[.ca] A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (ISBN 193069945X)

The beginning and end to all things:
For those new to this book it is pretty much the project manager's bible in the same sense that "The C Programming Language" by Brian W Kernighan, Dennis M. Ritchie is to programming. That is to say this is the one to get off the ground with. It is also the basis of the PMP (Project Management Professional) test given by the PMI (Project Management Institute.) It comes in both paper, and CD-ROM using Adobe Reader. I have seen the paper book but bought the CD version it includes a tutorial on how to use the CD-ROM media. The media is a mater of preference. There are 425 pages and a good index and references. Be aware that there are earlier versions. At the time of this review this is the latest version; however as The Body of Knowledge advances so will the PMBOK (Project Management Body of Knowledge Guide .) There for it is advisable for people that have read the earlier version to now read this version as a few terms have changed and some emphases have shifted. As with any institutional book this is a good starting place or a solid foundation. However it may not cover concentrating on the waterfall concept of project management many instances such as the Unified method among others. They also do not take in many external influences as FDA requirements. And it is up to the reader to reconcile the two institutions. Some changes to the Third Edition: * Differences in project life cycle and product life cycle are better explained. * The number of process changed from 39 to 44. * A greater emphasis is placed on the importance of Process Groups. * Chapter three "Project Management Process for a Project" is moved and renamed "The Standard for Project Management of a Project." * The project management processes now show process integration.

PMP Candidates Take Notice!:
This book is a description of the Project Management Institute's standards. It is an interesting albeit long read with a lot of information packed into its roughly 400 pages. I had to read it 3 times in order to better understand the PMI's methodology. If you have some project management experience, and want to take the PMP certification test, you will have to read this book. However, I would recommend that you supplement your reading with books focused on preparation for the PMP exams/tests. If you are an expert or experienced project manager, I recommend THE BLACK BOOK OF OUTSOURCING by Dr Doug Brown & Dr Scott Wilson, as the Outsourcing Industry is begging for seasoned Project Managers in all phases and career steps. This book will tell you where to find the jobs and how to qualify. Excellent way to capitalize on the phenomenon personally.

Very pedestrian...:
This book is the same as the previous edition. The content can be found in other project management books. The explanations are not sufficient to figure out the usage of the project management tools. The analytical explanations are not described very thoroughly nor are they relevant with the subjects described. If you need to write the PM exam then you would want to go with this book since this book is the only official guide available... Other than that, I wouldn't recommend it.

A good compilation of the PM knowledge areas. But, quite difficult to absorb.:
This book was the textbook for a Project Management course I recently completed. We covered the project management methodologies, as promoted by the Project Management Institute (PMI). I found the format of this book somewhat difficult to absorb. However, I must admit that the PMI did a good job including many concepts that are important to the profession of project management. The first three chapters give a good introduction to project management, while chapters 4 through 12 are dedicated to each of the 9 PM knowledge areas. The core of this book is the set of 44 processes, mapped out into the 5 process groups and the 9 knowledge area. Each process has corresponding Inputs, Tools and Techniques, and Outputs. One aspect of the formatting of the book I found unhelpful was that I think of the processes in terms of the process groups, while they are explained in the chapters corresponding to the knowledge areas. The process groups are: 1. Initiating 2. Planning 3. Executing 4. Monitoring & Control 5. Closing The knowledge areas are: 1. Project Integration Management 2. Project Scope Management 3. Project Time Management 4. Project Cost Management 5. Project Quality Management 6. Project Human Resources Management 7. Project Communications Management 8. Project Risk Management 9. Project Procurement Management Looking beyond the difficulty to absorb the material, this is an American National Standard and is necessary reading for the PMP and CAPM designations. The PMP designation is valued in the industry and is a good boost to the careers of Project Managers. However, if you are taking the exam you should consider using other exam guides in addition to this book.

Dictionary of Project Management:
Peter Drucker says: "Intellectuals and scholars tend to believe that ideas come first, which then lead to new political, social, economic, psychological realities. This does happen, but it is the exception. As a rule, theory does not precede practice. Its role is to structure and codify already proven practice. Its role is to convert the isolated and "atypical" from exception to "rule" and "system," and therefore into something that can be learned and taught and, above all, into something that can be generally applied." PMBOK tries to capture Project Management practice as a theory. It reads like a dictionary therefore not for cover to cover reading for everyone. However, its value for a Project Management Professional can be compared to the value of a dictionary for a writer. A strong advice is in order. Reading it will not turn you into a Project Manager Professional overnight. Funny enough, reading a dictionary is not enough to be a good writer.