
The 12 principles of project management PMBOK 7th edition guide project managers to successful project execution and delivery. So, in this article, we’ll explain the 12 principles of PMBOK 7th edition.
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What Are the Principles of Project Management PMBOK 7?
Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) 7 edition is designed to be ‘principle’ based. However, previous editions of PMBOK had ten knowledge areas, and each knowledge area has processes underneath. Under these processes were inputs, tools and techniques, and outputs. But, processes are not explicitly available in the top hierarchy of the PMBOK 7th edition. So, instead, the principles would be typically accepted and practiced in project management. However, keep in mind! Many project managers use ten knowledge area processes for their daily project activities.
Managing projects can be complex when you don’t have a better understanding of where to start and how to operate. But, project management principles play a vital role by serving as a guide to handling the projects. Further, keep this in mind! The project principles might not tell what precisely you have to do. However, they will give a clear direction for applying the tools, techniques, knowledge, and skills to the project tasks or activities and ultimately meet the project requirements. Moreover, as a project manager, it is crucial for you to clearly define the project scope to create a practical project plan.
Accordingly, to define the project scope, the project management principles can help identify project needs, objectives, and triple constraints. In short, these principles provide a framework for project managers to plan, execute, and deliver projects effectively. So, let’s explore the 12 principles of PMBOK 7th edition.
The 12 Principles of Project Management PMBOK 7th Edition
The 12 principles of PMBOK 7th edition serve as foundational guidelines for decision-making, problem solving, and strategy, while methodologies and standards are often based on these principles. These principles focus on people’s behavior and processes in project delivery. As such, a principle can be guiding for project managers. Furthermore, the 12 principles of PMBOK act like the rules for the entire project management process. Therefore, as a project manager, you must adhere to these principles to understand that you are working in the right direction and ensure the successful completion of a project.
The 12 principles are aligned with the values identified in the PMI Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct. Accordingly, this is based on four values. Those are responsibility, respect, fairness, and honesty. Furthermore, these principles provide a comprehensive and holistic approach to project management and guide project managers in pursuit of successful project execution and delivery. So, let’s explore them one by one in this article.
Stewardship
Stewardship is the first principle of PMBOK 7th edition. This means being entrusted with the care of the project, which includes responsible and trustworthy conduct in project tasks or activities, focusing on planning and management of resources, holistic view considering integrity, trustworthiness, care, and compliance, board commitment to financial, social, and environment impacts, and upholding ethics and values. However, stewardship encompasses responsibilities within and outside the organization.
In short, stewards serve as responsible for carrying out project activities with integrity, trustworthiness, and care while maintaining compliance with within and outside guidelines of the organization. The following are some responsibilities of stewardship.
- Operating and alignment with the organization, its vision, mission, objectives, strategy, and more
- Identifying the appropriate use of authority, responsibility, and accountability specifically in leadership positions
- Quickly oversight of organization finance, materials, and other resources used within a project
- Environmental sustainability ( this is an external responsibility)
Team Leadership
Team leadership is the second principle of PMBOK 7th edition. Project teams are made up of individuals who use a variety of skills, experience, and knowledge. So, project teams play a crucial role throughout the project. As a project manager, if you need to deliver your project successfully, you should have a good sense of identifying the right team members to complete each project’s tasks or activities.
Typically, project team members work within (internal) organization and professional culture and guidelines. Most of the time, they establish their own “local” culture. However, if project team members work collaboratively, they can accomplish a shared objective more productively than individuals who work independently. The following are some benefits of a collaborative project team environment.
- Aligning with organizational guidelines and cultures
- Promotes individual and team learning
- Help to deliver desired outcomes
Read More: Top 14 most effective collaboration tools for project management
Stakeholder Engagement
Stakeholder engagement is the third principle of PMBOK 7th edition. As a project manager, you should engage stakeholders proactively and to the degree needed to contribute to project success. On the other hand, it will help increase the customer satisfaction. Stakeholders can be individuals, groups, or organizations who may directly or indirectly influence a project, its performance, or its outcomes.
Related Post: Stakeholder management in project management
Accordingly, stakeholders can affect many aspects of a project as follows.
- Project scope – Revealing the project need for adding, adjusting, or removing elements of the scope or project requirements
- Project cost – Helping reduce or eliminate planned expenditures or providing required additional resources
- Project schedule – Providing ideas to accelerate delivery or stop delivery of key project activities
However, Stakeholders may come and go during the project life cycle. In addition to that, the degree of stakeholders’ influence, impact, or interest may change over time.
Value
Value is the fourth principle of PMBOK 7th edition. Focusing on project values and continuously evaluating progress help project managers adapt to maximize the expected value. Values can be realized during the project life cycle as follows.
- At the end of the project
- After the project is complete
Furthermore, values focus on the quantitative and qualitative outcomes of the project and its support of intended benefits for value creation. Value can also be non-financial, such as social benefits. However, most of the projects are operated with a business case, and it has the intended value that the project intends to reap. Typically, a business case is a starting point for value, and it can contain information about the economic feasibility study, strategic alignment, ROI, evaluation, and alternative approaches. Moreover, it may include the following elements, which are supportive and interrelated.
- Business needs
- Project justification
- Business strategy
However, value can be realized if stakeholders are aligned with the project vision. As a project manager, if you need to maximize the value, your team must focus on the intended outcomes rather than the deliverables. Keep this in mind! Value is subjective between different organizations and projects.
Read More: Why stakeholder management is important in project management
System Thinking
System thinking is the fifth principle of PMBOK 7th edition. A project is a system of interdependent and interacting domains of activity, which may constantly be changing, requiring consistent attention to within and outside conditions. Being responsive to system interactions helps team members to leverage positive outcomes. Project teams should perceive the holistic view of the project as a system because it helps to understand that a single change can cascade across the project. So this will make them think about the entire system, even for small changes. On the other hand, this increases the stability of the final deliverables. The following are some skills that support a system view of the project.
- Empathy with the business areas
- Critical thinking with a big-picture focus
- Seeking outside (external) review and advice
- Use integrated methods or practices
- Proactive integration management
- Ability to adjust assumptions and plan during the project life cycle, etc.
Leadership
Leadership is the sixth principle of PMBOK 7th edition. By having effective leadership, you can promote project success and contribute to positive project outcomes. Any project team member can demonstrate leadership behaviors through the following areas.
- Integrity
- Honesty
- Ethical conduct
Furthermore, smart leaders adapt their style to the situations and recognize differences in motivation among project team members. According to that, leadership consists of the talent, attitude, character, and behaviors to influence individuals internally and externally on the project team toward the desired outcomes.
Project team members can improve their leadership acumen by adding or practicing a combination of skills or techniques, such as focusing a project team around agreed goals, seeking resources and support for the project, overcoming obstacles to project progress, facilitating collaborative decision making, and more.
Tailoring
Tailoring is the seventh principle of PMBOK 7th edition. Every project is unique. Therefore, create the project development approach based on the context of the project, its objectives, stakeholders, and the environment using ‘just enough’ process to achieve acceptable outcomes while increasing value, managing cost, and enhancing speed. Moreover, the project’s success is based on adapting to the unique context because it will help you determine the most appropriate methods to produce the desired outcomes.
However, this approach is iterative because it is a continuous process throughout the project. The following are some benefits of tailoring projects.
- Increased innovation and productivity
- Enhanced results through experimentation
- Optimization of existing methodology
Quality
Quality is the eighth principle of PMBOK 7th edition. Quality is the fulfillment of stakeholders’ needs and acceptance processes. Therefore, that helps ensure project processes are appropriate. As well as project quality may have several dimensions, such as performance, reliability, satisfaction, sustainability, efficiency, and more.
Quality management processes and practices help project managers produce outcomes and deliverables that meet project objectives and align with expectations and acceptance criteria expressed by the organization and relevant project stakeholders. Therefore, give close attention to quality in project processes to create positive outcomes. By ensuring positive quality outcomes, project managers can acquire benefits as follows.
- Enhanced cost control
- Increased quality of product delivery
- Reduced rework and scrap
- Reduced customer complaints
- Increased productivity
Read More: 11 benefits of project quality management
Complexity
Complexity is the ninth principle of PMBOK 7th edition. As a project manager, you should regularly evaluate and navigate project complexity because this can emerge at any point during the project. Complexity is the conditions or events that can affect the following areas.
- Value
- Scope
- Stakeholders
- Communications
- Technological innovation
Complexity cannot be controlled. However, project teams can modify their activities or tasks to address the impact of the complexity. Hence, project team members can stay vigilant in identifying and mitigating elements of complexity. The following are some of the common sources of complexity.
- System behavior
- Human behavior
- Technological innovation
- Uncertainty and ambiguity
However, the project team must apply system thinking and regular learning as tools because when they attempt to identify the complexity in the project, it will enhance their ability to navigate complexity easily.
Risk Management
Risk management is the tenth principle of PMBOK 7th edition. As a project manager, you should regularly evaluate project risk to identify opportunities and threats. So, it will help you maximize positive impacts and minimize negative impacts on your project and its outcomes. Read more: Risk management in project management
Project teams should regularly focus on these characteristics when identifying potential risk responses.
- Cost-effective
- Realistic within the project context
- Owned by a responsible person
- Appropriate and timely to the significance of the risk
Adaptability and Resiliency
Adaptability and resiliency is the eleventh principle of PMBOK 7th edition. As a project manager, you should build adaptability and resiliency into the organization and project team because it will help you respond to changing conditions, absorb impacts, and recover quickly from setbacks.
Change
Change is the twelfth principle of PMBOK 7th edition. Changes can occur for two reasons, as follows.
- The need for a new ability in the system
- The need to fill a gap in the existing system
According to that, a change can originate from internal influences or outside sources. However, enabling change in a project is challenging because attempting too much change can lead to change resistance or fatigue. However, as a project manager, you must ensure that appropriate change management techniques are used, such as vision goals and benefits associated with change.
Remember💡 The 12 principles of PMBOK 7th edition do not have any specific weighting or order.
Conclusion
As discussed earlier, the 12 principles are vital because they provide a comprehensive and holistic approach to project management and guide project managers to pursue successful project execution and delivery.