Mapping Knowledge Areas to Process Groups

As you can see in Table 3-3, Process Groups and Knowledge Areas are closely linked.

What the Mapping Means

This mapping shows how interdependent the Knowledge Areas are with the Process Groups. For example, eight of the nine Knowledge Areas are started during the Planning Process Group and executed during the Monitoring and Control Process Group. That gives clear insight into the importance of certain deliverables in the project plan and guidance as to the content of the project plan.

Table 3-3: Mapping of the Nine Knowledge Areas to the Five Process Groups

How to Use the Mapping

The mapping provides an excellent blueprint for designing your project management approach to a project. For example, Procurement Management spans the Planning, Launching, Monitoring and Controlling, and Closing Process Groups. Therefore, a PMLC model for Procurement Management will be effective if it has components in each of those Process Groups.

Using Process Groups to Define PMLCs

Many who are new to project management make the mistake of calling the Process Groups a project management methodology. This is incorrect. However, by properly sequencing and perhaps repeating some Process Groups, you can define PMLCs that are project management methodologies. So the Process Groups are the building blocks of project management methodologies. Similarly, by selecting and adapting the processes within a Process Group, you can establish the specific processes that drive a PMLC. So the processes within a Process Group are the detailed building blocks of the phases of the PMLC.

A Look Ahead: Mapping Process Groups to Form Complex PMLCs

Five PMLCs are defined in Part II. These five PMLCs are inclusive of all the meaningful PMLCs you could form, and they completely cover the four-quadrant project landscape. So regardless of the kind of project you have to manage, you will be able to use one of the five PMLCs as the project management methodology for the project. A given PMLC can be modified to accommodate a specific project as described in Part II.