Integration Management
Project integration management includes the activities to combine, unify and integrate overall project outcomes and progress coherently. The project manager must keep the following:
- Integrating all the information regarding the allocation of resources,
- Balancing the competing demands
- Examining any alternative approaches
- Tailoring the process according to the needs of the project
- Updating the interdependencies and interrelationships between multiple factors of the project.
As part of integration management, the project manager needs to make sure that:
- The team is working on the required deliverables and only on the required deliverables
- All the activities are performed and will be completed according to the planned schedule
- All the activities are performed and will be completed within the approved budget
- All the quality parameters meet the customer requirement and are aligned with the organizational quality policy
- All the required resources are available at the right place at the right time
- All the communication is done according to the planned communication management plan
- All the risks are identified, and appropriate responses are planned for them
- All the vendors and project management team are performing according to the contracts
- All the stakeholders are engaged in an efficient way that keeps them satisfied.
What Project Integration Management will provide?
In short, integration management gives you a holistic view of the project from the development of the project charter, which includes the high-level project scope and high-level project information and is the formal document that authorizes the project manager to use organizational resources on the project.
When the charter is developed, the next step is to define, prepare and coordinate all the plan components and integrate them into a unified document known as a project management plan.
Once the plan is ready, the next step is to jump into execution and continuously collect all the data regarding the deliverables.
This data is the output of execution that will save in the form of lessons learned and knowledge into the organizational data repository for future use, and the same data will become input to the group of monitoring and controlling, where this data will be analyzed with the context, and it will become information.
This analysis can result in a change request, and all the change requests must go through the approved change control mechanism of the organization. If the change control mechanism approves the change, this change will come back to the execution part to be executed again.
Once all the deliverables are analyzed, and there are no more change requests, the project is moved toward closing.
All the data generated during the project lifecycle will be archived, a detailed project report will present, all the procurements will be closed, and the overall project will be considered closed after formally accepting all the project deliverables.
Project Integration Management is one of the ten knowledge areas in the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK), as defined by the Project Management Institute (PMI). It is essential for ensuring that all project components work together efficiently and effectively to achieve project goals. The Project Integration Management knowledge area includes seven processes that cover the entire project lifecycle from initiation to closure. In this article, we will explain each of the seven processes in detail, including their inputs, tools and techniques, and outputs.
1. Develop Project Charter
The first process in Project Integration Management is to develop a project charter. The project charter is a high-level document that defines the project’s purpose and objectives, identifies key stakeholders, and outlines the project’s high-level requirements. The inputs, tools and techniques, and outputs of this process are as follows:
Inputs:
- Business case: The business case provides the justification for the project and helps in determining if it is worth pursuing.
- Agreements: Agreements are legal documents that outline the terms and conditions of the project and define the roles and responsibilities of each party involved.
- Enterprise environmental factors: These are internal and external factors that affect the project’s success, including organizational culture, regulations, and market conditions.
- Organizational process assets: These are tools, templates, and guidelines that the organization uses to manage projects, such as project management methodologies and historical data.
Tools and Techniques:
- Expert judgment: Expert judgment involves seeking advice and guidance from people who have experience and expertise in the project’s subject matter.
- Facilitation techniques: Facilitation techniques are used to help stakeholders communicate and collaborate effectively.
- Project selection methods: These methods help in selecting the right project to undertake by analyzing factors such as return on investment (ROI) and strategic alignment.
Outputs:
- Project charter: The project charter is a document that formally authorizes the project and provides a high-level overview of its scope, objectives, and stakeholders.
2. Develop Project Management Plan
The second process in Project Integration Management is to develop a project management plan. The project management plan is a comprehensive document that outlines how the project will be executed, monitored, and controlled. The inputs, tools and techniques, and outputs of this process are as follows:
Inputs:
- Project charter: The project charter provides a high-level overview of the project and its objectives.
- Outputs from other processes: The outputs from other processes, such as the project scope statement and the requirements document, provide the detailed information needed to develop the project management plan.
- Enterprise environmental factors: These are internal and external factors that affect the project’s success, including organizational culture, regulations, and market conditions.
- Organizational process assets: These are tools, templates, and guidelines that the organization uses to manage projects, such as project management methodologies and historical data.
Tools and Techniques:
- Expert judgment: Expert judgment involves seeking advice and guidance from people who have experience and expertise in the project’s subject matter.
- Facilitation techniques: Facilitation techniques are used to help stakeholders communicate and collaborate effectively.
- Project management information system (PMIS): A PMIS is a software tool used to assist in project management activities such as planning, scheduling, and monitoring.
Outputs:
- Project management plan: The project management plan is a document that outlines how the project will be executed, monitored, and controlled. It includes information such as the project scope, schedule, budget, quality standards, risk management plan, and communication plan.
3. Direct and Manage Project Work
The third process in Project Integration Management is to direct and manage project work. This process involves executing the project management plan and coordinating the project team’s activities. The inputs, tools and techniques, and outputs of this process are as follows:
Inputs:
- Project management plan: The project management plan provides the guidelines for executing the project.
- Approved change requests: Any changes to the project management plan that have been approved by the project manager need to be taken into consideration during the execution phase.
- Enterprise environmental factors: These are internal and external factors that affect the project’s success, including organizational culture, regulations, and market conditions.
- Organizational process assets: These are tools, templates, and guidelines that the organization uses to manage projects, such as project management methodologies and historical data.
Tools and Techniques:
- Expert judgment: Expert judgment involves seeking advice and guidance from people who have experience and expertise in the project’s subject matter.
- Project management information system (PMIS): A PMIS is a software tool used to assist in project management activities such as planning, scheduling, and monitoring.
- Meetings: Meetings are used to communicate with team members and other stakeholders, resolve issues, and make decisions.
Outputs:
- Deliverables: The deliverables are the tangible results of the project and are created during the execution phase.
- Work performance data: Work performance data is the raw data collected during the execution phase, such as actual costs, duration, and quality metrics.
- Change requests: Any changes to the project management plan that are identified during the execution phase need to be documented and submitted for approval.
- Project management plan updates: Any updates to the project management plan that are necessary due to changes identified during the execution phase need to be documented.
4. Manage Project Knowledge
The fourth process in Project Integration Management is to manage project knowledge. This process involves creating, sharing, and using knowledge to achieve project goals. The inputs, tools and techniques, and outputs of this process are as follows:
Inputs:
- Project management plan: The project management plan provides the guidelines for managing project knowledge.
- Work performance data: Work performance data is the raw data collected during the execution phase, such as actual costs, duration, and quality metrics.
- Enterprise environmental factors: These are internal and external factors that affect the project’s success, including organizational culture, regulations, and market conditions.
- Organizational process assets: These are tools, templates, and guidelines that the organization uses to manage projects, such as project management methodologies and historical data.
Tools and Techniques:
- Expert judgment: Expert judgment involves seeking advice and guidance from people who have experience and expertise in the project’s subject matter.
- Knowledge management techniques: Knowledge management techniques are used to create, share, and use knowledge, such as lessons learned and best practices.
- Information management systems: Information management systems are used to store and share project knowledge.
Outputs:
- Lessons learned: Lessons learned are documented insights gained from the project, which can be used to improve future projects.
- Best practices: Best practices are documented processes or techniques that have been proven to be effective and efficient.
- Project management plan updates: Any updates to the project management plan that are necessary due to changes identified during the knowledge management phase need to be documented
5. Monitor and Control Project Work
The fifth process in Project Integration Management is to monitor and control project work. This process involves tracking project progress, identifying variances, and implementing corrective actions. The inputs, tools and techniques, and outputs of this process are as follows:
Inputs:
- Project management plan: The project management plan provides the guidelines for monitoring and controlling project work.
- Work performance data: Work performance data is the raw data collected during the execution phase, such as actual costs, duration, and quality metrics.
- Approved change requests: Any changes to the project management plan that have been approved by the project manager need to be taken into consideration during the monitoring and control phase.
- Enterprise environmental factors: These are internal and external factors that affect the project’s success, including organizational culture, regulations, and market conditions.
- Organizational process assets: These are tools, templates, and guidelines that the organization uses to manage projects, such as project management methodologies and historical data.
Tools and Techniques:
- Expert judgment: Expert judgment involves seeking advice and guidance from people who have experience and expertise in the project’s subject matter.
- Data analysis: Data analysis techniques are used to analyze work performance data and identify variances from the project plan.
- Decision making: Decision making techniques are used to make informed decisions about corrective actions to be taken to bring the project back on track.
Outputs:
- Work performance information: Work performance information is the analyzed data from the execution phase, which is used to identify variances and performance issues.
- Change requests: Any changes to the project management plan that are identified during the monitoring and control phase need to be documented and submitted for approval.
- Project management plan updates: Any updates to the project management plan that are necessary due to changes identified during the monitoring and control phase need to be documented.
6. Perform Integrated Change Control
The sixth process in Project Integration Management is to perform integrated change control. This process involves reviewing and approving or rejecting changes to the project management plan. The inputs, tools and techniques, and outputs of this process are as follows:
Inputs:
- Project management plan: The project management plan provides the guidelines for managing changes to the project.
- Change requests: Change requests are submitted during the execution phase and are reviewed during the change control phase.
- Work performance information: Work performance information is the analyzed data from the execution phase, which is used to evaluate the impact of change requests.
- Approved change requests: Any changes to the project management plan that have been approved by the project manager need to be taken into consideration during the change control phase.
- Enterprise environmental factors: These are internal and external factors that affect the project’s success, including organizational culture, regulations, and market conditions.
- Organizational process assets: These are tools, templates, and guidelines that the organization uses to manage projects, such as project management methodologies and historical data.
Tools and Techniques:
- Expert judgment: Expert judgment involves seeking advice and guidance from people who have experience and expertise in the project’s subject matter.
- Change control tools: Change control tools are used to track and manage change requests throughout the project.
- Meetings: Meetings are used to communicate with team members and other stakeholders, resolve issues, and make decisions.
Outputs:
- Approved change requests: Any changes to the project management plan that are approved during the change control phase need to be documented.
- Project management plan updates: Any updates to the project management plan that are necessary due to approved changes need to be documented.
7. Close Project or Phase
The seventh and final process in Project Integration Management is to close the project or phase. This process involves finalizing all project activities, completing administrative tasks, and transferring the completed product or service to the customer. The inputs, tools and techniques, and outputs of this process are as follows:
Inputs:
- Project management plan: The project management plan provides the guidelines for closing the project or phase.
- Work performance data: Work performance data is the raw data collected during the execution phase, such as actual costs, duration, and quality metrics.
- Approved change requests: Any changes to the project management plan that have been approved by the project manager need to be taken into consideration during the closing phase.
- Enterprise environmental factors: These are internal and external factors that affect the project’s success, including organizational culture, regulations, and market conditions.
- Organizational process assets: These are tools, templates, and guidelines that the organization uses to manage projects, such as project management methodologies and historical data.
Tools and Techniques:
- Expert judgment: Expert judgment involves seeking advice and guidance from people who have experience and expertise in the project’s subject matter.
- Project management information system (PMIS): A PMIS is a software tool that is used to manage project information, such as schedules, budgets, and status reports.
- Meetings: Meetings are used to communicate with team members and other stakeholders, resolve issues, and make decisions.
Outputs:
- Final product, service, or result: The final product or service is delivered to the customer, and the project is officially completed.
- Project documents: All project documentation, including the project management plan, project charter, and project reports, are archived for future reference.
- Organizational process assets updates: Any updates to the organization’s project management methodologies and historical data are documented for future projects.