PMI PMBOK 6th edition broke down the entire practice of project management into
- 49 Processes
- 5 Process Groups
- 10 Knowledge Areas
But, What is a Process??
The dictionary meaning is ” A series of actions or steps taken in order to achieve a particular end.”
PMI Defines process as “A systematic series of activities directed towards causing an end result such that one or more inputs will be acted upon to create one or more outputs.”
There are 49 Project management Processes.
What is a Process Group?
It is a logical grouping of project management processes to achieve specific project objectives.
There are 5 Process Groups
- Initiating Process Group
- Planning Process Group
- Executing Process Group
- Monitoring and Controlling Process Group
- Closing Process Group
Process Groups are independent of Project Phases.
What is a Knowledge Area ?
In addition to Process groups, the project management processes are also categorized into Knowledge Areas.
A Knowledge Area represents a complete set of concepts, terms, and activities that make up an area of specialization in the project management field.
There are 10 Knowledge Areas, and these are used on most projects most of the time.
- Project Integration Management,
- Project Scope Management,
- Project Schedule Management,
- Project Cost Management,
- Project Quality Management,
- Project Human Resource Management,
- Project Communications Management,
- Project Risk Management,
- Project Procurement Management and
- Project Stakeholder Management.
It should be understood that these 10 knowledge areas are present commonly in most of the projects across industries. However, some additional knowledge areas, which are not listed above, may be required depending on the industry and project needs. For example, the Construction Industry may require Safety and Health Management.