Knowledge Areas Project Scope Management Plan Scope Management Collect Requirements Define Scope Create WBS Validate Scope Control Scope Validating the scope refers to formalizing the acceptance of project deliverables. It refers to the acceptance of the deliverables once they are delivered, not the common misconception of acceptance of what the deliverables will be (which falls... [Read More]| ProjectEngineer
Knowledge Areas Project Scope Management Plan Scope Management Collect Requirements Define Scope Create WBS Validate Scope Control Scope According to the Project Management Body of Knowledge, Project Scope Management is the knowledge area concerned with managing how the scope will be defined, verified, and controlled. Scope is the summation of work required to produce the... [Read More]| ProjectEngineer
Knowledge Areas Project Scope Management Plan Scope Management Collect Requirements Define Scope Create WBS Validate Scope Control Scope Scope is one of the major components of project management planning. The project scope defines the boundaries of the project, that is, what is included and what is not. Scope is also one of the primary areas... [Read More]| ProjectEngineer
Knowledge Areas Project Scope Management Plan Scope Management Collect Requirements Define Scope Create WBS Validate Scope Control Scope Scope is one of the main sources of project issues. Improper definition and control of what work is, and is not, part of the project can result in huge project management headaches later on. In the Project... [Read More]| ProjectEngineer
Knowledge Areas Project Scope Management Plan Scope Management Collect Requirements Define Scope Create WBS Validate Scope Control Scope In order to determine the full scope of the project, the Project Management Body of Knowledge advocates for the intermediate step of collecting requirements. The Collect Requirements process involves assembling all of the project's various requirements from... [Read More]| ProjectEngineer
Every successful project—whether it’s launching a product, building a bridge, or organizing an event—starts with a solid foundation. That’s where project management fundamentals come in. These core principles guide teams through planning, execution, and delivery, turning big ideas into tangible results. In this article, we’ll explore the essential building blocks of project management, from defining... [Read More]| ProjectEngineer
It amazes me that project closure is one of the most visible aspects of a project to senior managers and executives, yet it is also the phase that is most often skipped. I realize that project budgets are often used up (or seriously stretched) in the final phases and skipping closing activities is an easy... [Read More]| ProjectEngineer
Many people become project managers simply by receiving additional responsibility or via promotion into the role. As such, project management fundamentals are often unknown to the very people who manage projects. The Project Management Institute's Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) is a very structured, analytical outline of a somewhat abstract topic. Although the relevant... [Read More]| ProjectEngineer
Knowledge Areas Project Scope Management Plan Scope Management Collect Requirements Define Scope Create WBS Validate Scope Control Scope A project is made more manageable by breaking it down into components. In that spirit, the PMBOK requires the decomposition of the project into phases and tasks (also called activities). This task listing is called a Work... [Read More]| ProjectEngineer
The foundation for project management theory is called process groups. But although it sounds complicated, process groups are simply phases that each project goes through. The five process groups are: Project Initiation Project Planning Project Execution Monitoring & Controlling Project Closing They all occur in chronological order except one. Monitoring & Controlling (#4) occurs in... [Read More]| ProjectEngineer
Did you know that over 85% of projects clock in under $100,000, often wrapping up in just a few weeks to a month? These small-scale endeavors, though modest in size, form the backbone of countless industries—yet their brevity and unique dynamics demand a tailored approach to project management. Standard methodologies, like those you’d stumble across... [Read More]| ProjectEngineer
Knowledge Areas Project Cost Management Plan Cost Management Estimate Costs Determine Budget Control Costs The importance of accurate estimating cannot be overstated. Many examples abound of projects that experienced substantial cost escalation which can (at least partly) be attributed to poor estimating. Prior to the start of a project, the tendency is to underestimate costs,... [Read More]| ProjectEngineer
Knowledge Areas Project Cost Management Plan Cost Management Estimate Costs Determine Budget Control Costs Everybody has heard of a project whose cost spiralled out of control. Even big megaprojects where the difference measures in the billions of US dollars are not immune to cost pressures. What is the official project management methodology for controlling project... [Read More]| ProjectEngineer
Process groups form the foundation for project management theory. Projects generally proceed through five distinct phases. Each of these phases is called a process group, in fact, I call them "phases" in most of my writing on this site because they all occur in chronological order except for one. In the Project Management Body of... [Read More]| ProjectEngineer
Knowledge Areas Risk Management Project Risk Management Risk Identification Risk Analysis Plan Risk Responses Control Risks In an effective project risk management system, the project managers must focus their attention on the highest priority risks. Thus, upon determination of the primary risks to a project, this step seeks to sort the list into priorities and... [Read More]| ProjectEngineer
Knowledge Areas Risk Management Project Risk Management Risk Identification Risk Analysis Plan Risk Responses Control Risks Project risk is defined by the Project Management Institute as an uncertain event or condition that, if it occurs, has a positive or negative effect on one or more project objectives. Risk management is the process of identifying, analyzing,... [Read More]| ProjectEngineer
Knowledge Areas Risk Management Project Risk Management Risk Identification Risk Analysis Plan Risk Responses Control Risks Once the risks to the project have been identified, their probability and impact given a value, and an overall priority established, risk responses should be drawn up. For each response plan, trigger conditions should be identified. These are the... [Read More]| ProjectEngineer
Knowledge Areas Risk Management Project Risk Management Risk Identification Risk Analysis Plan Risk Responses Control Risks Risk monitoring and control during project execution is crucial to ensure a that project risks are accounted for and properly dealt with. Many things change during the course of the project which render parts of the risk register obsolete.... [Read More]| ProjectEngineer
When a ship is out on the open sea, the driver, called a Helmsman, is responsible for turning the wheel which in turn moves a rudder back and forth to change directions. When the wind or sea conditions are rough, experienced helmsman use their keen sense of how the ship will react to keep it... [Read More]| ProjectEngineer
Knowledge Areas Project Cost Management Plan Cost Management Estimate Costs Determine Budget Control Costs Once the individual tasks have been estimated, the Determine Budget process is used to roll them up into an overall project estimate, which is communicated to stakeholders. In addition, the cost baseline, which is the periodic funding requirements of the project... [Read More]| ProjectEngineer
According to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK), projects are divided into five phases. These phases are: Initiating. The project is authorized, funded and defined. This phase occurs on the organizational level (i.e. above the project). The organization defines a business need the project is meant to satisfy. Planning. The project manager develops a... [Read More]| ProjectEngineer
Knowledge Areas Risk Management Project Risk Management Risk Identification Risk Analysis Plan Risk Responses Control Risks The first step in a good risk management plan is the identification of risks. The other phases of project risk management are built on the foundation built here. A comprehensive list of potential risks to the project must be... [Read More]| ProjectEngineer