Changes in PMBOK 5th Edition

The PMBOK 5th Edition was released a couple of weeks back and the Project Management Community (Especially the group that is currently preparing for their PMP Credential Examination) has been abuzz with news and loads of rumors about the PMBOK standard as well as the PMP Exam itself. The purpose of this article is to summarize the changes to the PMBOK Guide 5th Edition as compared to the PMBOK Guide 4th Edition.

To Start With - The Important Date - 1st August 2013:

All individuals who are appearing for their PMP Examination up until the end of July 2013 can continue to prepare using the PMBOK Guide 4th Edition. The new syllabus or should I say PMBOK Guide 5th Edition will be the syllabus for everyone appearing for the exam from the 1st of August 2013 onwards.

Action Item For You: If you are a PMP Credential Aspirant and have started preparing or intend on doing so in the next few weeks I would say, you pick up pace and schedule your exam dates ASAP. The PMBOK 5th Edition has a whole new Knowledge Area and a bunch of new processes to remember. So, most people would feel that it would be easier to take a crack at the PMP Credential with the 4th Edition of the PMBOK Guide. As a result, dates will start getting booked at a much faster pace than usual.

So, if I were you, I will probably go ahead and schedule an available date in May or June right away (You need solid preparation for at least 3 months in order to stand a good chance of clearing the Exam in your first attempt)

Changes to the PMBOK Guide 5th Edition

The PMBOK Guide 5th Edition is a much bigger book than the 4th Edition. The pdf copy of the 5th Edition PMBOK Guide that you can download from PMI Website as a Member benefit has 616 Pages whereas the 4th Edition only had 497 pages - An Addition of 119 Pages

The 4th Edition of the PMBOK Guide had a total of 42 processes while the 5th Edition has 47 processes (5 more than its predecessor)

I hear you mumbling - So many more pages to read & more processes to understand/remember - All the more reasons to pick up pace and take up the Exam before June!!!

Let us now look at the changes to the PMBOK Guide 5th Edition - Knowledge Area Wise...

Project Integration Management:

There are no changes to the Project Integration Management Knowledge Area. All of its processes (From the 4th Edition) have been retained and continue to have the same name.

Project Scope Management:

The Project Scope Management Knowledge Area has two changes. We have one new Process and one process from the 4th Edition has been renamed. They are as follows:

New Process - Plan Scope Management

Renamed Process - Validate Scope (Was called Verify Scope in the 4th Edition)

Project Time Management:

The Project Time Management Knowledge Area has just one change. A New process to plan for this knowledge area has been added named - Plan Schedule Management

Project Cost Management:

The Project Cost Management Knowledge Area has just one change. A New process to plan for this knowledge area has been added named - Plan Cost Management

Project Quality Management:

The Project Quality Management Knowledge Area has two changes - Two of the older processes from the 4th Edition have been Renamed in the 5th Edition. They are:

Plan Quality Process has been Renamed to "Plan Quality Management"
Perform Quality Control Process has been Renamed to "Control Quality"

Project Human Resource Management:

The Project Human Resource Management Knowledge Area has just one change. One of its older processes from the 4th Edition has been renamed in the 5th Edition as follows:

Develop Human Resource Plan Process has been Renamed to Plan Human Resource Management

Project Communications Management:

The Project Communications Management is the knowledge area that is the most affected in the 5th Edition of the PMBOK Guide. One of the older processes has been renamed, 4 processes have been moved/deleted and two new processes have been added to the Knowledge Area. They are as follows:

Plan Communications has been Renamed to Plan Communications Management

Moved/Removed Processes:

1. Identify Stakeholder Process
2. Distribute Information
3. Manage Stakeholder Expectations and
4. Report Performance

New Processes:

1. Manage Communications - Added to the Project Execution Phase
2. Control Communications - Added to the Monitor and Control Phase

Project Risk Management:

There are no changes to the Project Risk Management Knowledge Area. All of its processes (From the 4th Edition) have been retained and continue to have the same name.

Project Procurement Management:

The Project Procurement Management Knowledge Area has two changes - Two of the older processes from the 4th Edition have been Renamed in the 5th Edition. They are:

1. Plan Procurements has been Renamed to Plan Procurement Management
2. Administer Procurements has been Renamed to Control Procurements

Project Stakeholder Management:

This is a whole New Knowledge Area that has been added to the 5th Edition of the PMBOK Guide. It includes 4 processes out of which 2 got moved from the Project Communications Management Knowledge Area and 2 are new processes.

Identify Stakeholders - Moved from Project Communications Management Knowledge Area
Plan Stakeholder Management - New Process in the Project Planning Phase
Manage Stakeholder Engagement - Manage Stakeholder Expectations got Renamed & Moved from Project Communications Management Knowledge Area
Control Stakeholder Engagement - New Process in the Monitor & Control Phase

Around May/June I will start writing about these new/modified processes that will be useful to the readers of my blog who will be taking up the PMP Exam based on the PMBOK Guide 5th Edition.