CHAPTER TWO
PROJECT INTEGRATION
MANAGEMENT
Overview of the Project integration mgt
Project integration management is a key element of project
management in that it focuses on the coordination of all
aspects of a project, and ensures that all processes in a project
run smoothly.
It serves as the glue connecting the other knowledge area
modules.
A holistic view of the entire process groups, knowledge areas,
tools, techniques, and strategies are combined to help the
project team in designing and implementing tasks.
Overview of the Project integration mgt
Project managers must coordinate all of the other
knowledge areas throughout a project’s life cycle
Many new project managers have trouble looking at the
“big picture” and want to focus on too many details
The least appreciated/understood but most important
knowledge area.
Good Project Integration Management is the Key to Overall
Project Success
Overview of the Project integration mgt
Project managers should have an enterprise view for their
project as it involves several moving components and they are
responsible to lead and coordinate project team members and
stakeholders.
Project integration management ensures that all the elements
of a project are properly coordinated, making tradeoffs among
competing alternatives and objectives to meet stakeholder
needs.
Framework for Project Integration Management
Focus on pulling everything to-
gether to reach project success!
Project Integration Management (cont’d)
PMI defines integration management as the processes and
activities to identify, define, combine, unify and coordinate the
various processes and project management activities within the
Project Management Process Groups (Project Management Institute, A Guide to the
Project Management Body of Knowledge, (PMBOK® Guide) – Fifth Edition, Project Management Institute Inc., 2013
p.63)
Integration includes:
Characteristics of unification, consolidation, communication, and
integrative actions that are crucial to controlled project execution
Making choices about resource allocation, competing objectives, and
alternatives
Managing interdependencies among the project management knowledge
areas.
Project Management Institute, A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge, (PMBOK® Guide) –
Fifth Edition, Project Management Institute Inc., 2013 P.63
Project Integration Management (cont’d)
Six processes of project integration management are identified by PMI:
Develop Project Charter-The process of developing a document that formally
authorizes the existence of a project and provides the project manager with the
authority to apply organizational resources to project activities.
Develop Project Management Plan-The process of defining, preparing, and
coordinating all subsidiary plans and integrating them into a comprehensive
project management plan.
Direct and manage project work-The process of leading and performing the
work defined in the project management plan and implementing approved
changes to achieve the project’s objectives.
Monitor and control project work-The process of tracking, reviewing, and
reporting project progress against the performance objectives defined in the
project management plan.
Perform integrated change control-The process of reviewing all change
requests; approving changes and managing changes to deliverables.
Close project or phase-The process of finalizing all activities across all of the
Project Management Process Groups to formally complete the phase or project.
Project Integration Management (cont’d)
Project Integration Management – Project
Charter
Developing the project charter: The first process devoted to
developing a document that formally authorizes the existence
of a project and provides the Project Manager the authority to
apply organizational resources to project activities.
A project charter includes:
Roles and responsibilities of key stakeholders
Project sponsors and their power and interest
High level scope of the project
Decision making hierarchy
Partnership agreement between performing and requesting
organizations
Project Integration Management – Project
Management Plan
Develop Project Management Plan (PMP)
The process of defining, preparing, and coordinating all subsidiary
plans and integrating them into a comprehensive project management
plan (Project Management Institute, A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge,
(PMBOK® Guide) – Fifth Edition, Project Management Institute Inc., 2013 p.72).
Creates a central document that defines the bases for all project work.
Helps to define how the project is implemented, monitored, controlled
and finally closed.
As a living document the contents of the plan are created and updated
throughout the lifecycle of the project.
Combined with integrated change control this document will be the
reference point for the project and program.
Project Management Plan
Source: Project Management Institute, A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge, (PMBOK® Guide) – Fifth Edition, Project Management Institute Inc., 2013, Table 4-1, Page 78.
Attributes of Project Plans
Just as projects are unique, so are project plans
Plans should be dynamic
Plans should be flexible
Plans should be updated as changes occur
Plans should first and foremost guide project execution
Common Elements of a Project Plan
The common elements of a project plan include:
Introduction or overview of the project
Description of how the project is organized
Management and technical processes used on the
project
Work to be done, schedule, and budget information
Introduction or overview of the project
The project name
A brief description of the project and the need it
addresses
The sponsor’s name
The names of the project manager and key team
members
Deliverables of the project
A list of definitions and acronyms, if appropriate
Description of how the project is organized
Organizational charts
Project responsibilities
Other organizational or process related information
Management and technical processes used on the
project
Management objectives
Project controls
Risk management
Project staffing
Technical processes
Work to be done
Major work packages
Key deliverables
Other work-related information
Project schedule information
Summary schedule
Detailed schedule
Other schedule-related information
Project budget
Summary budget
Detailed budget
Other budget-related information
Sample Outline for a Software Project
Management Plan (SPMP)
Project Management Plan Sections
Introduction Project Managerial Technical Work
Organization Process Process Packages,
Schedule, and
Budget
Section Project Process model; Management Methods, tools, Work
Topics overview; organizational objectives and and packages;
project structure; priorities; techniques; Dependencies;
deliverables; organizational assumptions, software resource
evolution of boundaries and dependencies, documentation; requirements;
the SPMP; interfaces; and and project budget and
reference project constraints; support resource
materials; responsibilities risk functions allocation;
definitions and management; and schedule
acronyms monitoring
and
controlling
mechanisms;
and staffing
plan
Project Integration Management – Direct and
Manage Project Work
This is the process of leading and performing the work defined in the
Project Management Plan ( PMP) and implementing approved changes to
achieve the project objectives (Project Management Institute, A Guide to the Project
Management Body of Knowledge, (PMBOK® Guide) – Fifth Edition, Project Management Institute Inc.,
2013 p.79).
Providing overall management of the project work.
All work, from the daily activities of managing the project team to
planning, executing, and monitoring deliverables, managing risk and
issues, as well as adjusting the scope of the project, is performed in this
process.
Providing status updates to executive steering committee and sponsors
meeting.
Coordinating change and configuration control work.
Evaluating the health of the project through various tools and techniques
(EVM, Risk, Quality analysis).
Project Integration Management – Monitor and
Control
Monitoring and controlling project work involves the process of tracking,
reviewing, and reporting progress to ensure that the performance
objectives defined in the project management plan are met.
Allows the project team, sponsors, and other key stakeholders to
understand the status of the project.
Helps to track the cost allocation, burn rate, and provide status reports.
Hold periodically (weekly, bi-weekly, monthly) integrated risk evaluation
meeting to identify, qualify, and quantify risks and provide response
strategies.
Evaluate the progress of the project against the baseline numbers.
Case -What Went Wrong?
Many people have a poor view of plans based on past
experiences. Senior managers often require a plan, but then no
one follows up on whether the plan was followed.
For example, one project manager said he would meet with each
project team leader within two months to review their plans. The
project manager created a detailed schedule for these reviews.
He cancelled the first meeting due to another business
commitment. He rescheduled the next meeting for unexplained
personal reasons. Two months later, the project manager had still
not met with over half of the project team leaders.
Why should project members feel obligated to follow their own
plans when the project manager obviously did not follow his?
Project Integration Management – Integrated
Change Control
The process of reviewing all change requests, approving changes and
managing changes to deliverables, organizational process assets, project
documents, and the project management plan, as well as communicating
their disposition (Project Management Institute, A Guide to the Project Management Body of
Knowledge, (PMBOK® Guide) – Fifth Edition, Project Management Institute Inc., 2013 p.94).
This process is performed throughout the project lifecycle from inception
to completion.
Change Control Board (CCB) or Engineering Review Committee (ERB) is
formed within the project to review and approve any changes from the
original approved plan.
Key stakeholders are represented on the Board to make sure that the
change requested satisfies the project requirements.
Supported by some sort of software to track the change.
Project Integration Management – Integrated
Change Control (cont’d)
Main objectives for the change control process
include:
Influencing the factors that create changes to ensure that changes
are beneficial - tradeoff on scope, time, cost, and quality.
Determining that a change has occurred – The PM must be on top of
the status of key project areas at all times and communicate changes
to top management and stakeholders.
Managing actual changes as they occur – change is unavoidable, so
careful change control is a critical success factor to a project.
A change control system:
Is a formal, documented process that describes when and how official
project documents and work may be changed.
Describes who is authorized to make changes and how to make them.
Integrated Change Control Process
Change Control ( Example, IT Projects)
Former view: The project team should strive to do
exactly what was planned on time and within budget
Problem: Stakeholders rarely agreed up-front on the
project scope, and time and cost estimates were
inaccurate
Modern view: Project management is a process of
constant communication and negotiation
Solution: Changes are often beneficial, and the
project team should plan for them
Change Control System
A formal, documented process that describes when
and how official project documents and work may
be changed
Describes who is authorized to make changes and
how to make them
Often includes a change control board (CCB),
configuration management, and a process for
communicating changes
Change Control Boards (CCBs)
A formal group of people responsible for approving
or rejecting changes on a project
CCBs provide guidelines for preparing change
requests, evaluate change requests, and manage the
implementation of approved changes
Includes stakeholders from the entire organization
Making Timely Changes
Some CCBs only meet occasionally, so it may take
too long for changes to occur
Some organizations have policies in place for time-
sensitive changes
“48-hour policy” allows project team members to
make decisions, then they have 48 hours to reverse the
decision pending senior management approval
Delegate changes to the lowest level possible, but keep
everyone informed of changes
Suggestions for Managing Integrated Change
Control
· View project management as a process of constant
communications and negotiations
· Plan for change
· Establish a formal change control system, including a
Change Control Board (CCB)
· Use good configuration management
· Define procedures for making timely decisions on smaller
changes
· Use written and oral performance reports to help identify
and manage change
· Use project management and other software to help manage
and communicate changes
Project Integration Management – Close
This is the process of finalizing all activities across all of the
project management process groups to formally complete the
project phase (Project Management Institute, A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge,
(PMBOK® Guide) – Fifth Edition, Project Management Institute Inc., 2013 p.100).
Important phase where:
Lessons learned document is developed
Contracts are formally closed and resources are released
Projects are formally delivered to the customer
The project is transferred to operation
