Overview of the Project Management Process

By John G. Galyon

While actively participating in mentorship during a project with a local design/build firm, I found it necessary to pull together an overview of the
project management process [as detailed in PMI’s A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide)] with enough detail
to ensure we were using the same terminology in our bi-monthly discussions.

As a result, I pulled together the following chart that briefly covers all the main processes of project management:

1. Initiating
2. Planning
3. Executing
4. Monitoring/Controlling
5. Closing

I wanted to share this overview with other project managers as a tool to reference in our day-to-day PM activities (as well as share with new
project managers).
Overview of the Project Management Process
1. Initiating Process Group

Here, we focus on interactions with project sponsor(s) in developing the Project Charter and, ultimately, the Preliminary Scope of Work. As
indicated in the overview, this process must originate from a specific Statement of Work and must incorporate both Organizational Processes and
Environmental Factors.
2. Planning Process Group
Our initial focus here should be on the development of an overall Project Management Plan for the project based on the Preliminary Scope of
Work.

As indicated in the overview, we start with a Scope Management Plan to govern scope development as we break it down into individually
manageable scopes of work (i.e., the Work Breakdown Structure). Each WBS is then broken down into the specific activities that must be
completed so that we can sequence or schedule the activities.

As indicated in the overview, some major concerns during activity definition and sequencing are resource requirements, resource availability and
resource rates. Through a process of progressive definition, we reach the point where we have defined all WBS activities to the level of planning
required to a Baseline Budget. This budget must include crucial elements defined in our PM plan, such as the:

• Quality Management Plan

• Resource Management Plan
• Communications Management Plan
• Requirements Management Plan
• Scope Management Plan
• Risk Management Plan (and the risks must be identified/quantified and included in both our Baseline Budget and our Procurement
Packages)

Finally, our PM Plan should define/govern how future changes will be incorporated into our Baseline Budget (via an Integrated Change
Management Process).
3. Execution Process Group

Our previously developed PM Plan and the details of our planning process (i.e., WBS/activities schedules/estimates) should govern how we
direct/manage the project during the execution phase. In addition, we’ll need to focus on ensuring we acquire the right teams/members—and
develop those team members as we apply our Quality Assurance Plan and interact with our suppliers/contractors.
4. Monitor and Control Process Group

The Monitor & Control Process should be defined in our Integrated Change Management Plan during the Planning Process. Throughout
execution, we will continuously follow this plan by verifying scope elements/changes, monitoring/controlling cost and schedule, managing quality
and resources per the plan, managing our procurement packages/contracts, and ultimately keeping our stakeholders aware of the latest project
status via performance reporting.

Throughout this process, we will continually assess/address project risks to ensure our progress reporting is accurate/reliable. It’s important to
note here that a fully integrated Change Management Process should include/address not just scope, but also cost, schedule, risk, procurement,
etc.
5. Closure

Finally, our project/contract closure plan should be initiated during the planning stage as we define our contract scopes of work. The overall
closeout plan should be completed during the execution phase. During this phase, it’s crucial that we verify that all terms and conditions in our
contracts have been met—and that our scopes of work have been not only completed, but accepted in accordance with those Ts & Cs.

In summary, as I review the overall project management process, I find it helpful to have a quick and relatively easy graphical reference to rely
upon both in setting up projects as well as reviewing the overall process with new PMs. I hope this is helpful to you as well!