Project Management Knowledge Corner

Project Integration Management includes the processes and activities to identify, define, combine, unify, and coordinate the various processes and project management activities within the Project Management Process Groups.  In the project management context, integration includes characteristics of unification, consolidation, communication, and integrative actions that are crucial to controlled project execution through completion, successfully managing stakeholder expectations, and meeting requirements. Project Integration Management includes making choices about resource allocation, making trade-offs among competing objectives and alternatives, and managing the interdependencies among the project management Knowledge Areas. 

(from PMBOK® Guide, Fifth Edition)

For you that are new to Project Management, how should you approach studying this Knowledge Area? It’s recommended not to take it likely, and suggested to be the first and the last thing to study. Initially a quick review of what it is and how it interacts with other knowledge areas, and at the end of the study, an in-depth study of all components and interactions.

Why is Integration Management is the first
Knowledge Area but should be the last thing to study in-depth?

Is Integration Management the first Knowledge Area in your real life projects?

If your answer is yes, then be honest to yourself, do you really start with a signed Project Charter? Do you have proof of it? Do you really continue with a stakeholder analysis? Where is your stakeholder onion diagram?

What amazes
you most about this Knowledge Area? Share your thoughts around this…

What's the most difficult task you face as a PM when dealing with this KA.

This knowledge are is composed of the following processes:

Develop Project Charter—The process of developing a document that formally authorizes the existence of a project and provides the project manager with the authority to apply organizational resources to project activities.

Develop Project Management Plan—The process of defining, preparing, and coordinating all subsidiary plans and integrating them into a comprehensive project management plan. The project's integrated baselines and subsidiary plans may be included within the project management plan.

Direct and Manage Project Work—The process of leading and performing the work defined in the project management plan and implementing approved changes to achieve the project's objectives.

Monitor and Control Project Work—The process of tracking, reviewing, and reporting project progress against the performance objectives defined in the project management plan.

Perform Integrated Change Control—The process of reviewing all change requests; approving changes and managing changes to deliverables, organizational process assets, project documents, and the project management plan; and communicating their disposition.

Close Project or Phase—The process of finalizing all activities across all of the Project Management Process Groups to formally complete the phase or project.

(from PMBOK® Guide, Fifth Edition)

What exactly a Project Phase and Who determines the different phases? the PM? The Sponsor? The Project Team?

Do you use all these processes (project charter, …,  close project) in in your real life projects?

What part of these processes amaze you most?

What's the most difficult task you face as a PM when dealing with these process groups.

The need for Project Integration Management is necessary in situations where individual processes interact. For example, a cost estimate needed for a contingency plan involves integrating the processes in the Project Cost, Time, and Risk Management Knowledge Areas. When additional risks associated with various staffing alternatives are identified, then one or more of those processes may be revisited. The project deliverables may also need integrating with ongoing operations of the performing organization, the requesting organization, and with the long-term strategic planning that takes future problems and opportunities into consideration. Project Integration Management also includes the activities needed to manage project documents to ensure consistency with the project management plan and product, service, or capability deliverables.

(from PMBOK® Guide, Fifth Edition)

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