One of the major concepts that is misunderstood in the PMBOK guide is the concept of the five process groups. Initiating, executing, monitoring, controlling, and closing. Most of the project managers usually mistakenly refer to these five process groups as if they were phases of a project. At first look, it’s simple to see why they may think as phases. In a nice “waterfall” design for the project, the first phase could be the Initiation phase where we authorize and start the project, yes. After receiving the project authorized, we should straight away start the setting up phase of the project; then, of course, we can directly go to the Executing Phase; then we can move to the Monitoring & Controlling phase – (I think this is equivalent to the “testing” phase); and at the last, we go to the Closing phase of the project. That sounds logical, right.

Well, that isn’t all what PMI means by the five process groups, and they go to lengths to emphasize this point. (See page 41 of version four of the PMBOK Guide. In bold print, they say “The Process Groups are not project phases.”) Contrary to this, they move on to describe how processes from the five process groups should occur in each stage of a project. This is an essential part in

About the Author:
Kathy Green is a dedicated social worker who while serving the disabled people in Ireland, came across the very common issue of effective disability equipments, especially in case of stairlifts. She has also performed market research on the equipment providers and the stairlifts rentals.