In the world of everchanging technology and business trends, project management is in great demand. This is the second in a monthly series of posts looking at the fundamentals of project management for anyone new to the profession or those considering entering it. Give a structure to your workflow by learning about the 5 project management lifecycle phases. Later chapters go into more depth regarding a model that is particularly appropriate for itrelated projects. It has always been practiced informally, but began to emerge as a distinct profession in the mid20th century. Project management is solely based on the idea that a project goes through a number a phases. But this can get reduced with the right set of software tools. In this article, we will go through each of the five project management phases and how you can excel at each step.
The project management life cycle describes the highlevel process of delivering a project and the steps you take to make things happen. Even though the phases have distinct qualities, they overlap. Project phases are normally used in one of these three situations. Phases project management for business professionals. At the base of it, the pmbok pointsout that the number of phases is determined by the project team and type of project. Pmi defines project management as the application of knowledge, skills, tools and techniques to a broad range of activities in order to meet the requirements of a particular project. In this post i will be focusing on one of the very basic concept in project management. Phases provide structure and logic to the project and aid the project team and management to track progress.
According to pmi, project management is the application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to a broad range of activities in order to meet the requirements of a particular project. Project management is solely based on the idea that a project goes through a number a phases characterized by a distinct set of activities or. There are different schools of thought about the number of phases during a project. Learn how to manage a project from start to finish, through all project phases.
There are five phases of project management and if the lifecycle provides a highlevel view of the project, the phases are the roadmap to. Every project can be broken down into several phases. In this article ill walk you through the phases in the project management life cycle. Whether youre in charge of developing a website, designing a car, moving a department to a new facility, updating an information system, or just about any other project large or small, youll go through the same four phases of project management. This is related to how this concept is defined by pmi in its pmbok, but that is only incidental. In this simple two sentence description we see both the differences between the two, and how the project lifecycle and process groups are designed to interact. Five phases of the project management lifecycle villanova. The project management institute pmi breaks down these steps into five project management phases. It will also explain the project processes common to all phases.
Phases vs project management processes project matters. Four phases of project management life cycle projectemplates. Projects are a part and parcel of our professional life. Developed by the project management institute pmi, the five phases of project management include conception and initiation, planning. And while the project management life cycle might not sound that interesting, it is important because the project management life cycle is what we as project managers lead and facilitate. This means a large project is broken down into more manageable stages, each with a specific deliverable, and done in a specific sequence. While project managers love talking about life cycle phases and definitions, the reason why you, as someone whos managing projects on the daily, actually need project life cycle management is improvement. Project management is a discipline that follows a set of methods for achieving goals and objectives set by the organization. The primary challenge of project management is to achieve all of the project goals within the given constraints. Now, let us continue with this project management blog and find out what are the various phases of project management. Project management phases a complete guide with real. Whether youre in charge of developing a website, designing a car, moving a department to a new facility, updating an information system, or just about any other project large or small, you. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools.
Why not get involved with the discussions and help influence the topics for future posts. What are the 5 phases of project management lifecycle. What are the 4 project management life cycle phases. It provides an overview of the project, along with the strategies required. Initiation, planning, execution, and closure project initiation. Different phases of project management project management. Project management is sometimes done in phases in order to improve control and quality. The project initiation phase is the first phase in the project life cycle and it is the starting of a new project. A standard project typically has the following four major phases each with its own agenda of tasks and issues.
Demystifying the 5 phases of project management smartsheet. Understanding the phases of the project management lifecycle can help in organized planning, resource allocation, performance monitoring, and maintenance. Continue reading to learn more about the different project phases. Phases of project management project is a collaborative set of operations, involving research or design that is carefully planned to achieve a certain objective. Project managers need to have a clear idea about the various project management life cycle phases so that they can break down activities into smaller parts. Successful completion of a project is not an easy endeavor. The five phases of a successful project management cycle.
A group of people leaning over a table looking at blueprints and papers with. The project planning phase is where youll lay out every detail of the plan from beginning to end. So this is the project management life cycle as documented from the source of the project management body of knowledge produced by pmi, the project management institute. Seasoned project managers know it is often easier to handle the details of a project and take steps in the right order when you break the project down into phases.
So if you look on this cross section this is the delivery phase, the project management phase and the trims are the level of activity going on. It calls for a series of tasks to meet stakeholder and client requirements. Here i look at fundamental project processes and phases. The 5 phases of the project management life cycle explained.
For this, along with the project manager, you would need a project management software. The plan you create here will lead your team through the execution, performance, and closure phases of the project management process. A breakdown of the 5 phases of project management zenkit. This lesson will provide you with an introduction to the it project life cycle and the activities of each life cycle phase. The model that is discussed here forms the basis for all methods of project management. By thinking in terms of phases, you can ensure that the deliverables produced at the end of each phase meet their purpose, and that project team members or subteams are properly prepared for the next phase. Organizations divide a project into different phases so that it is easier for them to control and monitor project progress and en. This information is usually described in project documentation, created at. As part of your project plan, youll want to consider these factors. In a project management guide, if you are somehow in a position where you are expected to manage projects for your organization and are feeling overwhelmed, its better to start learning the basics of the project management lifecycle phases according to the pmbok guide project management body of knowledge by the project management institute pmi, a. No matter what type of project you are working on, having comprehensive knowledge about project management life cycle is.
Project initiation is the phase where the project starts. In this topic, we are going to learn about project management life cycle. Dividing your project management efforts into these five phases can help give your efforts structure and simplify them into a series of logical and manageable steps. Dividing a project into phases makes it possible to lead it in the best possible direction. Since the entire process of directing and controlling a project can be hectic and cumbersome, it has been broken down into 5 simple phases, which are also known as process groups. In todays world, there are numerous project management software available, which help get the job done easily. Know what is project management followed by a brief description of project initiation, planning, execution, performance, and closure. Project management in it is the process of planning, organizing and assigning responsibilities and implementing it to achieve the organizations specific it goals. Project management, then, is the application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to project activities to meet the project requirements. The plc describes the steps phases from the start of the project to the end. In simple words, a project produces product or service that is different from the existing one at the end.
Project management today is still timeconsuming and requires efforts. The first phase of the project management process is the. Phases of project management essential phases of project. The process of directing and controlling a project from start to finish may be further divided into 5 basic phases. Project management life cycle 5 phases of project life cycle. In an information technology company, project management includes overseeing projects for software development, hardware installations, network upgrades and implementing it services etc. The organization has a stagegate project management methodology that separates project into phases. Project management is the practice of initiating, planning, executing, controlling, and closing the work of a team to achieve specific goals and meet specific success criteria at the specified time. In order to make a project easier to plan and control, its work can be grouped into phases each phase having similar tasks and leading up to a major deliverable. The purpose of this post is not with respect to passing the pmp exam and getting. In this practical, stepbystep book, joe weiss and bob wysocki walk you through each phase of a complex project. The project management life cycle is usually broken down into four phases.