What is PMBOK? Description
The Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) (®) is an internationally
recognized standard (IEEE, ANSI ) that deals with the application of knowledge,
skills, tools, and techniques to meet project requirements. The PMBOK Guide
defines a Project Life Cycle, 5 Process Groups and 9 Knowledge areas of the
project management profession.
A project team operates in 9 knowledge areas through a number of basic processes
as summarized below:
-
Integration. Develop the Project Charter, Scope Statement
and Plan. Direct, Manage, Monitor and Control Project Change.
-
Scope. Planning, Definition, Work Break-down Structure
(WBS) Creation, Verification and Control.
-
Time. Definition, Sequencing, Resource and Duration
Estimating, Schedule Development and Schedule Control.
-
Cost. Resource Planning, Cost Estimating, Budgeting
and Control.
-
Quality. Quality Planning, Quality Assurance and Quality
Control.
-
Human Resources. HR Planning, Hiring, Developing and
Managing Project Team.
-
Communications. Communications Planning, Information
Distribution, Performance Reporting, Managing Stakeholders.
-
Risks. Risk Planning and Identification, Risk Analysis
(Qualitative and Quantitative), Risk Response (Action) Planning and Risk
Monitoring and Control.
-
Procurement. Acquisition and Contracting Plan, Sellers
Responses and Selection, Contract Administration and Contract Closure.
For each process, activity, or practice, a description of input,
tools and technique and output (deliverables) is made.
Origin of PMBOK. History
The Project Management Institute (PMI) was founded in 1969, initially to
identify common management practices in projects across industries.
- The first edition of the PMBOK was published in 1987. It was
the result of workshops initiated in the early 80s by the PMI. In parallel
a Code of Ethics was developed. And guidelines for accreditation of training
centers and certification of individuals.
- Later, a second version of the PMBOK was published (1996 and
2000), based on comments received from the members. PMBOK was recognized
as a standard by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) in 1998,
and later by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).
- The third version of the PMBOK Guide (tm) was published in 2004,
with major improvements in the structure of the document, additions to processes,
terms and domains of program and portfolio.
Usage of PMBOK. Applications
All kinds of project, programs and portfolio management. Application areas
include:
- Management programs (General)
- Departmental projects (Functional)
- Engineering projects (Technical)
- Industry specific processes
- Product development (Marketing)
- Government programs (Public)
- Development programs (International organizations)
Steps in PMBOK. Process
A Project is accomplished trough the integration of the project management
processes. PMBOK uses a variation of the
Deming Cycle for continuous improvement
with a 5 -step lifecycle:
- Initiating. Main elements:
- Authorize the project
- Commit the organization to a project or phase
- Set the overall direction
- Define top-level project objectives
- Secure necessary approvals and resources
- Validate alignment with overall business objectives
- Assign project manager
- Integration management
- Planning. Main elements:
- Define project scope
- Refine project objectives
- Define all required deliverables
- Create framework for project schedule
- Provide forum for information sharing for team members and stakeholders
- Define all required activities
- Sequence all activities
- Identify required skills and resources
- Estimate work effort
- Risk analysis and avoidance
- Define and estimate all required costs
- Obtain project funding approval
- Communication plan
- Executing. Main elements:
- Coordinate the resources, team development
- Quality assurance
- Select and approach subcontractors
- Distribute information
- Work the plan
- Monitoring and Controlling. Main elements:
- Manage team, stakeholders, subcontractors
- Measuring progress and monitoring performance (overall, scope, schedule,
costs, quality)
- Take corrective actions if and where needed. Issue resolution and
escalation
- Change request management
- Risk Management (technical, quality, performance, project management,
organizational, external)
- Performance reports. Communications
- Closing. Main elements:
- Finalize activities
- Administrative close out (gather, distribute, archive information
to formalize project completion, acceptance/signoff, evaluation, member
appraisals, lessons learned)
- Contract close out (completion of the project contract including resolution
of open items and final formal acceptance)
The Project Manager is responsible for the project objectives to deliver
the final product that has been defined, within the constraints of project
scope, time, cost and required quality.
Strengths of PMBOK. Benefits
- PMBOK guide is a framework and de facto standard.
- It is process-oriented.
- It states the knowledge needed to manage the life cycle of any Project,
Program and Portfolio through their processes.
- It defines for each process the necessary input, tools, techniques and
output (deliverables).
- It defines a body of knowledge on which any industry can build it specific
best practices for its application area.
Limitations of PMBOK. Disadvantages
- Complex for small projects.
- Has to be adapted to the application area industry, project size and
scope, time and budget and quality constraints.
Assumptions of PMBOK. Conditions
- Project management needs a standard that is applicable to any kind of
project scope, industry and culture.
Book: PMI - PMBOK Guide (Third Edition 2004) -
|
Managing Organization Culture
"Most managers have experiences with positive and negative effects of culture on the plans and strategies of the organization. How can we manage the culture so that company objectives are met. What met..." |
|
Task Reminder Tool / Task Reminder Software
"Task reminders - I am looking for some tool wherein I can remind all task owners in advance, based on tasks that are over due, due and task expected to complete in future date. MS Project?" |
|
Presenting Lessons Learnt
"I am looking for a good way of presenting "lessons learnt" to the customer during the project closure meeting.
Any advise from this forum?" |
|
PMBOK <> PMBOK Guide
"The 'PMBOK' refers to all published knowledge, where as the 'PMBOK guide' refers to the document published by PMI that refers to a smaller subset of the PMBOK. This is a frequent point o..." |
|
|
Who Initiates and Plans a Project?
"It's very interesting to read about PMI processes but I am wondering whether the initiating and the planning stages are carried out by the top management (before choosing a project manager) or is it t..." |
|
|
PMO in Human Resources
"How can I apply the PMO to a recruiting process in the human resources field?
Does anybody have an implemented model? Thanks a lot!" |
|
|
What is Project Lifecycle?
"What is exactly is meant with Project Lifecycle in the management of projects? Do you have a good definition? Can I have your reactions please..." |
|
|
When Used for Software Development
"This is an extension of Deming's work. Deming's is definitely a top-down management style. Do not make changes in implementation unless the change has been vetted through change control which includes..." |
|
|
Shortfall in the PMBOK Framework
"I believe there is a major shortfall in this framework - the lack of the concept of Governance, which might be an addendum to the 'control' lozenge. Most PMs success is measured on delivering ..." |
|
|
Project Budgeting Best Practices
"I love to know please how budgeting can contribute to the success or failure of a Project? Specific steps and attentions on the Project." |
|
Keep in touch with this topic
|
|
|
|
|
PMBOK Special Interest Group
|
|
|
|
Compare with PMBOK: OPM3
| MSP |
PMMM |
IPMA Competence Baseline (ICB)
| Team Management
Profile |
Stages of Team Development
| Belbin Team Roles
Return to Management Hub: Change & Organization | Program & Project Management
More Management Methods, Models and Theory
|
|
|
|
Keep in touch with this topic
|
|
|
Options
|
|
12manage for:
|
12manage in:
|
|
|
|
|
|
Log in
