Differences Between PMBOK Third and Fourth Edition

The update of the third edition of PMBOK is:

• Revise the standard so that it would not conflict with any other PMI standards.
• Ensure the information contained in the standard was cohesive in concept and clear in writing style, and that terminology was well defined and congruous with other publication’s terminology.
• Research the way life cycles are currently being used in projects and revise or expand them as necessary.
• Examine the five Project Management Process Group and the 44 project management description processes to determine whether combining, deleting, or adding new processes would add clarity to the standard.
• Ensure that Knowledge Area updates are congruent with the work done in defining the processes, inputs, and outputs defined by the standards group.

The major differences between PMBOK third edition and fourth edition are summarized below.

• All process names are in a verb-noun format.
• A standard approach to discussing enterprise environmental factors and organizational process assets was employed.
• A standard approach for discussing requested changes, preventive actions, corrective actions, and defect repairs was employed.
• The processes decreased from 44 to 42. Two processes were deleted, two processes were added, and 6 processes were reconfigured into 4 processes in the Project Procurement Management Knowledge Area.
• To provide clarity, a distinction was made between the project management plan and project documents used to manage the project.
• The distinction between the information in the Project Charter and the Project Scope Statement was clarified.
• The process flow diagrams at the beginning of Chapters 4 through 12 have been deleted.
• A data flow diagram for each process has been created to show the related processes for the inputs and outputs.
• A new appendix was added that addresses key interpersonal skills that a project manager utilizes when managing a project.

Project Integration Management

Project Integration Management is the processes required to ensure that the various project elements are coordinated effectively. Integration management is the practice of making certain that every part of the project is coordinated.

Process Group	Integration Management Process
Initiating	Develop Project Charter
Planning	Develop Project Management Plan
Executing	Direct and Manage Project Execution
Monitoring & Controlling	Monitor & Control Project Work Perform Integrated Change Control
Closing	Close Project or Phase

Process	Key Outputs
Develop Project Charter	Project Charter
Develop Project Management Plan	Project Management Plan
Direct and Manage Project Execution	Deliverables Work Performance Information Change Request
Monitor & Control Project Work	Change Request
Perform Integrated Change Control	Change Request Status Updates
Close Project or Phase	Final Product, Service, or Result Transition

DEVELOP PROJECT CHARTER

Project Charter is used to authorize a project to begin and to provide the project manager with the authority necessary to execute the project. The Project Manager should be identified and assigned as early in the project as is feasible, but always prior to project planning and preferably during project charter development. The project charter should be issued by project sponsor or other persons at a level sufficient in the organization to commit funding.

Input:

• Project Statement of Work (a written description of the project's product, service, or result)
• Business Case
• Contract
• Enterprise Environmental Factors
• Organizational Process Assets

Project Charter outline: business need, product description, constraint, assumption, statement of authority and accountability, project manager authority, project manager responsibilities.

DEVELOP PROJECT MANAGEMENT PLAN

Project plan is used to:

• Guide project execution
• Document project planning assumption
  
• Document project planning decision based on the selected alternatives
• Facilitate communication among stakeholders
• Define key management review
• Provide a baseline for progress measurement and project control
  

Inputs to the develop project management plan process:

1. Preliminary project scope statement
2. Project management process
3. Enterprise environmental factors
4. Organizational process assets

Tools and techniques used to develop the project management plan:

1. Project management methodology
2. Project management information system
3. Expert Judgement
   

DIRECT AND MANAGE PROJECT EXECUTION

The purpose of the direct and manage project execution is to execute the work defined in the project management plan in order to achieve the project requirements detailed in the project scope statement. In this phase, the majority of the project’s budget is spent.

Tools and techniques for the direct and manage project execution process

1. Project management methodology
2. Project management information system

Outputs from the direct and manage project execution process

1. Deliverables
2. Requested changes
3. Implemented change request
4. Implemented corrective actions
5. Implemented preventive actions
6. Implemented defect repair
7. Work performance information

MONITOR AND CONTROL PROJECT WORK
The process of tracking, reviewing, and regulating the progress to meet the performance objectives defined in the Project Management Plan

Input

• Project Management Plan
• Performance Reports
• Enterprise Environmental Factors
• Organizational Process Assets

Tools & Techniques

• Expert Judgement

Output

• Change Request
• Project Management Plan Updates
• Project Document Updates
  

PERFORM INTEGRATED CHANGE CONTROL

means coordinating changes across the project. The process includes reviewing requests, approving changes and controlling changes to the deliverable (any unique and verifiable product, result or capability to perform a service that is identified in the project management planning documentation and must be produced and provided to complete the project).

Output

• Change Request Status Update

Tools & Techniques

• Expert Judgement
  

Concerned with:

• Influencing the factors that create changes to ensure that changes are agreed upon
• Determining that change has occurred
• Managing the actual change when they occurs

CLOSE PROJECT OR PHASE
The process of finalizing all activities across Project Management Process Groups to formally complete the project or phase.
Close Project or Phase is all about shutting the project down properly. This includes creating the necessary documentation and archives, capturing the lesson learned, ensuring that contract is properly closed, and updating all organizational process assets.

Output

• Final product, service, result transition

Tools & Techniques

• Expert Judgment