Process Groups within Knowledge AreasAs explained earlier, PMI's Standards
present each of the three PMBOK® models in the order: life cycles, process
groups, and then knowledge areas. This approach can give the impression on reaching
Chapter 4 of the PMBOK® Guide 6th Edn. that KAs are arbitrary clusters
of the processes. This is of course not the case at all, and processes
provide the driving force for delivering part of the corresponding KA. In this
way, the PGs provide a structured way of analyzing one KA at a time, and then
identifying the best practices relative to that area. And finally you can describe
the processes involved in delivering these best practices (e.g. "for resource
management: what planning activities are required to ensure effective management
of resources in most projects most of the time?"). KAs are knowledge-based
clusters of processes whereas PGs focus on function. Seen another way, each KA
is a process in its own right, made up of component (sub-) processes. This view
provides a progressive way of developing the content of each KA in a manner compatible
with the overall approach of the PMBOK® Guide: i.e. progressive elaboration
and hierarchical decomposition. This analysis is best carried out by focusing,
within the KA, on each of the PGs in turn, as explained above where the Project
Risk Management KA was used as an example. In this way, the PGs should be
used as an aid to analysis and understanding within each KA. They provide a logical
sequencing of steps within each KA, and, in accordance with the progressive elaboration
approach for projects, some or all of this sequence is normally reiterated a number
of times during the lifetime of a project. The crucial, additional point
to understand is that although this looping happens in all KAs, the loops are
normally asynchronous between KAs although there can be some interactions. For
example, when a phase terminates ["closing" in Integration Management] it is good
practice to assess the situation with respect to risk ["planning" in Risk Management]. Table
1-4 in the PMBOK® Guide 6th Edn. gives the full set of processes in
terms of both their corresponding PG and their KA.
| |
4: Project Integration Management | |
Initiating | 4.1: Develop Project Charter |
| Planning | 4.2: Develop
Project Management Plan | | Executing |
4.3: Direct and Manage Project Work
4.4: Manage Project Knowledge |
| Controlling | 4.5:
Monitor and Control Project Work
4.6: Perform Integrated Change Control
| | Closing |
4.7: Close Project or Phase | |
| 5: Project
Scope Management | | Planning |
5.1: Plan Scope Management
5.2: Collect Requirements
5.3: Define
Scope
5.4: Create WBS | | Controlling |
5.5: Validate Scope
5.6: Control Scope | |
| 6: Project Schedule Management |
| Planning | 6.1: Plan
Schedule Management
6.2: Define Activities
6.3: Sequence Activities
6.4: Estimate Activity Durations
6.5: Develop Schedule |
| Controlling | 6.6:
Control Schedule | | |
7: Project Cost Management | | Planning |
7.1: Plan Cost Management
7.2: Estimate Costs
7.3: Determine
Budget | | Controlling |
7.4: Control Costs | | |
8: Project Quality Management | | Planning |
8.1: Plan Quality Management | | Executing |
8.2: Manage Quality | | Controlling |
8.3: Control Quality | |
| 9: Project Resource Management |
| Planning | 9.1: Plan
Resource Management
9.2: Estimate Activity Resources |
| Executing | 9.3: Acquire
Resources
9.4: Develop Team
9.5: Manage Team |
| Controlling | 9.6: Control
Resources | | |
10: Project Communications Management | |
Planning | 10.1: Plan Communications Management |
| Executing | 10.2:
Manage Communications | | Controlling |
10.3: Monitor Communications | |
| 11: Project Risk Management |
| Planning | 11.1: Plan
Risk Management
11.2: Identify Risks
11.3: Perform Qualitative Risk
Analysis
11.4: Perform Quantitative Risk Analysis
11.5: Plan Risk
Responses | | Executing |
11.6: Implement Risk Responses | | Controlling |
11.7: Monitor Risks | |
| 12: Project Procurement
Management | | Planning |
12.1: Plan Procurement Management | | Executing |
12.2: Conduct Procurements | | Controlling |
12.3: Control Procurements | |
| 13: Project Stakeholder
Management | | Initiating |
13.1: Identify Stakeholders | | Planning |
13.2: Plan Stakeholder Engagement | | Planning |
13.3: Manage Stakeholder Engagement | | Controlling |
Monitor Stakeholder Engagement | Table 1: PMBOK®
Guide 6th Edn. Table 1-4Although Table 1-4 in the PMBOK® Guide
6th Edn. is useful in that it shows the two groupings on a single chart, it
fails to show the important concept that the PGs are clusters within the corresponding
KA, and have much less significance outside those areas. PGs indicate the
type of activity you are carrying out, but KAs ensure that the PG is applied to
deliver practical results for the project. In Part 2
of this paper, I'll take you through: Understanding the Confusion and what
we could or should do about it to make the Guide more robust, understandable and
credible.
| 
Knowledge
Areas
