Project Management Processes: The Ones You Don’t Need to Worry About

Project management is a vast field with various processes and methodologies designed to ensure that projects are completed on time, within scope, and on budget. However, not every process is essential for every project. Some processes might be more relevant to certain types of projects or industries than others. In this article, we'll explore the different processes associated with project management and highlight one that is not traditionally considered a core project management process. This will help you streamline your approach and focus on what's truly essential for successful project execution.

Let's dive into this by first identifying the fundamental project management processes before zeroing in on the one that often gets overlooked.

Core Project Management Processes

1. Initiating: This process involves defining and authorizing the project. Key tasks include developing the project charter, identifying stakeholders, and obtaining necessary approvals to proceed.

2. Planning: In this phase, detailed plans are created for how the project will be executed. This includes scope planning, schedule development, cost estimation, and risk management.

3. Executing: This is where the actual work of the project is carried out. The focus is on coordinating people and resources, managing stakeholder expectations, and ensuring the project deliverables are produced.

4. Monitoring and Controlling: Throughout the project, it's crucial to track progress and performance against the plan. This process includes performance measurement, change control, and ensuring that the project remains on track.

5. Closing: The final phase involves completing all activities across all process groups, formally closing the project, and obtaining sign-offs from stakeholders. This also includes conducting post-project evaluations to identify lessons learned.

The Overlooked Process

While the above processes are central to project management, one that often gets less attention is 'Project Procurement Management'. Although procurement management is crucial for projects that involve buying goods and services from external vendors, it's not always seen as a core process in every project scenario.

Procurement management involves:

• Planning Purchases and Acquisitions: Determining what needs to be purchased and the criteria for selecting suppliers.
• Conducting Procurements: Engaging with suppliers, negotiating contracts, and managing procurement relationships.
• Controlling Procurements: Overseeing the performance of contracts and ensuring that suppliers meet their obligations.

In projects where the focus is more on internal resources and less on external acquisitions, procurement management may not be as critical. For instance, in small-scale projects where all resources are handled internally, this process might be simplified or even omitted.

Conclusion

Understanding which processes are fundamental and which ones can be streamlined or omitted based on your project's needs can significantly enhance your project management efficiency. By focusing on core processes like Initiating, Planning, Executing, Monitoring and Controlling, and Closing, you ensure a solid foundation for project success. Meanwhile, recognizing when Procurement Management is less critical can help you tailor your approach to fit your project's specific context.