Introduction
This section describes important information about A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) – Seventh Edition. It describes the relationship of the PMBOK® Guide to The Standard for Project Management [1],1 changes to the PMBOK® Guide, the relationship to PMIstandards+™ (PMI’s digital platform for standards), and provides a brief overview of the content.
1.1
STRUCTURE OF THE PMBOK® GUIDE
In addition to this Introduction, this edition of the PMBOK® Guide contains three sections:
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Section 2 Project Performance Domains.
This section identifies and describes eight project performance domains that form an integrated system to enable successful delivery of the project and intended outcomes.
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Section 3 Tailoring.
This section describes what tailoring is and presents an overview of what to tailor and how to go about tailoring individual projects.
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Section 4 Models,
Methods, and Artifacts. This section presents a brief description of commonly used models, methods, and artifacts. These models, methods, and artifacts illustrate the range of options project teams can use to produce deliverables, organize work, and enable communication and collaboration.
1.2
RELATIONSHIP OF THE PMBOK® GUIDE AND THE STANDARD FOR PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Work in the project performance domains is guided by the principles of project management. As described in The Standard for Project Management [1], a principle is a fundamental norm, truth, or value. The principles for project management provide guidance for the behavior of people involved in projects as they influence and shape the performance domains to produce the intended outcomes. While there is conceptual overlap between the principles and the performance domains, the principles guide behavior, while the performance domains present broad areas of focus in which to demonstrate that behavior. Figure 1-1 shows how the project management principles sit above the performance domains, providing guidance to activities in each performance domain.
1.3
CHANGES TO THE PMBOK® GUIDE
This edition of the PMBOK® Guide focuses on delivering outcomes regardless of the approach used by the project team. However, project practitioners using the PMBOK® Guide also benefit from some level of understanding of how to deliver projects.
This edition is very different from the inputs, tools/techniques, and outputs (ITTOs) from previous editions of the PMBOK® Guide. In the previous editions, the ITTOs supported implementation of various processes used in project management. The shift from a process-based standard to one based on principles necessitates a different approach for thinking about the various aspects of project management. Thus, the project performance domains represent a group of related activities that are critical for the effective delivery of project outcomes. There are eight project performance domains in this guide.
Tailoring is the deliberate adaptation of the project management approach, governance, and processes to make them more suitable for the given environment and the work at hand. The tailoring process is driven by the guiding project management principles, organizational values, and organizational culture.
In embracing the full spectrum of project approaches, this edition of the PMBOK® Guide recognizes that no publication can capture every tool, technique, or practice that project teams might use. Therefore, this edition presents an array of commonly used models, methods, and artifacts that project practitioners can use to accomplish their work.
1.4
RELATIONSHIP TO PMIstandards+
Information in this guide is further elaborated on PMIstandards+, PMI’s digital content platform. The digital platform encompasses current and emerging practices and other useful information related to PMI’s library of standards products. It also includes practical examples of application within various contexts and industry segments. PMIstandards+ evolved in response to advances and changes in how projects can be delivered. It offers a dynamic body of knowledge with real-time access and in-depth information that is aligned to PMI standards and carefully vetted by a panel of subject matter experts representing a wide range of expertise.
