team to define how aspects from the related processes in the knowledge area will be planned and managed on the project - normally through the use of an appropriate management plan for the specific knowledge area. Again, the knowledge areas defined in the PMBOK® Guide are not the be-all and end-all of project management, but those areas of specialization required by most projects most of the time.
How do they all integrate and interact?
· The five process groups contain the 47 project management processes.
· The 47 processes are made up of activities.
· The activities are the detail of the phases of the project.
· Executing the 47 processes also require knowledge and skills of the 10 knowledge areas.
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