Project Management Process Interactions:

Project management processes are presented as discrete elements with well-defined interfaces. However, in practice they overlap and interact in ways that are not completely detailed here. Application of the project management processes is iterative, and many processes are repeated during the project.

Project Management Process Groups are linked by the outputs they produce. The process groups are seldom either discrete or onetime events; they re overlapping activities that occur throughout the project.  The output of one process generally becomes an input to another process or is a deliverable of the project. 

If the project is divided into phases, the process groups interact within each phase. When a project is divided into phases the process groups are invoked as appropriate to effectively drive the project completion in controlled manner. In multi-phase projects processes are repeated within each phase until the criteria for phase completion have been satisfied.

Project Management Process Groups:

Project management process groups have clear dependencies and are typically perform in the same sequence on each project. They are independent of application areas or industry focus.

Individual process groups and individual constituent processes are often iterated prior to completing the project. The constituent processes can have interaction within a process group and among process groups. The process groups are not project phases.

There are 42 project management processes into the five project management process groups and the nine project management knowledge areas.

                  Project Management Process Groups and Knowledge Areas Mapping

Knowledge areas	Project management process groups
	Initiating process group	Planning process group	Executing process group	Monitoring and controlling process group	Closing process group
1.project integration management	Develop project charter	Develop project management plan	Direct and manage project execution	Monitor and control project work   Perform integrated change control	Close project or phase
2.Project scope management		1. Collect requirements. 2.define scope 3.create WBS		1.verify scope 2.control scope
3.Project time management		1.define activities 2.sequence activities 3.estimate activity resources 4.estimate activity duration 5.develop schedule		control schedule
4.Project cost management		1.estimate costs 2.determine budget		Control costs
5.Project quality management		Plan quality		Perform quality control
6.Project human resource management		Develop human resource plan
7.Project communication management	Identify stakeholders	Plan communication	1.distribute information 2.manage stakeholder expectations	Report performance
8.Project risk management		1.plan risk management 2.identify risks 3.perform qualitative risk analysis 4.perform quantitative risk analysis 5.plan risk responses		Monitor and control risks
9.Project procurement management		Plan procurements	Conduct procurement's	Administer procurements	Close procurements

Initiating Process Group:

The initiating process group consists of those processes performed to define a new project or a new phase of an existing project by obtaining authorization to start the project or a phase. Within the initiating processes, the initial scope is defined and initial financial resources are committed. Internal and external stakeholders who will interact and influence the overall outcome of the project are identified. If not already assigned the project manager will be selected.

This information is captured in the project charter and stakeholder register. When the project charter is approved the project becomes officially authorized. Although the project management team may help write the project charter, approval and funding are handled external to the project boundaries. Initiating processes may be performed by organizational, program, or portfolio processes external to the project’s scope of control.

As part of the initiating processes the project manager is given the authority to apply organizational resources to the subsequent project activities.

Planning Process Group:

The planning process group consists of those processes performed to establish the total scope of the effort, define and refine the objectives, and develop the course of action required to attain those objectives.  The planning processes develop the project management plan and the project documents that will be used to carry out the project.

Significant changes occurring throughout the project lifecycle trigger a need to revisit one or more of the planning processes and possibly, some of the initiating processes. This progressive detailing of the project management plan is often called “rolling wave planning”, indicating that planning and documentation are iterative and ongoing processes.

The project management plan and project documents developed as outputs from the planning process group will explore all aspects of the scope, time, costs, quality, communication, risk, and procurement's. The project team should encourage involvement from all appropriate stakeholders when planning the project and developing the project management plan and project documents.

Executing Process Group:

The executing process group consists of those processes performed to complete the work defined in the project management plan to satisfy the project specifications. This process group involves coordinating people and resources, as well as integrating and performing the activities of the project in accordance with the project management plan.

Monitoring and Controlling Process Group:

The Monitoring and Controlling Process Group consists of those processes required to track, review, and regulate the progress and performance of the project; identify any areas in which changes to the plan are required; and initiate the corresponding changes.

Monitoring and Controlling Process Group also includes:

Controlling changes and recommending preventive action in anticipation of possible problems. Monitoring the ongoing project activities against the project management plan and the project performance baseline, and influencing the factors that could circumvent integrated change control so only approved changes are implemented.

The Monitoring and Controlling Process Group not only monitors and controls the work being done within a Process Group, but also monitors and controls the entire project effort.

Closing Process Group:

The Closing Process Group consists of those processes performed to finalize all activities across all Project Management Process Groups to formally complete the project, phase, or contractual obligations.

At project or phase closure, the following may occur:

Obtain acceptance by the customer or sponsor. Conduct post-project or phase-end review.          Record impacts of tailoring to any process. Document lessons learned. Apply appropriate updates to organizational process assets. Archive all relevant project documents in the Project Management Information System (PMIS) to be used as historical data.