Über die Autorin bzw. den Autor

FRANK P. SALADIS, PMP, is a senior consultant and trainer for the International Institute for Learning Inc. (IIL) and is the originator of International Project Management Day, a day of recognition for project managers held during November each year. Mr. Saladis is the author of a popular series of articles entitled "Positive Leadership in Project Management" and was awarded the 2006 Linn Stuckenbruck Person of the Year Award by the Project Management Institute. He is a past president of the PMI New York City Chapter and was the Chair of the PMI Education and Training Specific Interest Group (EdSIG) through 2008.

HAROLD KERZNER, Ph.D., is Senior Executive Director for Project, Program and Portfolio Management at International Institute of Learning, Inc. (IIL), a global learning solutions company that conducts training for leading corporations throughout the world.

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Bringing the PMBOK Guide to Life

John Wiley & Sons

Chapter One

The main purpose of this book is to create a connection between what is referred to as "the body of knowledge of project management," the Project Management Institute's A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge[R] (better known as the PMBOK[R] Guide), and the needs of the practicing project manager. The book is not specific to any industry. It is intended to provide additional information regarding the processes associated with managing projects and offer the reader other perspectives about the discipline including a practical and useful explanation of many of the tools, techniques, and processes described in the PMBOK[R] Guide. There are countless other books about project management that include suggested methodologies, templates, defined processes and procedures, and best practices-and many are excellent sources of reference. The focus of this book is on the practitioner, especially those who manage projects of moderate complexity.

This book is intended to make a direct connection between many of the terms and specific tools, techniques, inputs, and outputs described in the PMBOK[R] Guide and the common needs of today's practicing project managers. The objective is to provide a quick reference and a source of information that translates tools and techniques into useful templates, actionable steps, clarified processes, and common-sense approaches to managing a project.

The material and references in this are designed to be of interest to the newly appointed project manager as well as the seasoned professional. Experienced project managers may find the material helpful in further developing well-defined practices they are currently using, or the material may spark a new level of creativity and innovation that will take project management to a new level of efficiency. This book will help project managers and students of project management differentiate between generally practiced processes and those processes that are specific to a particular organization.

I have heard many people refer to the PMBOK[R] Guide as the "PMI Way" or refer to project management methodology in terms of "the Right Way, the wrong way, and the "PMBOK[R] way." The PMBOK[R] Guide does not suggest a right or wrong way and, in my opinion, there is no specific "PMI Way" or "PMBOK[R] Way." Everything in the PMBOK[R] Guide originates from the knowledge of hundreds of project managers who have decided to share their experiences across a very broad spectrum of projects and industries. This shared knowledge has been organized into the nine knowledge areas and 5 processes which provide the basis for developing organizational project management methodologies. Simply stated, there are projects that are managed well and those that are not managed well regardless of preferred methodology. If the methodology was developed using logic, common sense and the basic principles of project management along with a connection to the organization's culture, work ethic, business goals and capabilities then that would be the "right" methodology for the organization. Chances are that many of the project management steps and processes found in any organizational methodology can also be found in the PMBOK[R] Guide or can be directly related to PMBOK[R] Guide processes. I believe that most project managers will agree that in the discipline of, or if you prefer, the profession of project management the general principles are the same, regardless of what type of project is being managed. These general principles are then modified and combined with different approaches specific to the organization that can be used to achieve the common goals of on time completion, remaining within budget, and according to specifications. (there are other goals to consider but these are the goals most people associate with project success). The PMBOK[R] Guide provides a solid framework for developing a methodology that would have a high probability of being accepted by the stakeholders of an organization. It may not provide the extreme levels of detail that may be needed to develop a complete methodology, but it does provide the project manager with a reference point developed through the experience of hundreds of project managers over many years.

The purpose of this book is to bridge the needs of the project manager with the vast stores of knowledge about project management and to encourage project managers to expand their knowledge about the profession, challenge some of the processes in place and develop newer, more efficient ways of managing projects in a world filled with complex projects and new opportunities. This book will, I hope, encourage more thought about how to manage projects more effectively and open up the creative minds of project managers who can widen the project management information highway.

THE PMBOK[R] GUIDE, THE BODY OF KNOWLEDGE OF PROJECT MANAGEMENT, AND THE CONNECTION TO MANAGING PROJECTS

The PMBOK[R] Guide is a collection of tools, techniques, and processes developed by project managers engaged in projects across every type of business and industry. Project managers have offered their time and their expertise voluntarily to produce a consensus-based standard for managing a project. It is a valuable source of information for project managers, project management professionals, and future project managers, regardless of discipline. The PMBOK[R] Guide provides the basis for developing project management methodologies and can be found in the library of literally thousands of project management offices and practicing project managers. The challenge is to take the information provided in the PMBOK[R] Guide and apply it most effectively and appropriately to an actual project environment. This book focuses on specific techniques, explanations of terms, and application of tools that will enable project managers to effectively adapt the principles and processes described in the PMBOK[R] Guide to the practical world of project management. These techniques transform the PMBOK[R] Guide from a framework and standards reference to a sharpened tool in the project manager's toolbox.

Project management and the processes included within it definition is actually a collection of knowledge from every business discipline, and that knowledge base is in a continuous state of growth. This knowledge encompasses what has been learned through years of managerial experience, studying human behavior, analyzing relationships between organizations, engaging in strategic planning, managing conflict, performing financial planning, and understanding organizational structure and overall organizational performance. The greater, more complex, project management body of knowledge is basically a repository of information and best practices gathered from and covering every aspect of business and organizational management. The PMBOK[R] Guide organizes that knowledge in a logical format that is not intended to be viewed as a set of rules and regulations. It provides a basis for developing customized methods that will assist in meeting an organization's project and strategic...