Trying to manage a project without project management is like trying to play a football game without a game plan.

For every successful Project, Project Manger is required to follow Project Life Cycle (PLC), which has categorized into 5 Project Process Groups :

• Initiation
• Planning
• Execution
• Monitor and Control
• Closing

He should be responsible for the following 10 Knowledge Areas & 47 Management Processes: For beginners to understand we have drafted these Management Processes in a very simple language with the reference to PMBOK 5th edition.

1. Project Integration: Project Integration is the processes and activities needed to identify, define, combine, unify, and coordinate activities within the Project Management Process Groups. As a first step PM documents Project Charter, Plans the Project, Plans how to Execute the project also involves Monitoring, Controlling, Change and Closing the Project.
2. Scope Management: During this process, PM is required to Collect High Level Requirements by defining the Scope of the project, creating Work Break Down Structure (WBS), not only that, he should also Verify & Control the Scope of the Project.
3. Time Management: Time Management plays very important in every aspect in the project, as it Defines project Activities, its Sequence, which helps them to estimate on Resources & Activity Duration, he is also responsible for Developing and Controlling the Schedule.
4. Cost Management: In order to complete any project, I guess everyone knows that we need Funds ;), During this process, PM needs to Estimate & Determine valid budget or Cost involved in the project & eventually he needs to Control the Costs or project will be in disaster phase.
5. Quality Management: Managing the Project also involves managing the Quality of the Project tooo, where PM is suppose to Plan the Quality, Quality Assurance and Controlling and of course this defines Acceptance Criteria for Client.
6. HR Management: One more challenging phase HR Management, which involves Resource Plan, Development & Management of the Project Team.
7. Communications Management: Managing the Communication is a Interesting phase, as it involves Identifying the Stakeholders; Plan how to communicate & Distribute the Information. And more importantly managing & reporting the team performance to the Stakeholders as required.
8. Risk Management: This is an ongoing process, this starts prior to the project and may ends after the project as it is required to Identify & Plan the Risk involved in the project, for Qualitative and Quantitative Risk Analysis. He is also required to Monitor and Control Risks as they come across. It would be better if PM identifies the Risk at the initial stage of the project. Sooner the Risk Identified, better the results.
9. Procurement Management: Ummm Procurement? definitely this step or process is interesting – as PM is required to determine which components or services of the project will be made internally or from external source. In other words PM is required to Plan the Procurements, Conduct, Administer and Close the Procurement.
10. Project Stakeholder Management: Last but not the least Stakeholder management, this processes required to identify the key players that impact or could impact the project. Continuous Communication is key to the success of understanding project developments and addressing issues and needs as they arise…

Going forward, we will be describing on each Knowledge Areas & Management Processes which are within Project Process Groups. All this explanations are with reference to PMBOK