Summary of the 10 Project ManagEment Process Groups (So you don’t forget)

If you are able to summarize the 10 Project Management Knowledge Areas fairly in your own words, then you will appreciate the much involved in project management.
In this brief article, we would briefly examine the key aspects of the 10 project management knowledge areas.

We would cover the following:

What is Project Management Knowledge Areas
1. Project Integration Management
2. Project Scope Management
3. Project Time Management
4. Project Cost Management
5. Project Quality Management
6. Project Human Resource Management
7. Project Communication Management
8. Project Risk Management
9. Project Procurement Management
10. Project Stakeholder Management
How to Memorize the 10 PM Knowledge

You may also want to read the following:

• 5 Reasons You Need Project Management Skills
• 5 Keys to Getting Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification
• Summary of the 10 Project Management Process Group (So you don’t forget)
• 5 Stages of Team Development – Tuckman’s Model (PMP Exams Nuggets)
• Five Conflict Resolution Techniques Every Employee/Manager Should Know (from PMBOK)

What are Project Management Knowledge Areas?

Project Management Knowledge Areas as a set of  guidelines and standard terminologies created by Project Management Institute (PMI) to serve as a guide for project management. This guidelines is published in the PMBOK Guide.
The project management knowledge areas are applied throughout the duration of the project during with life cycle of the project.  The knowledge areas is different from the 5 Process Groups which are like phases of a project.
For you to effectively manage a project, it is necessary to understand the key activities of each of the knowledge areas as presented below.

1. Project Integration Management

Project Integration Management is describe as the knowledge area that holds every other part of the project together. Aspects of the Project Integration Management include:

• development of the project charter, which is the document that confirms the existence of the project
• development of the project management plan
• directing and managing the project work
• change control carried out by the change control board (CCB)
• closing of the project

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2. Project Scope Management

This is the knowledge area relating to what work needs to be done by the project. It answers the question: what is in the scope? and what is out of scope?
Aspects of the Project Scope Management include:

• definition of the scope statement
• the work breakdown structure (WBS)
• validate scope, which makes sure the deliverables are approved
• acceptance of the deliverables

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3. Project Time Management

Remember that a  project must have a set duration. The Time Management knowledge area ensures that the project is running according to a schedule. (Note the WBS relates the Scope Management and not Time Management!)
Aspect of the project time management include:

• planning the schedule management
• creating the schedule
• arranging the tasks in order and dependencies such as FS, SS, FF and SF
• estimation of the resources needed to complete the tasks
• use of tools like Gantt chart
• resource levelling to ensure resources are not under or over-utilized
• earned value analysis to ensure project is proceeding as planned.

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4. Project Cost Management

The Project Cost Management relates with the project budget. This means making good estimates about how much funds is needed to cover the expenses of the project.
Aspects of Cost management include the following:

• planning the cost management
• establishing the project budget
• setting the cost baselines
• controlling the cost as the project progresses
• amounts of project and management reserves are outlined
• summing up the estimates

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5. Project Quality Management

In project management, quality means ‘reaching the objectives or requirements of the project’. And quality management is very important because if the project succeeds in managing the time and the budget effectively, but fails to meet the quality requirements, then the project is considered failed.
Aspects of quality management include:

• creation of the quality management plan
• quality assurance (making sure quality standards are followed in the process)
• quality control (checking that the deliverables meet the quality  standards)

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6. Project Human Resource Management

It could be said that the project team is the most important resource that is managed by a project manager. This makes sense because managing people is the key aspect of management. Human resource management has to  with obtaining the suitable and qualified members that would form the project team and then developing and managing them as the project progresses.
Aspects of the Human Resource Management include:

• creating a human resource management plan
• obtaining the project team either by in-house sourcing getting new hires
• developing the team through training and team building activities
• tracking the performance of the team members
• resolving conflicts that may arise within the team

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7. Project Communication Management

The question always is: ‘what percentage of the project manager’s time is spent in communication? 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%?. Well the answer is 90%!
This highlights how important communication is in project management. It touches every aspect of the project.
Aspects of Communication Management include:

• determining how communication in done (making the communication management plan)
• reviewing effectiveness of communication methods

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8. Project Risk Management

Risk is defined as an uncertain event or condition that can occur during the project and can effect the outcome of the project. It could be positive(opportunities) or negative (threats).
Risk management involved identifying the risk that may occur in the course of the project and putting plan in place to handle them.
Aspects of Project Risk Management include:

• creating the risk management plan
• identifying the risk
• creating a risk register with is a list of risks identified
• performing qualitative and quantitative analysis of the risks identified(classifying them by likelihood and impact)
• planning risk responses (what do when a risk actually occurs)
• reviewing and updating the risk register

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9. Project Procurement Management

The procurement management has to do with purchasing needed materials from the outside. It may also include hiring of sub-contractors fort the project.
Aspects of procurement management include:

• creating a procurement management plan
• identifying resources that needs to be sourced from outside
• identifying vendors
• conducting the procurement, requesting proposals etc
• managing and monitoring procurement activities
• closing out contracts once work is completed

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10. Project Stakeholder Management

Stakeholders according the PMBOK guide are individuals, groups or organization who may affect or be affected by the project. This means that everyone involved in a project. Stakeholders may include:

• Project team members
• Senior management
• Project Customer
• Sponsor
• The Project Manager
• Consultants
• Contractors
• Governments
• Communities in the project location
• Project user groups

The first step in project stakeholder management is to identify the stakeholders of the project and then proceed by planning how to keep them satisfied.
The activities of the Stakeholder Management include:

• identify stakeholders
• create a stakeholder register
• managing the stakeholder expectations
• ensure stakeholder needs are addressed
• communication with stakeholders

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How to Memorize the 10 PM Knowledge Areas

Now that you’ve reviewed the 10 project management knowledge areas, how could you remember then easily.

I found an easy mnemonic that would help you remember and that is:
“In School, The Calculus Quiz Has Created Really Poor Scores”. Say it three times! The first letter of each word corresponds to each of the knowledge areas in order.

I hope this article has been a good reminder for you and I would like to thank you for reading.
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