Article #2 - The Puzzle of Project Management: Understanding PMP Processes and Knowledge Areas
Sailesh Jaiswal
Aspiring CTO, IT Director, Sr. Technical Project Manager | Certified AWS Solution Architect | PMP? | Certified Agile Coach (ICP-ACC?)
?? #PMPSeries: A Journey Through Project Management Excellence
This series is crafted to provide a comprehensive, yet relatable, understanding of PMP processes, helping diverse audiences gain insights into the world of project management.
Whether you’re a seasoned professional aiming to refine your methodologies, a budding project manager curious about best practices, or a newcomer eager to learn the ropes, this series has something for everyone. Through real-world examples and storytelling, I aim to make complex concepts accessible and actionable.
? How This Series Can Help You:
Here’s the list of articles so far:
Let me take you on a journey. Imagine you’ve been handed a puzzle—a big, ambitious one with hundreds of interlocking pieces. This puzzle represents a project, and the only way to complete it successfully is to organize the pieces systematically. But where do you begin?
This is where the Project Management Professional (PMP) framework shines. It’s like having a blueprint to solve the puzzle efficiently. The PMI’s Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) outlines 49 processes, grouped into 10 knowledge areas and 5 process groups. Together, these provide a structured approach to bring order to chaos.
The Foundation: 5 Process Groups
The journey of any project unfolds through these five stages:
The Puzzle Pieces: 10 Knowledge Areas
Each knowledge area represents a specific aspect of project management. Let’s look at them with a practical lens:
1. Integration Management
Think of this as the glue that holds the puzzle together. From initiating the project to closing it, integration ensures everything works in harmony.
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2. Scope Management
Defines what’s in the puzzle and what isn’t. You don’t want to waste time on unnecessary pieces!
3. Schedule Management
Lays out the timeline for solving the puzzle. Who works on what, and when?
4. Cost Management
Keeps your spending on track. No overruns allowed!
5. Quality Management
Ensures the final picture is clear and complete—not fuzzy or missing pieces.
6. Resource Management
Assigns the right people to the right pieces of the puzzle.
7. Communications Management
Keeps everyone informed, avoiding the chaos of mixed messages.
8. Risk Management
Anticipates which pieces might be missing or damaged and plans for contingencies.
9. Procurement Management
If some pieces aren’t available internally, this ensures you source them externally.
10. Stakeholder Management
Manages the expectations of everyone invested in the puzzle’s completion.
An Example in Action
Let’s say you’re tasked with launching a mobile app:
What’s Next?
Every puzzle piece, or process, has a role in creating the bigger picture. In my next article, I’ll dive deeper into Initiating Process Group, the cornerstone of seamless project execution.
Which knowledge area do you find the most intriguing or challenging? Share your thoughts in the comments—I’d love to hear about your experiences solving your own project puzzles!
Let’s keep learning and growing together. ??
Data Engineer
4 个月It’s a good read ?? Simple yet clean & concise I would say in my opinion Communication management is very important, it looks like a very simple thing but if we think about it in a way A requirement misunderstanding can make hero to zero of a newly added feature ??