Project management process groups

A process group is a logical grouping of project management processes that work toward a specific result. PMBOK defines five process groups, which apply to every project, phase and industry. They are not phases; they overlap and may be repeated in each phase.

Initiating -> Planning -> Executing -> Closing
                 ^            |
                 |            v
           Monitoring & Controlling
          (oversees all the groups)

1. Initiating

• Authorise the project or phase and define it at a high level.
• Processes: develop the project charter, identify stakeholders.
• Outputs: charter, stakeholder register.

2. Planning

• Establish the total scope, refine objectives and define the actions to attain them.
• Processes: develop the project management plan, plan scope, collect requirements, create WBS, define and sequence activities, estimate, develop schedule, and plan cost, quality, human resources, communications, risk and procurement.
• Outputs: project management plan and project documents. Most processes are in this group (24 of the 47 in the 5th edition).

3. Executing

• Complete the work defined in the plan to meet specifications.
• Processes: direct and manage work, perform quality assurance, acquire/develop/manage the team, manage communications, conduct procurements, manage stakeholder engagement.
• Outputs: deliverables, work performance data.

4. Monitoring and controlling

• Track, review and regulate progress and performance; identify changes.
• Processes: monitor and control work, perform integrated change control, validate and control scope, and control schedule, cost, quality, risks and procurements.
• Outputs: change requests, performance reports.

5. Closing

• Formally complete all activities, accept the product and close the contracts.
• Processes: close project or phase, close procurements.
• Outputs: final product, lessons learned, archives.

The groups interact through their outputs: the output of one is the input of another, and monitoring and controlling interacts with all of them.