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PMBOK Guide
The Project Management Body Of Knowledge (PMBOK) is a guide released by the Project Management Institute (PMI). The Guide assists aspirants of PMP certification with their preparation. The launch of the first PMBOK Guide was in 1994. Radical project management changes led to printing different PMBOK Guide versions. The latest Guide for PMP candidates is the 7th edition of PMBOK, released in 2021,
Changes are seen in the 7th edition of the PMBOK Guide
The latest edition of the PMBOK guide is the foundation for individuals taking the PMP exam. The 7th edition focuses on the system for value delivery initially released in the 6th edition.
Summary of changes:
- The process groups under the title of “The Standard for Project Management” are replaced with 12 principles of PM.
- Under the title of “A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge,” the ten knowledge areas are replaced with eight project performance domains.
- New section:
- Tailoring
- Models, Methods, and Artifacts
Need for PMP Exam Prep Course
PMP aspirants need a PMP Certification Training course to gain knowledge of the changes mentioned in the PMP Exam content outline. This helps individuals to gain a comprehensive understanding of 12 principles and eight domains. With the expertise of highly qualified trainers in project management, PMP candidates can clear the exam easily. Here is the complete Guide for the latest PMP Certification application process in 2021.
How to acquire PMBOK Guide?
The PMBOK guide is available as a paperback and a digital copy. To access the free digital copy, an individual must be a member of PMI. The paperback is available in several bookstores and on Amazon.
What does the PMBOK Guide consist of?
Every PMP aspirant has to be thorough with the following sections to clear PMP Exam. Listed below are the elements covered in the PMBOK Guide-7th edition.
- Standard for Project Management
- System for value delivery
- Project Management Principles
- PMBOK Guide
- Project Performance Domains
- Tailoring
- Models, Methods, and Artifacts
Standard for Project Management:
The standard to be followed, regardless of size, industry, location, and delivery methods, is described here. Stakeholders, project practitioners, and individuals accountable for the project’s progress refer to this standard for handling projects.
System for value delivery:
This section defines how project managers can create value for organizations and stakeholders; a governance system to measure the value created; a list of operations for supporting the project; the influence of external and internal environments on the project, and the interconnection of projects, portfolios, programs, and products.
Project Management Principles:
The new PMP syllabus highlights the key processes, people, and business environment areas. Project management principles focus on providing guidelines to project managers for managing people. These principles include:
- Stewardship: Being a diligent, caring, and respectful steward
- Team: Creation of a collaborative environment for the project team
- Stakeholders: Engaging with stakeholders
- Value: Focusing on value
- Holistic approach: Recognizing, responding, and evaluating system interactions
- Leadership: Demonstrating the different leadership behaviors
- Tailoring: Tailor the project development approach based on the project
- Quality: Devising quality into processes and deliverables
- Complexity: Navigate the complexities of the project
- Opportunities and threats: Optimizing risk responses
- Adaptability and resilience: Embracing adaptability and resiliency to a project team
- Change Management: Enabling change to achieve the visualized future state
PMBOK Guide
This part describes the link between the project management standard and the PMBOK guide.
Project Performance Domains:
The domains mentioned here establish an integrated system for delivering projects with the desired outcomes.
- Stakeholder: PMP aspirants learn to perform stakeholder analysis to maintain a healthy relationship.
- Team: Activities related to managing people who produce results while initiating interpersonal skills come under this domain.
- Development approach and lifecycle: Tasks that assist in developing products or services following the project lifecycle are described under this element.
- Planning: This domain lists the plan for organizing and collaborating on activities necessary to deliver the results.
- Project work: Procedures, acquiring resources, and creating a learning environment for the project team come under this domain.
- Delivery: Tasks related to the delivery of scope and quality that the project intends to achieve on completion are listed here.
- Measurement: Evaluation and control measure tasks for maintaining a standard level of performance are described here.
- Uncertainty: Activities associated with risks and uncertainties arising from the project are listed under this element.
Tailoring:
This part is the new section in the PMBOK guide. It assists project management professionals (PMP) in making changes in the procedures followed for project management. This, in turn, helps tailor PM practices per project and organization needs.
Tailoring can be applied to different elements of project management, such as project lifecycle, processes, stakeholder relations, models, and artifacts. This benefits the organization and project managers in many ways.
Models, methods, and artifacts:
PMP aspirants master the commonly used methods, models, and artifacts for managing projects. It enables the project team to select the best tools from the many options available. This helps in setting strategies and achieving desired outcomes.
Conclusion:
With the help of the PMBOK Guide, PMP aspirants gain a clear understanding of PM and the latest practices, tools, and techniques. PMP-certified professionals can effectively manage their project-related tasks with this knowledge. PMBOK Guide helps speed up acquiring the gold standard of Project Management Institute’s Project Management Professional (PMI-PMP) Certification.
