Project management is a critical skill required for execution. It is an essential organizing and managerial discipline in getting things done. In fact it can described as an art of managing the product and service development cycle to achieve a balance of time, cost and quality. Usually Project management follows major phases including feasibility study, project planning, implementation, evaluation and support/maintenance.

Although project management requires the use of processes and tools to manage and control work, its real value can be released when a project manager actively engages stakeholders to support and sponsor key work. The project manager must have clear understanding of the process, activities and deliverables in managing project.  It includes knowledge on how to use specific tools to bring about the expected product of each project management process. Apart from this, the project manager must have the proper knowledge of nine core areas of project management.

The nine core areas of project management are:

1.       Management of Integration: It describes the processes and activities that integrate the various elements of project management. This knowledge area includes the project plan development processes, project plan execution processes, and integrated change control processes.

2.       Management of Scope: It describes the processes concerned in determining that the project includes all the work required to complete the project effectively. Processes in this knowledge area include the initiation process as well as all the processes related to the scoping of the project.

3.       Management of Time: It describes the processes that are generally involved for the timely completion of the project. It includes processes like activity definition and sequencing processes.

4.       Management of Cost: It describes the procedures involved in scheduling, estimating, accounting, and controlling costs so that the project gets finished within the approved budget. Each process has a set of techniques that are used to turn the input into output.

5.        Management of Quality: It describes the procedures involved in ensuring that the project fulfills the objectives for which it was undertaken. Processes such as quality planning, assurance, and control are included in this area.

6.       Management of Human Resource: It describes the processes that systematize and control the project team. People are a major part of any project. This management area ensures that all the people involved in project are used effectively for the project success.

7.        Management of Project Communications: It describes the procedures concerning the appropriate collection, distribution, storage and final disposition of project information.

8.        Management of Risk: It describes the processes concerned with conducting risk management on a project. It contains the processes for identifying, analyzing, and responding to project risk.

9.        Management of Procurement Management: It describes the processes that purchase or acquire products, services or results, as well as contract management processes.