This document summarizes one project manager's experience reconciling project management theory with real-world practice. It discusses some disconnects between PM processes and knowledge areas outlined in methodologies and the realities of managing projects. Specifically, it notes that while PM process groups are understood, properly rightsizing processes to projects and accounting for factors beyond the triple constraint of time, cost, and quality can be challenging. Managing stakeholder expectations and controlling scope creep are also areas where methodologies provide limited practical guidance.

1. Reconciling PM Theory vs. Practice One PM’s Experience* *And a Big Assist from Members of the PMI Credentialed PMP Group in Linkedin

3. Served as a PM for many years

4. For New World Systems, Inc.

5. For Sun Microsystems, Inc

6. For Secure-24

7. Focus mainly on IT infrastructure projects

8. No software development or construction projects

9. Some/many(?) may not apply to other industries

10. My company’s project maturity is 0 -1

12. Spark some conversation

14. PM Knowledge Areas – Some Disconnects

15. General Challenges

17. Planning Process Group

18. Executing Process Groups

19. Monitoring & Controlling Groups

21. Project Scope Management

22. Project Time Management

23. Project Cost Management

24. Project Quality Management

25. Project HR Management

26. Project Communication Management

27. Project Risk Management

29. PM Processes & Methodology

30. PM Processes: Project Initiation

31. PM Process groups are understood & appreciated

32. PM Processes & Methodology

33. Rightsizing Your Processes

34. PM Processes & Methodology

35. Does the Triple Constraint Rule? The importance of the infamous three constraints time/quality/budget is greatly exaggerated by all methodologies Customer/stakeholder satisfaction is greatly underappreciated and can be depending on many other factors than just the infamous three.

36. Does the Triple Constraint Rule? The importance of the infamous three constraints time/quality/budget is greatly exaggerated by all methodologies Customer/stakeholder satisfaction is greatly underappreciated and can be depending on many other factors than just the infamous three.

37. PM Processes & Methodology

38. PM Knowledge areas

39. Gaps in PIMBOK Methodologies do not spend enough time evaluating and providing mechanisms on how to: Manage Stakeholder expectations, and Manage Scope Creep. They tell you how to monitor it, but not much on controlling it.