PMP Certification Exam assesses an individual’s ability to commence a project. The function of the Initiating Process Group plays a significant role at this stage. It encompasses project definition, security of financial resources, and establishment of communication with stakeholders.
What Are The Two Major Components Of Initiating Process Group?
The project initiating processes can be categorized under two heads, namely, stakeholder identification, and the creation of a project charter.
Project Charter development
A project charter is a document written by a project manager for defining a project’s boundaries from the start. It clarifies what is expected of a project and ensures that the expectations are met. This process involves the participation of stakeholders as well, for deciding on project goals in relevance to their interests. The project timeline is determined too in the project charter. The approval of project outcome standards and funding sources are also counted into the project initiating processes.
Stakeholder identification
To prevent a project from being stalled at its middle stage, identifying its stakeholders is crucial. Knowing the interests of individual stakeholders in relation to a project helps in reducing future limitations to the project lifecycle coming from their ends. A project manager has to enforce his foresight during this phase for establishing the phasing criteria. This assists in future actions like scheduled downtime announcements or conducting training sessions. Client concerns’ addressal also falls within the purview of the initiating process group.
The 6th edition of PMBOK emphasizes the importance of initiating processes in project management. A change has occurred in the last updated version that is PMBOK 7. Process groups have been replaced by project delivery principles with respect to management standards. Each of these principles directly results in added consumer value as the output of every project.
Project management principles guide the project team’s actions whereas actions are dictated by the processes involved in initiating a project. The former has been put to effect by PMBOK 7 and proves relatively more advantageous.
How Relevant Are The Project Management Principles?
Project management principles introduce flexibility in the functioning of project teams. Instead of being governed by a set of processes, projects require a supportive framework that can adapt to any environment. It could be agile, iterative, or predictive work ambiance.
Project bottom line
Individuals about to take the PMP Exam or pursue the related certification must be well-versed in the management principles. These form the bottom line of a project’s success. The foremost of the twelve principles ensure that honesty, responsibility, integrity, and fairness rest within a project team. This is what is implied by stewardship. These values help a project manager earn the confidence of stakeholders.
Ethical conduct
Following PMI’s code of conduct form the areas of concentration for a project manager as per PMBOK 7. Such an attitude is bound to fetch a project its desired goals. This principle works irrespective of whichever methodology or processes are followed in the course of the project.
Work culture
Similarly, the accountability of team members to each other counts a lot in making a project successful. Such wasn’t highlighted by the 6th edition initiating process group. Positivity in work culture brings operational misalignment to a minimum.
Stakeholders’ participation
The initiating processes of project management focus on meeting stakeholders’ expectations while the delivery principles go a step ahead. One of these 12 fundamentals advocates the participation of stakeholders in the initial planning phase. This would let them voice their opinions, too. The project team members too, get a chance to reflect on the nature of stakeholder propositions and proceed accordingly.
Accurate estimation
In comparison with project process groups, the delivery principles are relatively more value-driven. They don’t stick to the traditional concept of value which refers to balancing the spent resources with gained benefits. Instead, the ‘value’ principle of project management prioritizes backlog grooming and accurate estimates.
Behavior analysis
One of the principles focuses on system dynamics. It is done through the process of thinking about an operating system’s behavior, relationships within it, and its individual parts. This makes a project manager more cautious in decision-making thereby, saving money and reducing waste.
Project customization
Governance, deliverables, and processes vary from one project to another. Therefore, it is proper to tailor the management approach for each project despite the methodology already being sorted out. Unlike the fixed approach of initiating a project, the principle of tailoring brings versatility.
Quality check
Project management standard emphasizes quality measurement in the project management processes. It professes to avoid cutting corners and ensuring the availability of adequate and right resources for delivering the project.
Continuous learning
Continuous learning is another aspect that has been made prominent by the management principle related to complexity. Here learning refers to being alert about project scope uncertainties, newer technologies, etc.
Risk response
Optimization of risk responses is the tenth principle. It was also covered by the project process groups but in a lesser magnitude. The updated PMBOK not just focuses on the adaptability to change but thinks over its negative consequences if any.
In all respects, the project delivery principles outweigh the previous project initiating processes. The former dives deeper into human psychology than simply making projects meet their end objectives.
