Project Integration Management: 

Project integration management is one of the key knowledge area in PMBOK which cuts across all 5 Process groups. The knowledge area talks about 7 processes which coordinate all aspects of a project.

What is Integration ?

Integration is the action or process of combining or consolidating or in-cooperating different things together.

What is project integration management ?

 

Project integration management definition is the processes and activities that are carried out to identify, combine and coordinate the various project management processes with in project management process groups.

Project integration management is one of the 10 project management knowledge areas touches all five phases of a project:

• Initiating
• Planning
• Executing
• Monitoring and controlling
• Closing

Project integration management is a way of making various processes work together, When properly performed project integration management ensures smoothly run project. That is why the importance of project integration management is high in project management. Project integration management very important knowledge area for project managers, it cannot be delegated or handed over to others. The project manager is ultimate responsible for the success of project.

Project integration management processes :

The project integration management processes are :

• Develop project charter
• Develop project management plan
• Direct and manage project work
• Manage project knowledge
• Monitor and control project work
• Perform integrated change control
• Close project or phase

There are 7 project integration management processes and each of these processes contributes to overall project integration management and project success. Let's have a detailed look at each one from project integration management processes list.

1. Develop project charter:

what is project charter in project management ?

A project charter is the document that states a project exists and provides the project manager written authority to begin project work.

A project charter should:

• Contain the essence of the project.
• Provide a shared understanding of the project.
• Act as a contract between the project sponsor, key stakeholders and the project team.

Develop project charter is the process of developing the project charter document that formally authorize the existence of the project and the project manager is given the authority to use organizational resources to project activities. Develop project charter is part of initiating process groups.

Project integration management tools and technique, we will briefly look what are the major inputs (Inputs for project charter) , tools and techniques, outputs for each process.

Inputs: Business case, benefits management plan, agreements, EEF and OPA

Tools and Techniques: Expert judgment, brainstorming, focus groups, interviews, meetings etc.

Outputs: Project charter and assumptions.

By default the output of this processes is project charter document and the assumptions.

2. Develop project management plan:

The project management plan is the consolidated plan of all other management plans, such as the scope management plan, cost management plan, quality management plan, process improvement plan, human resource plan, communication management plan, procurement management plan etc.

Develop project management plan is the process of defining, preparing and consolidation or integration of all plans together in to project management plan. The project management plan is a summary and consolidation of the other management plans that provides a quick overview of the entire project.

lets look at the iito for this process.

Inputs: Project Charter,  EEF and OPA

Tools and Techniques: Expert judgment, brainstorming, focus groups, interviews, meetings,checklists etc.

Outputs: Project Management Plan

The project management plan defines how the project is executed , monitored and controlled, closed. Project management plan should be baselined.

3. Direct and manage project work:

Direct and manage project work is the process for directing the defined work as per project management plan and change requests are implemented to achieves project goals. This process manages the deliverables and project work for project success.

Inputs: Project Management plan, Change logs, Risk Register, Approved changes, Project schedule,  EEF and OPA

Tools and Techniques: Expert judgment, Project management information system, meetings.

Outputs: Deliverables, Work Performance Data, Issue log, Change requests, Project management plan updates, Project document updates, OPA updates.

4. Manage project knowledge:

Manage project knowledge is a new process added in PMBOK6 version. Manage project knowledge is a process for managing knowledge and creating new knowledge to achieve the projects objectives. Organization process assets is the storage of knowledge and it is leveraged in this process. The knowledge created by the project is captured and is updated in the organizational process asset.

Inputs: Project Management plan, llbp register ( lessons learnt and best practices), Deliverables, Project documents,  EEF and OPA

Tools and Techniques: Expert judgment, Knowledge management,  Information management,etc

Outputs: lessons learned register, Project management plan updates, OPA updates.

5. Monitor and control project work:

This process is to collect the performance data of the project and benchmark it with targets.

Monitor and control project work is the process of tracking, reviewing and reporting the overall progress of the project and evaluate the current performance of the project and take necessary action to to address the issues. This allows the transparent information to stakeholders on how the project is progressing.

Inputs: Project Management plan, , Project documents, Work performance data, agreements,  EEF and OPA

Tools and Techniques: Expert judgment, Data analysis ( Earned value analysis, Trend analysis,Cost benefit analysis etc) , decision making etc

Outputs: work performance report, change requests, lessons learned register, Project management plan updates, Project document updates.

6. Perform integrated change control:

Perform integrated change control is one of the important process or activity. Perform integrated change control is the process of reviewing all change requests and approving the changes. When approving change request it is required to consider the impact of the project objectives. Also any changes will lead to change in deliverables, update in project documents, project management plan updates, etc. One of the key parameter to be evaluated as part of integrated change control is risk analysis, what are the risks in approving the change to the project deliverables and goals.

Inputs: Project Management plan( Change management plan) , Project documents, Work performance report, Change requests,  EEF and OPA

Tools and Techniques: Expert judgment, Change control tools,Data analysis, decision making, meetings etc

Outputs: Approved change requests, Project management plan updates, Project document updates.

7. Close project or phase:

Close project or phase is the process of final closure of the project activities or contract. The lessons learned from the project is captured and updated. The project can close because of successfull completion and stakeholders agreed for the deliverables , the project can be also closed because it is not giving any benefits to the organization.

Inputs: Project charter, Project Management plan , Project documents, accepted deliverables, agreements and OPA

Tools and Techniques: Expert judgment, Data analysis,  meetings etc

Outputs: Final report, Final product or service, Project document updates ( lessons learned register).

Relate your project and map each activity with above processes as project integration management example.