Fully understanding the Project Management Institute’s (PMI ) approach to project management can be diffi- cult. This is not because of the complexity of the material. The difficulty arises from having a body of knowl- edge that is structured for referencing, not learning. PMI divides the tasks associated with project management into 44 processes. There are also 44 different man- agement activities that must be completed, in a specific order . | Global Knowledge Expert Reference Series ofWhite Papers Project Management Network Diagram A Tool for Understanding the PM Life Cycle 1-800-COURSES Project Management Network Diagram A Tool for Understanding the PM Life Cycle Brian Denis Egan Global Knowledge Instructor MBA PMP Overview Fully understanding the Project Management Institute s PMI approach to project management can be difficult. This is not because of the complexity of the material. The difficulty arises from having a body of knowledge that is structured for referencing not learning. PMI divides the tasks associated with project management into 44 processes. There are also 44 different management activities that must be completed in a specific order. These activities or processes are well described by training manuals. Unfortunately they are discussed in isolation from each other. As a consequence it is very hard to develop a comprehensive understanding of the relationships between the many processes. If you are new to PMI you need a summary document that provides an overview and introduction to the big picture. Once you can see the forest it is possible to study individual trees. Fortunately if you are trying to prepare for the Project Management Professional PMP exam such an overview is now available through Global Knowledge. The Project Management Network Diagram PM Network Diagram provides a visual illustration of the project management life cycle in terms of the chain of events that take place in a project . Study Time As a graphical presentation of the project management life cycle this diagram summarizes a large portion of the Project Management Body of Knowledge PMBOK . It can radically reduce the time required to prepare for the PMP exam. In effect the PM Network Diagram does for the learning process what a network diagram does for projects. It provides a visual aid that simplifies the explanation and discussion of project management stages their relationships and .
