4 - Project Integration Management

Question 1

What is the Project Integration Management knowledge area?

Answer 1

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.

Question 2

What are the Project Integration Management processes?

Answer 2

4. 1 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.
5. 2 Develop Project Management Plan—The process of defining, preparing, and coordinating all plan components and consolidating them into an integrated project management plan.
6. 3 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.
7. 4 Manage Project Knowledge—The process of using existing knowledge and creating new knowledge to achieve the project’s objectives and contribute to organizational learning.
8. 5 Monitor and Control Project Work—The process of tracking, reviewing, and reporting overall progress to meet the performance objectives defined in the project management plan.
9. 6 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 the decisions.
10. 7 Close Project or Phase—The process of finalizing all activities for the project, phase, or contract.

Question 3

What are the trends in Project Integration Management?

Answer 3

1. use of automated tools. The volume of data and information that project managers need to integrate makes it necessary to use a project management information system (PMIS) and automated tools to collect, analyze, and use information to meet project objectives and realize project benefits.
2. use of visual management tools. Some project teams use visual management tools, rather than written plans and other documents, to capture and oversee critical project elements. Making key project elements visible to the entire team provides a real-time overview of the project status, facilitates knowledge transfer, and empowers team members and other stakeholders to help identify and solve issues.
3. Project knowledge management. The increasingly mobile and transitory work force requires a more rigorous process of identifying knowledge throughout the project life cycle and transferring it to the target audience so that the knowledge is not lost.
4. Expanding the project manager’s responsibilities. Project managers are being called on to initiate and finalize the project, such as project business case development and benefits management. Historically, these activities have been the responsibility of management and the project management office, but project managers are more frequently collaborating with them to better meet project objectives and deliver benefits. Project managers are also engaging in more comprehensive identification and engagement of stakeholders. This includes managing the interfaces with various functional and operational departments and senior management personnel.
5. hybrid methodologies. Some project management methodologies are evolving to incorporate successfully applied new practices. Examples include the use of agile and other iterative practices; business analysis techniques for requirements management; tools for identifying complex elements in projects; and organizational change management methods to prepare for transitioning the project outputs into the organization.

Question 4

What are the tailoring considerations for Project Integration Management?

Answer 4

1. Project life cycle. What is an appropriate project life cycle? What phases should comprise the project life cycle?
2. Development life cycle. What development life cycle and approach are appropriate for the product, service, or result? Is a predictive or adaptive approach appropriate? If adaptive, should the product be developed incrementally or iteratively? Is a hybrid approach best?
3. Management approaches. What management processes are most effective based on the organizational culture and the complexity of the project?
4. Knowledge management. How will knowledge be managed in the project to foster a collaborative working environment?
5. Change. How will change be managed in the project?
6. Governance. What control boards, committees, and other stakeholders are part of the project? What are the project status reporting requirements?
7. Lessons learned. What information should be collected throughout and at the end of the project? How will historical information and lessons learned be made available to future projects?
8. Benefits. When and how should benefits be reported: at the end of the project or at the end of each iteration or phase?