📘 Section 10: Process Groups

The Process Groups in project management represent the stages or phases that a project undergoes from start to finish. They provide a structured way to guide the project through its life cycle. There are five primary process groups:

In project management, the Project Management Professional (PMP) certification by PMI is based on a framework that divides project management into five process groups and ten knowledge areas. Here is a breakdown of the five process groups:

1. Initiating Process Group

• Purpose: Defines and authorizes the project or phase.
• Key Processes:
  • Develop Project Charter
  • Identify Stakeholders

2. Planning Process Group

• Purpose: Establishes the scope, objectives, and actions required to achieve the project’s goals.
• Key Processes:
  • Develop Project Management Plan
  • Plan Scope Management
  • Collect Requirements
  • Define Scope
  • Create Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
  • Plan Schedule Management
  • Define Activities
  • Sequence Activities
  • Estimate Activity Durations
  • Develop Schedule
  • Plan Cost Management
  • Estimate Costs
  • Determine Budget
  • Plan Quality Management
  • Plan Resource Management
  • Plan Communications Management
  • Plan Risk Management
  • Identify Risks
  • Perform Qualitative Risk Analysis
  • Perform Quantitative Risk Analysis
  • Plan Risk Responses
  • Plan Procurement Management
  • Plan Stakeholder Engagement

3. Executing Process Group

• Purpose: Coordinating people and resources, managing stakeholder expectations, and performing the activities outlined in the project plan.
• Key Processes:
  • Direct and Manage Project Work
  • Manage Project Knowledge
  • Manage Quality
  • Acquire Resources
  • Develop Team
  • Manage Team
  • Manage Communications
  • Implement Risk Responses
  • Conduct Procurements
  • Manage Stakeholder Engagement

4. Monitoring and Controlling Process Group

• Purpose: Tracking, reviewing, and regulating the progress and performance of the project.
• Key Processes:
  • Monitor and Control Project Work
  • Perform Integrated Change Control
  • Validate Scope
  • Control Scope
  • Control Schedule
  • Control Costs
  • Control Quality
  • Control Resources
  • Monitor Communications
  • Monitor Risks
  • Control Procurements
  • Monitor Stakeholder Engagement

5. Closing Process Group

• Purpose: Finalizing all activities across the process groups to formally close the project or phase.
• Key Processes:
  • Close Project or Phase
  • Close Procurements

These process groups are interrelated and typically iterative, with many processes occurring in parallel or being revisited throughout the project life cycle. They provide a structured approach to ensure that a project is successfully initiated, planned, executed, monitored, controlled, and closed.