I am taking a project management class in which the instructor asks students to explain "the five fundamental phases of project management--initiation, planning, implementation, monitoring and controlling, and closure." Considering that the PMBOK guide explains that the five process groups are Initiating, Planning, Executing, Monitoring and Controlling and Closing, and that the process groups are “independent of project phases,” how would you answer? Saving Changes...
I'd suggest the instructor is confusing phases with process groups. There is not such thing as a standard set of phases as those are defined within the context of a given project or organizational standards.
I'd be suspicious about the calibre of the instructor if they are making that basic a mistake. Saving Changes...
I would tell your teacher that activities like planning, monitoring, and controlling. are not dependent on how far along you are on a project so you can't abstract them as phases. The reality of life is that regardless of how you define your phases, the conditions change so you must continously plan, and adjust (control) based on the situation (monitor).
Your Text Book May Vary so that answer may score poorly on an exam however. Saving Changes...
Senior Projects Manager | Field & Marten AssociatesNew Westminster, British Columbia, Canada
I would definitely agree with Kiron. Your instruction might have by mistake mention this but those are process groups and not fundamental phases.
A phase can have all those process group within in. Saving Changes...
Drew CraigSr. Agile & Product Coach| VanguardPhiladelphia, Pa, United States
Definitely agree with my peer's advice above. Great that you brought the question up! Kudos! :) Saving Changes...
Asif GulConsultant Project Manager| Energoprojekt EntelMuscat, Oman
Adding to all very valid responses, Phases of Project can vary depending on type or industry of Project, most common phases of Construction industry Projects can be design, procurement, construction or installation, commissioning, handover.e.t.c. Saving Changes...
Thomas WalentaGlobal Project Economy ExpertHackenheim, Germany
There are indeed generic standard phases presented in PMBoK Chapter 2, their names differ vastly from the PM process groups: starting the project organizing and preparing carrying out the work ending the project Saving Changes...
A "Phase" is specific to a project and may or may not follow the five Process Groups. There can be a phase of the project where there are a set of iterations planned for a feature addition (this may not necessarily be , in its entirety, be either of the process groups), but, still is a phase. I have been an instructor and it is likely that the context the instructor is trying to explain the process groups. Nevertheless, it is technically incorrect. Phases are not same as Process Groups in a project environment. Saving Changes...
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