Project management s nine knowledge areas

Project management's nine knowledge areas

There are a number of different ways to look at project management, a number of different perspectives on it. It is useful to have several different perspectives on project management. One of them is the different kinds of knowledge that together make up project management, which we will introduce presently. Another perspective is the project management lifecycle, that is the sequence in which the different project management tasks happen. It is probably easier to understand project management on first encountering the subject from the perspective of the sequence of project management activities, and in Chapter 2 we do just that, describing the project lifecycle from start to finish. However, for the most part this book explains project management from the perspective of the nine knowledge areas. We owe those readers who are coming to project management for the first time an explanation of why we have decided to do this, and we also suggest that they might like to go straight to Chapter 3 and skim it don't yet read in detail to acquire a sequential perspective on project management, before returning and continuing either here or in Chapter 2.

There are reasons for structuring this book predominantly by the knowledge areas of project management rather than by the project lifecycle. It is rather like learning to drive: although the way we drive from A to B is to start the car, drive, and then stop, and at a high level all driving lessons begin with us starting the car, then have us driving, and end with us stopping the car, in learning to drive we need to practise different parts of driving technique together. So one lesson will focus on hill starts, another on emergency stops, another on parking, and so on. So it is in project management. Although all projects are planned to have a beginning, middle and end, the reality of project management and business generally is that in some projects you will need to use more of one tool than another, and some projects will need replanning and yet more replanning, rather than planning being restricted to the start of the project. In short, you will end up as a more effective project manager by learning the subject in terms of knowledge areas; and if you are an experienced project manager, you will find that there are some knowledge areas that you need to improve more than others. The project lifecycle is also important, and we give you that perspective in Chapter 2.

The nine knowledge areas of project management (as per the PMI's PMBOK Guide) are:

• Project Integration Management.

• Project Scope Management.

• Project Time Management.

• Project Cost Management.

• Project Quality Management.

• Project Human Resource Management.

• Project Communication Management.

• Project Risk Management.

• Project Procurement Management.

1. Project Integration Management. This knowledge area is the heart of project management. You must understand what it is and why it is important. It contains the skills, tools and techniques required to integrate all the components of the project so as to be able to deliver the end product. Integration means getting everything done at the right time in the right sequence, connected in the right way.

2. Project Scope Management. Scope management is the process by which the project manager defines the boundaries to the project work and ensures that any changes to the original scope are carefully managed. Scope means what is included in the project and what is excluded from it.

3. Project Time Management. This knowledge area is about making sure that things happen on time, with keeping the project on schedule. It includes techniques to estimate how long things will take, to plan accordingly, and then to keep things on track.

4. Project Cost Management. This knowledge area is about keeping the project on budget, and includes techniques for estimating costs, planning and budgeting, and monitoring and controlling costs. (Costs always matter even in government, eventually.)

5. Project Quality Management. Quality in project management is about the project's deliverables being fit for purpose. A project that delivers something that cannot be used has failed, no matter how well the project management methodology was followed and no matter how quickly and cheaply it was completed.

6. Project Human Resource Management. Project Human Resource Management is about how to find, lead and manage the people involved in the project. It also deals with their professional development.

7. Project Communication Management. Failure to pay attention to this knowledge area is often how a perfectly good project is turned into a failure. Communication Management is about identifying who needs what information, how it is to be communicated to them and when they need to have it and ensuring that the right people get the right information at the right time.

8. Project Risk Management. Projects are risky. Project risk management is about identifying and evaluating risks, planning responses where necessary, and ensuring that the plans translate into action if the risks crystallize.

9. Project Procurement Management. This knowledge area deals with the procurement of resources for the project.

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