Project Management and its 9 Knowledge Areas

Project Management

In order to carryout a project to reach its goal or the required outcome, the project should be managed in a proper manner where the triple constraint, the scope/ Quality, time and cost is met and not exceeded.

In reality, the plan of a project is usually a straight line, however the real project progress would not be straight, at some points the project progress would under achieve or over achieve. What is important is to reach the goal at the end meeting the time, cost and the scope/quality.

Figure 06 : Planned Vs Actual Project Progress

The number of activities done within a particular period of time, is referred to as "Progressive Elaboration"

The concept that can be adopted in being inline with the triple constraint is the use of project management.

Project Management is the application of knowledge, skills, tools and techniques to project activities to meet the project requirements. 

PMBOK (2008)

Project management concept differs from other management concepts due to its focu on a finite project, where as other management focus on ongoing operations and project managment uses adhoc resources in meeting its goal.

As stated in PMBOK (2008), managing a project includes identifying requirements, addressing to stakeholder requirements and balancing the project competing requirements.

 It is further elaborated that project management is accomplished through the appropriate application and integration of logically grouped management processes, comprising the five process groups.

• Initiating
• Planning
• Executing
• Monitoring and control
• Closing

The time line and activity level of the process phases are shown below.

Figure 07 : IPECC  Phase Diagram

 9 Knowledge Areas

As described in PMBOK (2008), project management can be of 42 management processes which can be mapped in to 5 process groups and 9 knowledge areas. The 9 knowledge areas describes the key competencies.

• Four core knowledge areas lead to specific project objectives. (Scope, Time, Cost, Quality)
• Four Facilitating knowledge areas in which through the means project objectives can be achieved (Human Resources, Communication, Risk, Procurement)
• One knowledge areas which integrates all (Integration)

The 9 knowledge areas are as below;

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 Communications Management
8. Project Risk Management
9. Project Procurement Management

Each of these knowledge areas will be further described.

Reference

PMBOK, 2008. A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge. 4th ed. Newtown Square: Project Management Institute, Inc