---
title: "Project management body of knowledge"
subject: "ICT Project Management"
chapter: 2
key: "semester_7/ict_project_management:define-pmbok"
source: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_7/ict_project_management/define-pmbok
site: BCT Engineering
---

# Project management body of knowledge

ICT Project Management · Chapter 2: Project Management Body of Knowledge

- Asked in: year not given; year not given
- Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort) on 2026-10-14
- Page: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_7/ict_project_management/define-pmbok
- Whole chapter: https://www.bctengineer.com/md/semester_7/ict_project_management/chapter-2

## Question

What do you mean by project management body of knowledge (PMBOK)?

## Short answer

PMBOK is the Project Management Body of Knowledge, published by PMI as the PMBOK Guide. It contains 5 process groups and 10 knowledge areas, plus standard tools and terminology. It is a guide for good practice, adaptable to each project, and the basis for PMP certification.

## Answer

The **Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK)** is a collection of generally accepted processes, practices, tools and terminology for project management, published by the Project Management Institute (PMI) as the *PMBOK Guide*. It is the standard reference for the profession and the basis of the PMP certification.

#### Key points
- It describes "good practice" that applies to most projects most of the time.
- It is a guide, not a methodology: each organisation adapts it.
- It is recognised as an ANSI standard, and an earlier edition was adopted by IEEE (IEEE Std 1490).

#### Contents (traditional structure)
1. **Project life cycle and organisation**: phases, stakeholders, organisational influences.
2. **Five process groups**: Initiating, Planning, Executing, Monitoring and Controlling, Closing.
3. **Ten knowledge areas**
   - Integration, Scope, Time (Schedule), Cost, Quality
   - Human Resource, Communications, Risk, Procurement, Stakeholder.

```text
PMBOK
 |-- 5 Process groups
 |-- 10 Knowledge areas  (47 processes in the 5th edition,
 |                        49 in the 6th edition)
 |-- Tools and techniques, inputs, outputs
 |-- Standard terminology
```

#### Importance
- Gives a common language for managers, sponsors and teams.
- Improves the chance of success by following proven practices.
- Supports certification and career development.
- Helps standardise project work across an organisation.

#### Example
A software company uses PMBOK knowledge areas to plan an ERP project: scope with a WBS, time with a network diagram, cost with an earned value report, and risks with a risk register.

PMBOK is updated regularly. The sixth edition introduced agile guidance (and renamed Time to Schedule and Human Resource to Resource management), and the seventh edition moved to principles and performance domains.

## Check yourself

The answer's key points as multiple-choice questions, with the correct option and why.

1. PMBOK is:
   A. A software tool for scheduling
   B. A collection of generally accepted project management processes, practices, tools and terminology published by PMI
   C. A law governing projects
   D. A methodology every company must follow exactly
   Answer: B. PMBOK Guide is a PMI standard reference of good practice, adapted by organisations. (Key point: What PMBOK is)

2. How many process groups does PMBOK define?
   A. Three
   B. Four
   C. Ten
   D. Five
   Answer: D. Five: Initiating, Planning, Executing, Monitoring and Controlling, Closing. (Key point: Process groups)

3. How many knowledge areas are in the traditional PMBOK structure?
   A. Ten
   B. Five
   C. Seven
   D. Twelve
   Answer: A. Ten knowledge areas from Integration to Stakeholder management. (Key point: Knowledge areas)

4. What does it mean that PMBOK is a guide, not a methodology?
   A. It cannot be used in practice
   B. Each organisation adapts it to its needs
   C. It is only for certification
   D. It applies only to IT
   Answer: B. It describes good practice that most projects can use, but organisations tailor it. (Key point: Guide vs methodology)

## Related in ICT Project Management

- [Project management knowledge areas](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fict_project_management%3Apm-knowledge-areas) — ICT Project Management, chapter 2
- [General management skills and project management](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fict_project_management%3Ageneral-management-skill) — ICT Project Management, chapter 2
- [Project portfolio management](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fict_project_management%3Aportfolio-management) — ICT Project Management, chapter 3
- [Define project management](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fict_project_management%3Adefine-project-management) — ICT Project Management, chapter 4
- [System view of project management](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fict_project_management%3Asystem-view-three-parts) — ICT Project Management, chapter 5
- [Project management methodology](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fict_project_management%3Apm-methodology) — ICT Project Management, chapter 7

## Related in other subjects

- [Knowledge management vs expert systems](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_8%2Finformation_system%3Akm-vs-expert-systems) — Information System, chapter 4
- [Knowledge management and KM triangle](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_8%2Finformation_system%3Aknowledge-management-hierarchy) — Information System, chapter 4
- [Function of project management in Nepal](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_8%2Fconstruction_management%3Acpm-function-nepal) — Construction Management, chapter 1
- [Types of projects; effect of project management](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fproject_engineering%3Aproject-types-effect-of-management) — Project Engineering, chapter 1