The purpose of Integrated Project Management (IPM) is to establish and manage the project and the involvement of the relevant stakeholders according to an integrated and defined process that is tailored from the organization’s set of standard processes.

Integrated Project Management involves the following:

·  Establishing the project’s defined process at project startup by tailoring the organization’s set of standard processes

·  Managing the project using the project’s defined process

·  Establishing the work environment for the project based on the organization's work environment standards

·  Using and contributing to the organizational process assets

·  Enabling relevant stakeholders’ concerns to be identified, considered, and, when appropriate, addressed during the development of the product

·  Ensuring that the relevant stakeholders perform their tasks in a coordinated and timely manner (1) to address product and product component requirements, plans, objectives, problems, and risks; (2) to fulfill their commitments; and (3) to identify, track, and resolve coordination issues

The integrated and defined process that is tailored from the organization’s set of standard processes is called the project’s defined process.

Managing the project’s effort, cost, schedule, staffing, risks, and other factors is tied to the tasks of the project’s defined process. The implementation and management of the project’s defined process are typically described in the project plan. Certain activities may be covered in other plans that affect the project, such as the quality assurance plan, risk management strategy, and the configuration management plan.

Since the defined process for each project is tailored from the organization’s set of standard processes, variability among projects is typically reduced and projects can more easily share process assets, data, and lessons learned.

This process area also addresses the coordination of all activities associated with the project such as the following:

·  Development activities (e.g., requirements development, design, and verification)

·  Service activities (e.g., delivery, help desk, operations, and customer contact)

·  Acquisition activities (e.g., solicitation, contract monitoring, and transition to operation)

·  Support activities (e.g., configuration management, documentation, marketing, and training)

The working interfaces and interactions among relevant stakeholders internal and external to the project are planned and managed to ensure the quality and integrity of the entire product. Relevant stakeholders participate, as appropriate, in defining the project’s defined process and the project plan. Reviews and exchanges are regularly conducted with the relevant stakeholders to ensure that coordination issues receive appropriate attention and everyone involved with the project is appropriately aware of the status, plans, and activities. (See the definition of “relevant stakeholder” in the glossary.) In defining the project’s defined process, formal interfaces are created as necessary to ensure that appropriate coordination and collaboration occurs.

This process area applies in any organizational structure, including projects that are structured as line organizations, matrix organizations, or integrated teams. The terminology should be appropriately interpreted for the organizational structure in place.

Refer to the Project Planning process area for more information about planning the project, which includes identifying relevant stakeholders and their appropriate involvement in the project.

Refer to the Project Monitoring and Control process area for more information about monitoring and controlling the project.

Refer to the Verification process area for more information about peer reviews.

Refer to the Organizational Process Definition process area for more information about organizational process assets and work environment standards.

Refer to the Measurement and Analysis process area for more information about defining a process for measuring and analyzing processes.

Specific Goal and Practice Summary

SG 1 Use the Project’s Defined Process

SP 1.1  Establish the Project’s Defined Process

SP 1.2  Use Organizational Process Assets for Planning Project Activities

SP 1.3  Establish the Project's Work Environment

SP 1.4  Integrate Plans

SP 1.5  Manage the Project Using the Integrated Plans

SP 1.6  Contribute to the Organizational Process Assets

SG 2 Coordinate and Collaborate with Relevant Stakeholders

SP 2.1  Manage Stakeholder Involvement

SP 2.2  Manage Dependencies

SP 2.3  Resolve Coordination Issues