While the project and systems development life cycles define the phases of a project, five process groups define appropriate processes for managing the project by function or the kind of work that needs to be done. The process groups overlap within and between the phases of the project as the output of one process group within a phase becomes the input for a process group in the next phase

Figure: Project management process

Initiating

The initiating process group signals the beginning of the project or a phase. For example, an organization may initiate a project by requiring the development of a business case as part of its IT governance or as part of its IT project methodology.

During this phase, a set of project management processes would define how the project and the first phase of the methodology should be initiated.

The approval of the business case would then provide an authorization to start another setof processes to begin the second phase of the IT project methodology in order to develop the project charter and plan. Although all of the phases of the project should have some type ofinitiating process, the first phases of the IT projectmethodology would require the most detail and attention.

Planning:

The planning process group supports planning of the entire project and each individual phase. Supporting project management processes may include scope planning, activity planning, resource planning, cost estimating, schedule estimating, and procurement planning.

The planning process should be in line with the size and complexity of the project. Planning processes are most important during the second phase of the IT project methodology when the project charter and plan are developed. However, planning processes can be important for each phase whereby objectives and activities may need to be defined or refined as new information becomes available. In addition, planning is often an iterative process.

A project manager may develop a project plan, but senior management or the client may not approve the scope, budget, or schedule. Or circumstances may arise that warrant changes to the project plan. This could happen as the result of a competitor’s actions or legislation (external), or even changes to the project team or sponsor (internal).

Executing:

Once a project phase has been approved and planned, the executing process group focuses on integrating people and resources to carry out the planned activities of the project plan or phase. During, the execute and control phase of the IT project methodology, the product-oriented processes play an important role in developing the IT solution. For example, software engineering processes, tools, andmethods for developing and/or implementing a system become critical for delivering the project’send result. Althoughexecuting processes are part of every project phase, themajority ofexecuting processes will occur during theexecute and control phase of the IT project methodology.

Monitoring and Controlling:

The monitoring and controlling process group allows for managing and measuring progress toward the project’s MOV and scope, schedule, budget, and quality objectives. Monitoring and controlling processes also allow the project manager and team to measure and keep an eye on project variances between actual and planned results so that appropriate corrective actions can be taken when necessary.

Supporting project management processes include scope control, change control, schedule control, budget control, quality control, and a communications plan. The emphasis of monitoring and controlling processes will occur during the execution and control phase of the IT project methodology.

Closing:

The closing process group provides a set of processes for formally accepting the project’s product, service, or end result so that the project or phase can be brought to an orderly close. The project manager or team must verify that all deliverables have been satisfactorily completed before the project sponsor accepts a phase’s deliverable or the project’s end product. Closure of a project may includeprocesses for contract closure and administrative closure.

Contract closure ensures that all of the deliverables and agreed upon terms of the project have been completed and delivered so that the project can end. Administrativeclosure, on the other hand, involves documenting and archiving all projectdocuments. Lessons learned should bedocumented and made available to other teams. Although each phase must include closing processes, the major emphasis on closing processes will occur during the close project and evaluate project success phases of the IT project methodology.