A process is a systematic series of activities directed toward causing an end result, where one or more inputs are acted upon to create outputs. The PMBOK® Guide (6th Edition) defines 49 project management processes, while the broader discipline also recognizes organizational and product-oriented processes.
Each process consists of three core components:
- Inputs: Documents, plans, designs, or other items that a process acts upon.
- Tools and Techniques: Mechanisms applied to inputs to produce outputs (e.g., expert judgment, data analysis, meetings).
- Outputs: Products, results, or services generated by a process (e.g., project charter, risk register).
Processes are organized into two main dimensions in the PMBOK® Guide:
- Process Groups: Initiating, Planning, Executing, Monitoring and Controlling, and Closing. These reflect the logical progression of project work but are not project phases.
- Knowledge Areas: Ten areas such as Scope, Schedule, Cost, Risk, and Stakeholder Management, which group processes by subject matter.
Important distinctions for the exam:
- Process Groups are not the same as project phases. Multiple iterations of the Process Groups can occur within a single project phase.
- Processes are iterative; outputs from one process often become inputs to another, creating an integrated system.
- Not all processes must be applied on every project. The project manager tailors process use based on project needs, complexity, and organizational context.
- The Monitoring and Controlling Process Group runs concurrently with all other Process Groups throughout the project lifecycle.
In the context of the PMBOK® Guide 7th Edition and the Examination Content Outline (ECO), the focus shifts somewhat toward principles and performance domains rather than discrete processes; however, understanding process logic, inputs, tools, and outputs remains relevant for the PMP exam.