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Definintions Book v210/2/064:02 pmPage CAPM BODY OF KNOWLEDGEDEFINITIONS

Definintions Book v210/2/064:02 pmPage 1IntroductionThe APM Body of Knowledge is a well-established collection of projectmanagement knowledge, now in its fifth edition. Divided into sections and topicsit provides introductions and common guides to those areas considered essentialto the discipline of managing projects. This information directly assists all thoseinterested in project management in their work, studies and learning. The 5thEdition has a total of 52 topics divided amongst seven sections. The APM Bodyof Knowledge 5th Edition - Definitions is a subsection of the full documentproviding high level definitions for each topic area.The complete APM Body of Knowledge 5th Edition provides more detaileddefinitions of each topic, suggested reading lists, a glossary, list of acronyms and anindex, as well as cross-referencing, section-coding and a word search facility (in thedigital version).The full APM Body of Knowledge 5th Edition is available in book format from APMPublishing (www.apmpublishing.com) or as an exclusive APM members’ benefit onCD-ROM. APM members can also download the APM Body of Knowledge in PDFformat from the members area of the APM website (www.apm.org.uk)The fold out definitions guidecan be found on the insideback cover1

Definintions Book v210/2/064:02 pmPage 2The StructureThe APM Body of KnowledgeThe primary structure of the text is well established in the following seven sections:Project management in contextPlanning the strategyExecuting the strategyTechniquesBusiness and commercialOrganisation and governancePeople and the professionThere is nothing absolutely fixed about this structure in its format or sequence;it does, however, have clarity and logic. Many of the topics addressed in eachsection are closely linked with others elsewhere, or are interdependent.However, they are treated separately due to their significance and to aid insimplicity of their presentation. In reality many topics may fit into more thanone section - as they may be applicable to more than one phase of a project.For example, project risk management and project quality management arenot to be treated as topics in isolation.2

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Definintions Book v210/2/064:02 pmPage 3Section 1Project management in context1.1Project managementProject management is the process by which projects are defined, planned,monitored, controlled and delivered such that the agreed benefits arerealised. Projects are unique, transient endeavours undertaken to achieve adesired outcome. Projects bring about change and project management isrecognised as the most efficient way of managing such change.1.2Programme managementProgramme management is the co-ordinated management of relatedprojects, which may include related business-as-usual activities thattogether achieve a beneficial change of a strategic nature for anorganisation. What constitutes a programme will vary across industriesand business sectors but there are core programme management processes.1.3Portfolio managementPortfolio management is the selection and management of all of anorganisation’s projects, programmes and related business-as-usual activitiestaking into account resource constraints. A portfolio is a group of projectsand programmes carried out under the sponsorship of an organisation.Portfolios can be managed at an organisational, programme orfunctional level.1.4Project contextProject context refers to the environment within which a project isundertaken. Projects do not exist in a vacuum and an appreciation of thecontext within which the project is being performed will assist thoseinvolved in project management to deliver a project.3

Definintions Book v21.510/2/064:02 pmPage 4Project sponsorshipProject sponsorship is an active senior management role, responsible foridentifying the business need, problem or opportunity. The sponsor ensuresthe project remains a viable proposition and that benefits are realised,resolving any issues outside the control of the project manager.1.6Project officeA project office serves the organisation’s project management needs.A project office can range from simple support functions for the projectmanager to being responsible for linking corporate strategy toproject execution.4

Definintions Book v210/2/064:02 pmPage 5Section 2Planning the strategy2.1Project success and benefits managementProject success is the satisfaction of stakeholder needs and is measuredby the success criteria as identified and agreed at the start of the project.Benefits management is the identification of the benefits at an organisationallevel and the monitoring and realisation of those benefits.2.2Stakeholder managementStakeholder management is the systematic identification, analysis andplanning of actions to communicate with, negotiate with and influencestakeholders. Stakeholders are all those who have an interest or role in theproject or are impacted by the project.2.3Value managementValue management is a structured approach to defining what value meansto the organisation and the project. It is a framework that allows needs,problems or opportunities to be defined and then enables review ofwhether the initial project objectives can be improved to determine theoptimal approach and solution.2.4Project management planThe project management plan brings together all the plans for a project.The purpose of the project management plan (PMP) is to document theoutcomes of the planning process and to provide the reference documentfor managing the project. The project management plan is owned by theproject manager.2.5Project risk managementProject risk management is a structured process that allows individualrisk events and overall project risk to be understood and managedproactively, optimising project success by minimising threats andmaximising opportunities.5

Definintions Book v22.610/2/064:02 pmPage 6Project quality managementProject quality management is the discipline that is applied to ensure thatboth the outputs of the project and the processes by which the outputsare delivered meet the required needs of stakeholders. Quality is broadlydefined as fitness for purpose or more narrowly as the degree ofconformance of the outputs and process.2.7Health, safety and environmental managementHealth, safety and environmental management is the process of determiningand applying appropriate standards and methods to minimise the likelihoodof accidents, injuries or environmental impact both during the project andduring the operation of its deliverables.6

Definintions Book v210/2/064:02 pmPage 7Section 3Executing the strategy3.1Scope managementScope management is the process by which the deliverables and work toproduce them are identified and defined. Identification and definition ofthe scope must describe what the project will include and what it will notinclude, i.e. what is in and out of scope.3.2SchedulingScheduling is the process used to determine the overall project durationand when activities and events are planned to happen. This includesidentification of activities and their logical dependencies, and estimationof activity durations, taking into account requirements and availabilityof resources.3.3Resource managementResource management identifies and assigns resources to activities so thatthe project is undertaken using appropriate levels of resources and withinan acceptable duration. Resource allocation, smoothing, levelling andscheduling are techniques used to determine and manage appropriatelevels of resources.3.4Budgeting and cost managementBudgeting and cost management is the estimating of costs and the setting ofan agreed budget, and the management of actual and forecast costs againstthat budget.3.5Change controlChange control is the process that ensures that all changes made to aproject’s baselined scope, time, cost and quality objectives or agreedbenefits are identified, evaluated, approved, rejected or deferred.7

Definintions Book v23.610/2/064:02 pmPage 8Earned value managementEarned value management (EVM) is a project control process based ona structured approach to planning, cost collection and performancemeasurement. It facilitates the integration of project scope, time andcost objectives and the establishment of a baseline plan forperformance measurement.3.7Information management and reportingInformation management is the collection, storage, dissemination, archivingand appropriate destruction of project information. Information reportingtakes information and presents it in an appropriate format which includesthe formal communication of project information to stakeholders.3.8Issue managementIssue management is the process by which concerns that threaten theproject objectives and cannot be resolved by the project manager areidentified and addressed to remove the threats they pose.8

Definintions Book v210/2/064:02 pmPage 9Section 4Techniques4.1Requirements managementRequirements management is the process of capturing, analysing andtesting the documented statement of stakeholder and user wants andneeds. Requirements are a statement of the need that a project has tosatisfy, and should be comprehensive, clear, well structured, traceableand testable.4.2DevelopmentDevelopment is the progressive working up of a preferred solution toan optimised solution during the definition and implementation phases.The optimised solution is refined with the stakeholders againstthe requirements.4.3EstimatingEstimating uses a range of tools and techniques to produce estimates.An estimate is an approximation of project time and cost targets that isrefined throughout the project life cycle.4.4Technology managementTechnology management is the management of the relationship betweenavailable and emerging technologies, the organisation and the project.It also includes management of the enabling technologies used to deliverthe project, technologies used to manage the project and the technologyof the project deliverables.4.5Value engineeringValue engineering is concerned with optimising the conceptual, technicaland operational aspects of a project’s deliverables. Value engineering utilisesa series of proven techniques during the implementation phase of a project.9

Definintions Book v24.610/2/064:02 pmPage 10Modelling and testingModelling and testing are used to provide a representation and assuranceof whether the project objectives can be achieved. Modelling is the processof creating and using a device that duplicates the physical or operationalaspects of a deliverable. Testing is the process of determining how aspectsof a deliverable perform when subjected to specified conditions.4.7Configuration managementConfiguration management comprises the technical and administrativeactivities concerned with the creation, maintenance and controlled changeof the configuration throughout the project life cycle.10