Work in Progress.  The below pretty well cover most of the PMI stages as per PMBok.

A project has the following characteristics;

·         A start and end date 

·         Resources: time, money, people and equipment, used by the project

·         An outcome: a project has a specific outcome

Project managers are assigned by the performing organization to achieve the project objectives. This is a challenging, high-profile role with significant responsibility and shifting priorities. It requires flexibility, good judgment, strong leadership and negotiating skills, and a solid knowledge of project management practices. A project manager must be able to understand project detail, but manage from the overall project perspective. As the person responsible for the success of the project, a project manager is in charge of all aspects of the project including, but not limited to:

·         Developing the project management plan and all related component plans,

·         Keeping the project on track in terms of schedule and budget,

·         Identifying, monitoring, and responding to risk, and

·         Providing accurate and timely reporting of project metrics.

The project manager is the lead person responsible for communicating with all stakeholders, particularly the project sponsor, project team, and other key stakeholders. The project manager occupies the centre of the interactions between stakeholders and the project itself. PMBOK page 26. 

Project management is the application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to project activities to meet the project requirements. Project management is accomplished through the appropriate application and integration of the 42 logically grouped project management processes comprising the 5 Process Groups.

Managing a project typically includes:

·         Identifying requirements,

·         Addressing the various needs, concerns, and expectations of the stakeholders as the project is planned and carried out,

Balancing the competing project constraints including, but not limited to:

·         Scope,

·         Quality,

·         Schedule,

·         Budget,

·         Resources, and

·         Risk.

Project Life Cycle Projects vary in size and complexity. No matter how large or small, simple or complex, all projects can be mapped to the following life cycle structure. (Refer to the below tables)

PMI has identified four lifecycle processes 

1.      Starting the Project – Concept and Initiation Phase

2.      Organising and Preparing – Design and Development Phase

3.      Carrying out the work – Implementation or Construction Phase

4.      Closing the Project – Commissioning or Handover.

1.      Initiating - Those processes performed to define a new project or a new phase of an existing project by obtaining authorization to start the project or phase.

2.      Planning - Those processes required to establish the scope of the project, refine the objectives, and define the course of action required to attain the objectives that the project was undertaken to achieve.

3.      Executing - processes performed to complete the work defined in the project management plan to satisfy the project specifications.

4.      Monitoring and Controlling- processes required to track, review, and regulate the progress and performance of the project; identify any areas in which changes to the plan are required; and initiate the corresponding changes.

5.      Closing - Those processes performed to finalize all activities across all Process Groups to formally close the project or phase  

PMI has identified Nine Knowledge Areas;

1.      Project Integration Management - defines the processes and activities that integrate the various elements of project management;

·         Develop Project Charter

·         Develop Project Management Plan

·         Direct and Manage Project Execution

·         Monitor and Control Project Work

·         Perform Integrated Change Control

·         Close Project or Phase

2.      Project Scope Management – Shows the processes involved in ensuring the project includes all the work required, and only the work required, for completing the project successfully;

·         Collect Requirements

·         Define Scope

·         Create WBS – Work Breakdown Structure

·         Verify scope

·         Control Scope.

3.      Project Time Management – focuses on the processes that are used to help ensure the timely completion of the project and include;

·         Define activities

·         Sequence Activities

·         Estimate Activity Resources

·         Estimate Activity Durations

·         Develop Schedule

·         Control Schedule

4.      Project Cost Management – Describes the processes involved in planning, estimating, budgeting, and controlling costs so that the project can be completed within the approved budget;

·         Estimate Costs

·         Determine Budget

·         Control Costs.

5.      Project Quality Management, describes the processes involved in planning for, monitoring, controlling, and assuring the quality requirements of the project are achieved, such as;

·         Plan Quality

·         Perform Quality Assurance

·         Perform Quality Control

6.      Project Human Resource Management describes the processes involved in the planning, acquisition, development, and management of the project team, such as;

·         Develop Human Resource Plan

·         Acquire Project Team

·         Develop Project Team

·         Manage Project Team

7.      Project Communications Management, identifies the processes involved in ensuring timely and appropriate generation, collection, dissemination, storage, and ultimate disposition of project information, such as;

·         Identify Stakeholders

·         Plan Communications

·         Distribute Information

·         Manage Stakeholder Expectations

·         Report Performance

8.      Project Risk Management, describes the processes involved with identifying, analysing, and controlling risks for the project, such as;

·         Plan Risk Management

·         Indentify Risks

·         Perform Qualitative Risk Analysis

·         Perform Quantitative Risk Analysis

·         Plan Risk Responses

·         Monitor and Control Risks.

9.      Project Procurement Management, describes the processes involved with purchasing or acquiring products, services, or results for the project, such as;

·         Plan Procurements

·         Conduct Procurements

·         Administer Procurements

·         Close Procurements.