Before looking at What PMBOK is, it is relevant to first understand how the discipline of Project Management evolved.
Project Management is not something new. It has been in use for 1000’s of years. From construction of pyramids of Giza, to human landing on moon, there are many projects which required knowledge, tools & techniques, skills etc for achieving success. However, Project Management emerged as a distinct profession only in mid 20th century. Till then, it was practiced informally.
By mid 20th century project managers began the work of seeking recognition for project management as a profession. One aspect of this work involved obtaining agreement on the content of Body of Knowledge (BOK) called Project Management. The BOK came to be known as the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK). The Project Management Institute (PMI) was formed in 1969 as a Non-Profit Organization. It was soon realized that the PMBOK is too vast to be contained in a single book. Therefore, PMI developed PMBOK Guide.Â
What is PMBOK ?
- PMBOK is a term that describes the entire knowledge with in the profession of project management.
- It includes both proven traditional practices that are in use as well as innovative practices that are emerging in the profession.
- It includes both published and unpublished materials.
What is PMBOK Guide ?
PMBOK Guide – It is a subset of PMBOK that is generally recognized as a good practice.
PMBOK guide is developed and released by the Project Management Institute (PMI) from time to time. Get the latest edition of PMBOK guide, It is one of the books that every project manager should have. If you are planning to do PMP certification, then it is mandatory that you have this. You can get the latest PMBOK guide for free (soft-copy only) if you are a member of PMI.
The latest PMBOK Guide can be found here.