Major Knowledge Areas Required in Project Management
An effective project management approach encompasses many knowledge areas necessary to plan, execute, and complete a project effectively. To navigate the complexities of projects and ensure their successful delivery, project managers need to have these knowledge areas in their toolkit.
Some of the major knowledge areas required in project management are as follows:
i. Project Integration Management:
In project integration management, all project processes and activities are coordinated and integrated. This includes preparing a project charter, preparing a project management plan, executing the plan, monitoring and controlling the project, and closing the project. It includes the following processes:
a. Establish a Project Charter: A project charter is a document that formally authorizes the existence of a project and grants authority to the project manager.
b. Develop Project Management Plan: In this step, the project manager creates, documents, and communicates the project management plan, which outlines how the project will be executed, monitored, and controlled. There are several aspects covered, including scope, schedule, cost, quality, resources, communication, risks, and procurement.
c. Managing Project Work: This involves coordinating and leading the project activities. The project manager plays an important role in making sure that the project’s scope, schedule, and quality are met.
d. Project Monitoring and Control: This process focuses on tracking performance, monitoring project progress, and managing baseline changes. A key component is collecting and analyzing project data, comparing actual performance with planned performance, and correcting errors.
e. Perform Integrated Change Control: The project manager performs integrated change control to ensure that proposed changes are properly evaluated, approved, and implemented in the project scope, schedule, and cost.
f. Close project or Phase: This process culminates all project activities, formalizes the project or phase’s closure, and hands over deliverables to the customer or organization. As part of this process, project documents are archived, lessons learned sessions are conducted, and project success is celebrated.