Overview: Project Integration Management
Project Integration Management involves the processes and activities needed to identify, define, combine, unify, and coordinate various elements of the project. It ensures that the project is properly planned, executed, monitored, and closed in a coherent and controlled way.
Purpose
This knowledge area focuses on making trade-offs, resolving conflicts, and managing dependencies across all project elements to:
- Align project objectives with stakeholder expectations
- Maintain the integrity of project baselines
- Ensure that changes are systematically managed
- Optimize performance across scope, time, cost, quality, and risk
It is the central coordinating function of project management.
Key Characteristics
- Oversees the entire project lifecycle
- Requires leadership, decision-making, and strategic thinking
- Involves frequent integration with other knowledge areas
- Essential for change control and value delivery
Core Processes in Project Integration Management
| Process | Process Group | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Develop Project Charter | Initiating | Formally authorizes the project and provides high-level information and authority. |
| Develop Project Management Plan | Planning | Integrates all subsidiary plans into a single comprehensive roadmap. |
| Direct and Manage Project Work | Executing | Leads and performs the work defined in the project plan to achieve objectives. |
| Manage Project Knowledge | Executing | Uses lessons learned and insights to improve decision-making and execution. |
| Monitor and Control Project Work | Monitoring and Controlling | Tracks, reviews, and reports progress to ensure alignment with the plan. |
| Perform Integrated Change Control | Monitoring and Controlling | Evaluates and manages all change requests across the project. |
| Close Project or Phase | Closing | Finalizes all project activities and formally closes the project or phase. |
Why Project Integration Management Matters
- Enables Coherent Planning and Execution – Coordinates across all aspects of the project to avoid fragmentation.
- Supports Decision-Making – Balances competing demands and ensures alignment with strategic objectives.
- Manages Change Holistically – Centralizes change control to minimize risk and confusion.
- Drives Project Success – Maintains focus on the big picture, integrating deliverables, processes, and stakeholder goals.
Interactions with Other Knowledge Areas
Integration Management acts as the hub of all project management efforts, weaving together the work of:
- Scope
- Schedule
- Cost
- Quality
- Resources
- Communications
- Risk
- Procurement
- Stakeholders
Every other knowledge area depends on Integration Management to ensure consistent planning, execution, and control.