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CHAPTER 3

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PROJECT MANAGEMENT
PROCESSES
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 What is a Process?
 Common Project Management Process Interactions
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 Project Management Process Groups
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 Project Information
 Role of the Knowledge Areas
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What Is a Process?

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According to the PMI, “A process is a set of interrelated

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actions and activities performed to achieve a pre-specified
product, result, or service.”

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The PMBOK Guide lists 47 distinct processes.
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What Is a Process?
Inputs, Tools and Techniques, and

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Outputs

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Inputs refer to documents or Tools are tangible items Outputs are tangible and

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documentable items that will used in performing an measurable (usually a
be acted upon. activity to produce a result deliverable).
(e.g. templates).
Outputs from one process
Techniques are procedures often show up as inputs to
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used to perform an activity another.
to produce a result (e.g.
estimating).
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Project Management Processes

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3.1 Common Project Management Process Interactions
3.2 Project Management Process Groups

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3.3 Initiating Process Group
3.4 Planning Process Group

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3.5 Executing Process Group

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3.6 Monitoring and Controlling Process Group
3.7 Closing Process Group
3.8 Project Information
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3.9 Role of the Knowledge Areas
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3.1 Common Project Management

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Process Interactions

The project management processes are presented as

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discrete elements with well-defined interfaces. However, in

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practice they overlap and interact in ways that are not
completely detailed in this document. Most experienced

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project management practitioners recognize there is more
than one way to manage a project.
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Closing
processes
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3.2 Project Management Process Groups

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The following sections identify and describe the five Project
Management Process Groups required for any project.

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These five Process Groups have clear dependencies and
are typically performed in each project and highly interact

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with one another. These five Process Groups are

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independent of application areas or industry focus.
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3.3 Initiating Process Group

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The Initiating Process Group consists of those processes
performed to define a new project or a new phase of an

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existing project by obtaining authorization to start the
project or phase. Within the Initiating processes, the initial

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scope is defined and initial financial resources are

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committed. Internal and external stakeholders who will
interact and influence the overall outcome of the project are
identified.
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3.4 Planning Process Group

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The Planning Process Group consists of those processes
performed to establish the total scope of the effort, define

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and refine the objectives, and develop the course of action
required to attain those objectives. The Planning processes

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develop the project management plan and the project

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documents that will be used to carry out the project.
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3.5 Executing Process Group

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The Executing Process Group consists of those processes
performed to complete the work defined in the

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project management plan to satisfy the project
specifications. This Process Group involves coordinating

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people and resources, managing stakeholder expectations,

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as well as integrating and performing the activities of the
project in accordance with the project management plan.
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3.6 Monitoring and Controlling Process

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Group

The Monitoring and Controlling Process Group consists of

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those processes required to track, review, and orchestrate

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the progress and performance of the project; identify any
areas in which changes to the plan are required; and

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initiate the corresponding changes. The key benefit of this
Process Group is that project performance is measured
and analyzed at regular intervals, appropriate events, or
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exception conditions to identify variances from the project
management plan.
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3.7 Closing Process Group

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The Closing Process Group consists of those processes
performed to conclude all activities across all Project

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Management Process Groups to formally complete the
project, phase, or contractual obligations. This Process

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Group, when completed, verifies that the defined processes

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are completed within all of the Process Groups to close
the project or a project phase, as appropriate, and formally
establishes that the project or project phase is complete.
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3.8 Project Information

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Throughout the life cycle of the project, a significant
amount of data and information is collected, analyzed,

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transformed, and distributed in various formats to project
team members and other stakeholders. Project data are

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collected as a result of various Executing processes and

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are shared within the project team. The collected data
are analyzed in context, and aggregated and transformed
to become project information during various Controlling
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processes.
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3.9 Role of the Knowledge Areas

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The 47 project management processes identified in the
PMBOK® Guide are further grouped into ten separate

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Knowledge Areas. A Knowledge Area represents a
complete set of concepts, terms, and activities that make

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up a professional field, project management field, or area of

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specialization. These ten Knowledge Areas are used on
most projects most of the time.
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