Common project management tools and techniques by knowledge area

• focuses on the larger tasks that must be done for the project to work. the practice of making certain that every part of the project is coordinated.
• Project manager is keeping a close eye on the project, getting a bird’s eye view of the project on a regular basis and check whether everything is going according to plan

deals with the processes of defining and documenting all the work that is required to successfully complete a project.
• is it’s essence–it determines what the project is all about, the deliverables that are to be provided, and the groundwork upon which the project team shall build.
• changes to scope should be handled in a structured, procedural and controlled manner.
• the goal is to define the need, set the expectations, deliver to the expectations, manage changes, and minimize surprises and gain acceptance of the project.
• make sure the scope is well defined and communicated very clearly to all stakeholders.
• also involves managing the project to limit unnecessary changes
• after scope has been defined, it should be documented in the form of a scope statement: describes the objectives and purpose for the project, should include key contacts and milestones related to the project, target completion date and so on.
• constantly keep checking the various elements to ensure all the work is being completed and managed effectively. this ensures the integrity of the approved scope for any project.

Gantt charts, project network diagrams, critical path analysis, crashing, fast tracking, schedule performance measurements

Project budgets, net present value, return on investment, payback analysis, earned value management, project portfolio management, cost estimates, cost management plans, cost baselines

Quality metrics, checklists, quality control charts, Pareto diagrams, fishbone diagrams, maturity models, statistical methods, test plans

Motivation techniques, empathic listening, responsibility assignment matrices, project organizational charts, resource histograms, team building exercises

Communications management plans, kick-off meetings, conflict management, communications media selection, status and progress reports, virtual communications, templates, project Web sites

Risk management plans, risk registers, probability/impact
matrices, risk rankings

Make-or-buy analyses, contracts, requests for proposals or quotes, source selections, supplier evaluation matrices

the project’s success is ultimately defined by stakeholders, and in particular, the beneficiaries of the projects outcome. They can consider a project successful if the deliverables truly meet their needs. PM has to maintain stakeholder relationships, has to understand how they fit within the context of the organization, and against one another; PM needs to be able to negotiate, influence and use soft skills to keep those stakeholders in line.