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Project Management Knowledge Areas

The 10 Knowledge Areas of the PMP Exam

Project Integration Management

According to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK, 6th Edition) by the Project Management Institute, Project Integration Management “includes the processes and activities to identify, define, combine, unify and coordinate the various processes and … activities” (pg. 69).  This process is the responsibility of the project manager, and it represents the big picture. Andy Crowe refers to this knowledge area as focusing on the whole forest as opposed to focusing on the trees. This knowledge area coordinates all of the processes of a project – the glue that holds everything together. There are seven processes in this project knowledge area:

 

  • Develop Project Charter
  • Develope Project Management Plan
  • Direct and Manage Project Work
  • Manage Project Knowledge
  • Monitor and Control Project Work
  • Perform Integrated Change Control
  • Close Project or Phase

Project Scope Management

This process ensures that all the work required, and only the work required, is completed successfully.   There are six processes in this project knowledge area:

 

  • Plan Scope Management
  • Collect Requirements
  • Define Scope
  • Create WBS
  • Validate Scope
  • Control Scope

Project Schedule Management

This knowledge area is concerned with ensuring the timely completion of a project.  There are six processes in this project knowledge area:

 

  • Plan Schedule Management
  • Define Activities
  • Sequence Activities
  • Estimate Activity Durations
  • Develop Schedule
  • Control Schedule

Project Cost Management

The main objective of the Project Cost Management knowledge area is ensuring the project is completed within budget.  This entails examining the costs of resources (people and materials) and planning when the costs will occur. There are four processes in this project knowledge area:

 

  • Plan Cost Management
  • Estimate Costs
  • Determine Budget
  • Control Costs

Project Quality Management

 Project Quality Management includes managing and controlling the quality of the product/service of the project, as well as the processes of the project itself. This knowledge areas incoporates pieces of quality measurement and control such as those found in Six Sigma. Additionally, quality management incorporates continuous process improvements, so it integrates some of the frameworks found in ITIL as well.  There are three processes in this project knowledge area:

 

  • Plan Quality Management
  • Manage Quality
  • Control Quality

Project Resource Management

The main objective of the Project Resource Management knowledge area is very straight-forward: managing the resources of the project. This entails having the right resources as well as ensuring the resources are available when they are neeed.  There are six processes in this project knowledge area:

 

  • Plan Resource Management
  • Estimate Activity Resources
  • Acquire Resources
  • Develop Team
  • Manage Team
  • Control Resources

Project Communications Management

Communications management is concerned with ensuring the information about the project (status, performance, change, etc.)  is conveyed to all stakeholders in a timely fashion. This knowledge area is additionally concerned with the process of collecting, storing and distributing project activities and information.  There are three processes in this project knowledge area:

 

  • Plan Communications Management
  • Manage Communications
  • Monitor Communications

Project Risk Management

Risk management is concerned planning, identifying, analyzing, responding and monitoring risks within and realted to a project.  There are seven processes in this project knowledge area:

 

  • Plan Risk Management
  • Identify Risks
  • Perform Qualitative Risk Analysis
  • Perform Quantitative Risk Analysis
  • Plan Risk Responses
  • Monitor Risks

Project Procurement Management

The PMBOK (6th Edition) states that Project Procurement Management “includes the processes necessary to purchase or acquire products, services, or results needed from outside the project team” (pg. 459).  This process is often formal and dictated by industry, government and company policies. Even if procurements are outside the scope of duties, the management of the processes and procedures as they pertain to the project are the responsibility of the project manager. There are three processes in this project knowledge area:

 

  • Plan Procurement Management
  • Conduct Procurements
  • Control Procurements

Project Stakeholder Management

Stakeholder management is concerned with identifying and montioring all those impacted by the project. This includes understanding stakeholder needs and influences as well as engaging stakeholders throughout the life of the project. Stakeholders are NOT managed and controlled, but rather, they are engaged and monitored. There are four processes in this project knowledge area:

 

  • Identify Stakeholders
  • Plan Stakeholder Engagement
  • Manage Stakeholder Engagements
  • Monitor Stakeholder Engagement