Overview
The first two chapters of the PMBOK® Guide (Introduction, and Organizational Influences and Project Life Cycle and Organization) provides the basis for understanding project management framework presented by the the PMBOK® Guide.The third chapter of the PMBOK® Guide builds on the concepts and terms defined in the first two chapters.
The Fundamentals
From the basic definitions of 'project' and 'project management' in the first chapter, we come across the concepts of 'processes', and 47 'project management processes' logically grouped in 'project management process groups'. These term are explained and detailed in the third chapter.
The PMBOK® Guide discusses 'project management of single project organized as a network of interlinked processes' . Therefore understanding of the term process is crucial to understanding of the overall framework of the PMBOK® Guide.
What is a process? What is it made up of? What are important characteristics of a process? What are different categories of processes on a project? How do we mean by their logical grouping? I have attempted to answer these questions in my post What is a 'Project Management Process?
Another very important aspect is to determine relationship between activities, project management processes, project management process groups, project phases, and project life cycle. This relationship is addressed in another of my post Fitting together ‘Processes’, ‘Process Groups’, ‘Phases’ and ‘Project Life Cycle’.
Project Management Process Groups and Knowledge Areas
The 47 project management processes are grouped in two ways in the the PMBOK® Guide. In project management process groups, they are categorized or grouped on the basis of flow (from start to end) of a project or phase. Project management knowledge areas categorize them on the basis of specialization area. Harwinder Singh has clarified this distinction in his post Project Management Process Groups and Knowledge Areas.
My post What are Project Management Process Groups? has an overview of project management process groups along with its fundamental concepts.
Project Information
This topic is a new addition to this chapter of the PMBOK® Guide Fifth Edition. Harwinder Singh has done significant research on this topic which has been summarized in his post Work Performance Data, Work Performance Information and Work Performance Reports
Summing Up
Let's sum it up by watching a video by Saket Bansal of iZenBridge Consultancy Pvt Ltd on Project Management Processes as follows:
Presentation Slides
- Project Management Processes for a Project - Part I: First part of presentation on 'Project Management Processes for a Project' (Chapter 3 of the PMBOK® Guide - Fifth Edition) covering overview and introduction to the chapter.
- Project Management Processes for a Project - Part II: Part II of presentation on 'Project Management Processes for a Project' (Chapter 3 of the PMBOK® Guide - Fifth Edition) covering common project management process interactions, project management process groups, initiating process group, planning process group, executing process group, monitoring and controlling process group, and closing process group.
Related Posts:
- Project Management Processes - Outline
- Project Management Processes - Resources
- What is a Project Management Process?
- Fitting together Processes, Process Groups, Phases and Project Life Cycle
- What are Project Management Process Groups?
- Project Management Processes Flow in Initiating Process Group and Planning Process Group
